Fall Sesshin Mt. Adams October 18-20th

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.  

For more information about Mount Adams Zen Center go to:  http://www.mtadamszen.org/

Friday Evening Schedule (10/18)

6:30 Mt. Adams,  Regular Evening Service.
7:30 Walking Meditation

Saturday Schedule(10/19?

5:45  Orientation
6:15 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 Practice
6:15 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