Zazenkai — All-Day Sitting

Zazenkai means, literally, “come together for meditation” — the one-day form of an intensive sitting period, shorter than a multi-day sesshin. Bread Loaf Mountain Zen Community holds this one at 76 Court St in Middlebury, Vermont, with an online option for those who can't be there in person. It's a full Zen practice day in roughly eleven hours: zazen (sitting meditation), kinhin (walking meditation), liturgy, a Dharma talk, samu (work practice), and shared meals.

The schedule

The day starts early and closes at 5:00 pm:

• 6:00 am — optional zazen, then kinhin and a second sitting period, ending the morning block with the Heart Sutra liturgy at 7:40
• 8:00 am — breakfast, then samu (work practice) at 9:00
• 10:30 am — zazen, followed by the Dharma talk at 11:00
• Midday — the Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo chant, then lunch, rest, and a block the schedule lists only as “physical practice”
• 3:00 pm — zazen, kinhin, zazen, and the Four Vows chant
• 5:00 pm — teatime and mindful conversation before the close

Meals and cost

Meals are shared and vegan, with vegetarian and gluten-free options. The teachings are offered in the dana tradition — freely given, with no required payment. A $35 donation is suggested for those able to contribute, and any amount less or more is accepted.

Attending

You register separately for in-person or online attendance. In-person spots are limited, and the center asks anyone whose plans change to email [email protected] so the spot opens for others. The page doesn't describe how the online day is delivered — no details on platform or whether the full schedule is streamed — so contact the center if those specifics matter to your planning. No teacher is named for this session; the center hasn't published who will lead the day or give the Dharma talk.