Zen Center of Denver
Zen Center of Denver Members Training
About ZCD   
Lineage/Affiliation   
Getting Started   
Members Training   
Calendar   
Library   
Photo Gallery   
Contact ZCD   
Monastery w/o Walls   
Administrators Area   
Home   
Temple Renovation

Membership | Dokusan/Daisan | Every-Minute Zen | Liturgy Practice | Samu | Zazenkai |
Sesshin | Monastery Without Walls | Lotus in the Flame Order |
Becoming a Formal Student | Zen Center Wish List

Sesshin (Meditation Retreats)

In one strong seven-day sesshin it is possible to accomplish what takes two to five years of sitting on one's own.
-Hakuun Yasutani Roshi

Sesshin may well be the most intense form of spiritual inquiry practiced in the world today, wherein self-transformation is possible in degree and speed unknown in any other mode of practice. It is unique to Zen and represents the very essence of Zen practice.
-Danan Henry Roshi

The Center holds four seven-day sesshin per year for members and other qualified persons. The dates of sesshins are established one year in advance; they are posted on the bulletin board and published in the newsletters and in the current calendar.

The sesshin application form (PDF format) has all necessary information, including sesshin setup requirements, arrival time, what to bring, and so forth.

Anyone whose sesshin application includes partial-day attendance must use the sesshin fee and partial attendance schedule chart, checking every square on the chart for which they will be attending if accepted.

Sesshin Schedule
4:50 AM  wake-up
5:15 tea ceremony, talk & zazen
7:00 breakfast
7:30 samu/rest
   
9:00 sutras (chanting service)
9:30 zazen/dokusan
   
12:00 PM  main meal
12:30 samu/rest
   
2:00 zazen
2:30 teisho
3:30 zazen/dokusan
5:00 exercise
5:30 recitations
   
5:45 supper
6:00 samu/rest
   
7:00 tea ceremony/zazen/dokusan
9:00 evening ritual
9:15 tea & crackers
9:15 yaza

2012 Sesshin Dates:

April 14-18 (Karin and Ken Senseis)

July 31-Aug 5 (5.5 days) - Mountain Sesshin (Karin and Peggy Senseis)

October 20-24 (Ken and Peggy Senseis)

December 1-8 (Karin Sensei and Danan Roshi)

Weekend Sesshin
The weekend sesshin is a short sesshin that begins on a Friday evening and continues through Sunday, usually incorporating Zazenkai on Sunday.

2012 Weekend Sesshin

February 17-19 (Peggy Sensei)

June 29 - July 1 (Ken Sensei)