The Practice of Zazen

The tradition

Soto Zen emphasizes zazen as the complete expression of practice — not a means to an end, but the practice itself. A Soto sesshin (intensive retreat) follows a structured daily rhythm: multiple periods of sitting meditation (zazen), walking meditation (kinhin) between periods, communal meals, and private meetings (dokusan) with the teacher. There are usually Dharma talks (teachings) but no formal chanting or ceremonial components in this retreat format.

What to expect

This is a traditional five-day sesshin at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, a monastic retreat facility in the Los Padres National Forest near Big Sur. The schedule is formal and silent — participants maintain noble silence throughout, communicating only when necessary. Daily practice typically runs 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., with sitting periods of 30 or 40 minutes alternated with kinhin (slow walking meditation) and breaks. Dokusan with Abbot Jiryu offers space to bring questions or difficulties directly to the teacher in a one-on-one meeting; many people sit with no particular agenda, simply showing up and opening to what arises.

Abbot Jiryu

Jiryu Mark MacNeill is the resident Abbot at Tassajara and a senior teacher in the San Francisco Zen Center lineage, which traces back through Shunryu Suzuki to Japanese Soto Zen. He brings a clear, direct teaching style rooted in decades of practice at the center.

Lodging

Residential retreat at Tassajara includes simple private or shared rooms and all meals. The mountain setting is part of the container — silence and monastic routine support the intensity of practice.

Note: This retreat shows as waitlist-only on the registration page; contact Tassajara directly if interested.