Inner Critic Workshop

This day-long workshop sits at the intersection of contemporary psychology and Zen practice. Rather than treating the inner critic as something to transcend through meditation alone, it uses Internal Family Systems (IFS)—a therapeutic model that works with different "parts" of the psyche—alongside Buddhist inquiry to map and dialogue with the perfectionist parts that drive much of our suffering.

The format alternates between silent meditation and guided group work. You'll sit, then move into facilitated exploration of the inner critic voice itself—not to eliminate it, but to understand what it's protecting you from, and to negotiate with it from a place of awareness rather than identification. This approach, sometimes called "parts work," has gained traction in Buddhist contexts as a way to make meditation practice more psychologically literate and less purely transcendent.

Great Vow Zen Monastery, located in rural Oregon, sits on land that supports both traditional sesshin practice and experimental formats like this. A single day means you can explore this modality without the commitment of a week-long retreat. Bring a journal; there will be time for reflection between sitting periods.