Creating Zen Healing Rituals Together

This online retreat brings together two lineages of practice: formal Zen meditation and the intentional use of ritual as a healing tool. Sarah Dōjin Emerson, a Zen priest and dharma teacher at Brooklyn Zen Center, co-leads with Dr. Paula Arai, a scholar of Buddhism and ritual practice. The pairing suggests a retreat that's both contemplative and intellectually grounded — not just sitting, but understanding why ritual matters in Zen tradition and how it functions as healing work.

The three-day format online means you'll join from home, likely with a mix of group practice sessions and individual sitting periods. Without access to the full schedule details, expect mornings and evenings structured around zazen (Zen sitting meditation), with teaching talks that weave together the retreat's focus on healing rituals. The online format removes the immersion of residential practice but allows participation without travel.

This retreat may appeal to practitioners curious about how Zen engages with healing, ritual, and community care — less strictly traditional sesshin, more exploratory and thematic. Prior sitting experience isn't necessarily required, though familiarity with basic meditation will help you follow the pace.