Taking Refuge Zazenkai
with Jody Hojin Kimmel · Soto Zen
One-day zazenkai featuring zazen, dokusan, a formal talk, and oryoki lunch. Designed for experienced practitioners to deepen practice and for newer students preparing for longer sesshin.
A zazenkai is a compressed version of sesshin—a full day of practice in a single sitting rather than five or seven days. This one follows the traditional shape: periods of zazen (seated meditation) separated by kinhin (walking meditation), a formal talk from a teacher, private dokusan (a one-on-one meeting to discuss your practice), and oryoki (a formal, mindful meal eaten in silence as part of practice).
The structure makes this useful in two ways. For experienced practitioners, it's a contained way to refresh practice or work intensively on a koan or sitting question without the time commitment of a full sesshin. For newer students, it's a low-stakes introduction to the elements—silence, formal schedule, dokusan, liturgy—that make up longer retreats, so you know what to expect before signing up for three or five days.
The "Taking Refuge" theme suggests the retreat centers on refuge—the formal commitment to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha that anchors Zen practice. Expect the day's talks and dokusan to return to that foundation.
Full details from Zen Center of New York City/Fire Lotus Temple
A one-day intensive Zen practice event featuring periods of zazen, liturgy, dokusan with a teacher, a formal talk, and oryoki lunch. This zazenkai offers experienced students an opportunity to deepen their practice and provides newer students a preparatory step toward sesshin.
Thursday – Sunday · 4 days
Ango Intensive
with Geoffrey Shugen Arnold
Zen Center of New York City/Fire Lotus Temple
Saturday
Half-day Sit
with MRO Staff
Zen Center of New York City/Fire Lotus Temple