Fall is in the air, the maple leaves are turning and the time is rapidly approaching for the Open Gate Zendo Fall Sesshin (October 18th-20th). This year’s retreat will be quite different from years past in two significant ways. First is that the sesshin will be held at the Mount Adams Zen Temple, this will be the first time that we have had a sesshin away from Open Gate since we ‘opened the gate’ eight years ago. The second significant difference is that we will be combining efforts with the Mount Adams Zen community in conducting blended retreat format that incorporates the Mount Adams practices and schedule with our own.
Many members of our
extended sangha have had the opportunity to practice at Mount Adams and are
aware of the subtle differences in style, while for others this will be a new
experience. Mount Adams Zen Temple is in
the Vietnamese Zen tradition and carries many of the nuances of this heritage,
just as our practice carries the nuances of the Japanese tradition.
Since both our
communities are modern Western descendents of Zen, neither Japanese or
Vietnamese, we are not bound to any specific ethnic style of practice. The combination of old traditions holds many
promises in the development of a “Contemporary Zen” form that is not of any specific
tradition, other than the tradition of Zen itself.
Additionally, Fa Dong, from the Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun, will be in attendance from Beijing China, to perform an ordination
ceremony which will officially welcome Leah
Schoonover into the Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu
Yun. Leah’s ordination will further
contribute to the mix by reminding us of Zen’s Chinese roots and deep personal connection
to our sangha.
Due to the logistics
of conducting this sesshin away from home, we are limiting attendance to
twenty, so please remember to “register” by sending an e-mail to: opengatezendo@msn.com to confirm your
attendance. Even though overnight
accommodations will be indoors, please prepare yourself as if you were going on
a camping trip, with sleeping bags and personal items. For the most part we will be sleeping
barracks style and meals will be provided within the retreat schedule.
It is recommended
that you arrive Friday night to take full advantage of the full day schedule on
Saturday.
Friday Evening Schedule (10/18)
6:30 Mt. Adams, Regular Evening Service.7:30 Walking Meditation
Saturday Schedule(10/19?
5:45 Orientation6:15 Sit
6:45 Informal Breakfast
7:30 Clean up and prepare for ordination ceremony
8:00 Ordination Ceremony
9:00 Morning Service
10:15 Two periods of meditation divided by walking meditation w/ private meeting with teacher
11:45 Two periods of meditation divided by walking meditation w/ private meeting with teacher
1:00 Lunch- Soto style Oryoki
2:00 Samu (work period)
3:30 Two periods of seated meditation divided by walking meditation
5:00 Half hour of walking meditation
5:30 Dinner-Soto style Oryoki
7:00 Metta Practice
7:30 Two periods of seated meditation divided by walking meditation
8:45 Tea and Dharma talk
9:00 Time for Bed
Sunday Schedule (10/20)
5:45 Metta Practice6:15 Two periods of seated meditation divided by walking meditation
7:30 Informal Breakfast
8:30 Clean up
9:00 Morning Service
10:15 Two periods of meditation divided by walking meditation w/ private meeting with teacher
11:45 Two periods of meditation divided by walking meditation w/ private meeting with teacher
1:00 Lunch-Soto style Oryoki
2:00 Samu (work period)
2:45 One period seated meditation
3:15 Tea and Group discussion
4:00 Retreat Ends
