Being at Tassajara: Esselen Teachings, Zen Wisdom, and Ecological Knowledge

This retreat weaves together three distinct ways of knowing a place: Zen Buddhist practice, Esselen indigenous teachings, and hands-on ecological observation. Rather than treating them as separate subjects, the retreat uses each lens to deepen the others—zazen cultivates the attention needed for bird watching; ecological insight informs how you move through the land; Esselen teachings ground both in a specific relationship to Tassajara itself.

The schedule mirrors a traditional Zen sesshin structure—early mornings, zazen periods, walking meditation (kinhin), Dharma talks, and ceremony—but punctuates it with time outdoors: botanizing (learning plants directly), bird watching, storytelling. This is not meditation-focused with nature as break time, but an integrated retreat where sitting practice and direct observation feed each other.

Tassajara is a remote mountain valley south of Big Sur, home to San Francisco Zen Center's practice monastery. The location itself is the curriculum. You'll be there in late spring, when the land is most alive.

What to expect

• Early morning zazen and chanting
• Walking meditation through the Tassajara grounds
• Dharma talks introducing Esselen perspectives and ecological knowledge
• Structured time for botanizing and bird watching
• Shared meals in the zendo
• Noble silence throughout (minimal talking outside scheduled times)
• Residential lodging; basic but comfortable accommodations

This is an uncommon format for a Zen retreat—most sesshins focus entirely on zazen and dokusan (individual meetings with a teacher). The addition of ecological and indigenous frameworks makes this retreat accessible to people interested in contemplative practice, land awareness, and cultural knowledge without requiring prior sitting experience.