Jizo Sesshin

This sesshin takes its focus from Jizo Bodhisattva, a figure beloved in East Asian Buddhism as the guardian of all that emerges from the earth—crops, children, the vulnerable, the lost. Rather than treating Jizo as a distant icon, Great Vow structures the retreat around his active qualities: benevolence, optimism, fearlessness, determination, the power of vow itself. For practitioners familiar with sesshin format, this is recognizable ground—zazen periods, teisho, silence—but organized around a specific teaching figure and supported by an uncommon practice element: art projects that let you work with these qualities directly, not just contemplate them.

The art component deserves attention. In many sesshins, practice stays in the zendo. Here, making something—drawing, sculpting, arranging—becomes part of the exploration. This is especially useful for practitioners who think in images or need their hands moving to access insight. There's no need to be "artistic"; the point is engagement with the theme through material, not skill.

Great Vow Zen Monastery is located in rural Oregon, in the Soto Zen tradition. A six-day sesshin follows a traditional schedule: early wake, zazen sits (usually 4–5 periods daily), kinhin (walking meditation), meals, work periods, and evening teisho. You'll be in noble silence for the duration, with one private interview with the teacher (dokusan) typically offered mid-retreat. Residential lodging is provided; bring warm layers and layers suitable for outdoor work.