Intensive Meditation Opportunities

Extended periods of meditation are the backbone of our practice, allowing us the opportunity to quiet our minds in shared silence. At MZMC, we offer: sesshins, which include the traditional elements including liturgy and formal meals with oryoki bowls; and retreats, which do not. All sesshins and retreats include periods of sitting meditation followed by walking meditation, and one-to-one meetings with the teacher. Please register for a retreat at least three days in advance, or by the date suggested beneath the "Register" option. Thank you.

Sesshins and Retreats

2012 Dates

  • January 14: Half-day Sesshin
  • February 11: One-Day Retreat
  • March 2 – 4: Sesshin
  • April 14: One-Day Retreat
  • May 5: Half-day Sesshin
  • June 5 (evening) – 10: Retreat
  • July 7: Half-day Sesshin
  • August 11: One-Day Retreat
  • September 18 (evening) – 23 (noon): Retreat at Hokyoji
  • October 13: Half-day Sesshin
  • November 10: One-Day Retreat
  • November 30 (evening) – December 7: Rohatsu Sesshin

Please remember that our daily meditation schedule is suspended during retreats with the exception of the Sunday morning schedule (meditation, talk, and Introduction to Zen Meditation), which takes place as usual.

Half-day Sesshins
January 14 with Tim Burkett
May 5 with Susan Nelson
July 7 with Tim Burkett
October 13 with Rosemary Taylor
Hours: 5:45 am – noon
Cost: $20 members; $25 non-members
Register

This brief immersion in the traditional sesshin schedule is a good opportunity to become familiar with the forms, stay in practice, or brush up after some time away. This morning includes an orientation, zazen, kinhin (walking meditation), liturgy, a formal vegetarian breakfast using oryoki bowls, and one-to-one meetings with the teacher.

One-Day Retreat: Loving-kindness
February 11 with Guy Gibbon
Hours: 8 am – 5 pm
Cost: $45 members; $60 non-members
Register

One-Day Retreats (formerly called Mindfulness Days) are conducted in a contemporary context, without the formal elements involved in sesshin. They include walking and sitting meditation, a dharma talk, one-to-one meetings with the teacher, a vegetarian buffet lunch, and work practice. Meditators at all levels of experience are invited.

The theme of this day's meditation will be loving-kindness, cultivating our natural capacity for an open and loving heart. The dharma talk will be on this topic, and the day will feature two guided loving-kindness meditations (along with the usual "just-sitting" meditation).

One-Day Retreat
February 11 with Guy Gibbon
April 14 with Ted O'Toole
August 11 with Lee Lewis
November 10 with Ben Connelly
Hours: 8 am – 5 pm
Cost: $45 members; $60 non-members
Register

One-Day Retreats (formerly called Mindfulness Days) are conducted in a contemporary context, without the formal elements involved in sesshin. They include walking and sitting meditation, a dharma talk, one-to-one meetings with the teacher, a vegetarian buffet lunch, and work practice. Meditators at all levels of experience are invited.

March Sesshin
with Rosemary Taylor
March 2 at 7 pm through March 4 at 4 pm
Cost for one-day option: $45 members; $60 non-members
Cost for two-day option: $75 members; $100 nonmembers
Register

At this formal meditation retreat, we follow the forms and rituals used in the Soto Zen tradition for centuries. The sesshin includes zazen, kinhin (walking meditation), liturgy, dharma talks, formal vegetarian meals using oryoki, dokusan (one-to-one meetings with the teacher), and work practice. All participants should attend the orientation on Friday, March 2.

June Retreat
with Tim Burkett and Ted O'Toole
June 5 at 7 pm through June 10 at 4 pm
Cost per day: $45 members; $60 non-members
Register

This five-day retreat is contemporary in style while maintaining a deep immersion in meditation and silence. The retreat includes sitting and walking meditation, daily dharma talks, work practice, one-to-one meetings with the teachers, and buffet-style vegetarian meals.

Retreat at Hokyoji Zen Practice Community, Eitzen MN
with Tim Burkett and Lee Lewis
September 18 at 7 pm through September 23, at noon
Cost for full retreat: $205 members; $270 non-members
Cost for two days (Fri., 7 pm – Sun. noon): $70 members; $90 nonmembers
Register

The fall retreat at Hokyoji, in the bluff country of southeastern Minnesota, is an opportunity to practice surrounded by nature, far from the distractions of city life. We alternate sitting and walking meditation throughout the day, along with daily dharma talks, one-to-one meetings with the teachers, vegetarian meals, a work period, and outdoor group meditation walks. Bring camping gear or sleep in dorm-like accommodations.

Rohatsu Sesshin
with Tim Burkett
Seven-day: Fri., Nov. 30, at 7 pm through Fri., Dec. 7, 4 pm
Five-day: Fri., Nov. 30, at 7 pm through Wed., Dec. 5, 9 pm
Two-day: Fri., Nov. 30, at 7 pm through Sun., Dec. 2, 9 pm
One-day: Fri., Nov. 30 at 7 pm through Sat., Dec. 1, 9 pm
Hours for full-days: 5:45 am – 9:00 pm

Cost: Seven-day member $305; nonmember $410
Five-day member $215; nonmember $290
Two-day member $80; nonmember $110
One-day member $45 member; nonmember $60
Register

Rohatsu (Buddha's Enlightenment) sesshin is arguably the year's most important event for Zen Buddhists. All over the world we sit in meditation, celebrating Buddha's awakening to an intimacy with all life as our own awakening. This formal retreat includes zazen, kinhin (walking meditation), liturgy, dharma talks, formal vegetarian meals using oryoki, dokusan (one-to-one meetings with the teachers), and work practice. All participants should attend the orientation on Friday, November 30.

Our mission is to help people experience a deep and quiet joy – a joy that arises whenever we are fully engaged in the work or play of this moment.