Summer Roshi Retreat

This retreat pairs formal zazen practice with studio work—a less common format that asks you to sit intensively, then move directly into structured drawing based on Bauhaus principles. If you're curious how meditation and visual practice might inform each other, or if you've been sitting for a while and want to try something outside the usual sesshin shape, this signals a different kind of three days.

Taiun-roshi leads from the Soto Zen tradition, which emphasizes shikantaza (just sitting) and the integration of practice into daily life. The alternation between zazen and drawing reflects that ethos—practice continues in the studio, not as distraction but as attention itself.

The Atlanta Soto Zen Center is located in the city proper, not a rural retreat setting. This is a residential retreat, so you'll stay on-site for the duration, but the urban context shapes the feel: you're not withdrawing to a mountain monastery, you're intensifying practice in the middle of the week.

Bring clothes suitable for both zazen (comfortable, layerable, dark colors traditional) and studio work (you may get charcoal on them). The center will have sitting cushions and mats. If you've never done zazen before, arrive early to get oriented with posture and breathing; if you've never done structured drawing, same principle applies—the teachers will meet you where you are.