Radiant Awareness: Backpacking Journey to Tassajara

This retreat pairs backpacking through California's Ventana Wilderness with Zen practice at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, the monastery operated by the San Francisco Zen Center. The four-day trek to Tassajara is part of the retreat itself, not a preliminary; the practice integrates walking, wilderness immersion, and eco-somatic work alongside zazen and instruction.

Led by Mike Smith and Ariel Johnson, the program is structured around reconnecting with the earth and the senses through both movement and sitting. The final two nights are spent at Tassajara for practice and integration. The center has not published detailed schedule information, daily sitting periods, meal arrangements, or what prior experience is expected. Contact SFZC directly for those specifics and for information about what to bring for a four-day backpacking segment.