Intensives

 

 

Moon viewing Zazen and workshops

Monthly

 

Each month beginning with morning Zazen, followed by  workshops and a practice talk or seminar, finishing with zazen in the eveing. Shojin ryori (Zen style Vegan) lunch and dinner included. 

 

Talks and seminars follow particular themes each month on Zen practice.

 

 

 

One Day Zazenkai 

April16

October 22

 

The special Zazenkai affords the chance to spend a day doing zazen, with the oppurtunity Face to Face Koan inquiry.

The Special zazenkai is an opportunity to dip into deeper practice with a day of sitting and Koan practice. Either as a stand alone, as an augmentation to weekly sitting or a preparation to joining in one of the Sesshin held twice a year.


Adult men and women are welcome. 

Eating and sitting meditation is done in a silent ordered fashion to promote mindfulness and minimize distraction.
 

 

Kosseshin (4 days)

June/July as per mid year school holidays

December 15 or January 15 (please check)

 

 

Participants should have previous and ongoing Zen experience, a regular meditation habit and have sat at least twice at Jizoan, or another Zen Centre/Temple, and do the free Prep.Workshop. 

It's nessesary to learn some formalities for mindfullness in Zen practice, such as how to eat using three bowls and how to sit in concentration. Please check the daily schedule to get some experience before joining, if you live outside of Perth you may be able to find a sitting group first, or contact us for further information.

The word Sesshin means meeting Mind, it's not a retreat from the world or problems or a therapy or recreation. Sesshin tradition is connected to the historical Buddha's own example of self examination and seeking. While daily or weekly Zen meditation practice is essential, and listening to talks at a Zen centre or getting individual advice on practice is useful too, it is in Sesshin that we bring Zen practice to a mature level. In fact we can say that meditation, talks etc. without Sesshin experience is not Zen at all.

4 day Sesshin (usually from a Friday until a Monday), are held at Perth Zen Centre (Jizoan) in December and another in mid year. For details and registration. Adult men and women are welcome. We follow the convention in most Zen centres around the world that participants should be familiar with Zen practice before participating in a Sesshin.

There will be no speaking except in private one on one interviews with the teacher and those interviews are held in Rinzai style, seeking to be to the point.

Eating and sitting meditation is done in a silent ordered fashion to promote mindfulness and minimize distraction.

People with stress or other serious mental health issues are not recommended to participate in Sesshins without independent advice.

 

 

Prep. Workshops

 

Because the Sesshin's are too intensive for us to give beginner's instruction along the way we hold Prep. Workshops for sesshin from at least one month in advance, even for experienced people the workshops are nessesary to learn the conventions of the group sittings and mindful eating proceedures (Jihatsu) you will use in the Sesshins. 

One afternoon or evening by appointment, please set aside up to two hours, depending on how familiar you may be already with the conventions of the Zen centre, and a chance to discuss what to bring etc.

 If you have never sat or been to a Zen centre before then you will need to do the beginner's Workshop first, we cannot accept anyone for Sesshin who has never done Zazen or participated in a Zen sitting all, we are sorry. It's not possible to spend on the spot time during Sesshin for 'how to do'..

 

There is no cost for the Sesshin prep.WS.

 

 

 

• Attending individual Mini-sesshin only $300 (4 days, meals incl.) - people should attend Jizoan or another Zen temple before coming for Kosesshin, so as to have a grounding in zazen and other forms. Please contact us for dates and details.