Yoga of Zen

This five-day retreat at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center pairs zazen (sitting meditation) with yoga practice focused on listening to the body. Rather than treating yoga as separate conditioning, the retreat frames it as self-exploration through embodied awareness—learning to feel and work with sensation as part of the meditation itself.

You'll sit zazen daily, supplemented by guided yoga exercises and reflection periods. The setting at Tassajara, a remote retreat center in the coastal mountains south of Big Sur, supports this work: the natural stillness of the place and the rhythm of residential practice create conditions for sustained attention.

This is a Soto Zen context, meaning the approach emphasizes practice itself as realization rather than seeking specific attainment. The combination of zazen and yoga here speaks to how contemporary Zen centers are working with the whole body in practice—not as distraction from meditation, but as part of it.

Residential means you stay on-site for the full retreat. Tassajara provides meals and accommodations as part of the retreat fee. Expect a structured daily schedule built around sitting periods, meals taken in silence or with minimal conversation, and the practice schedule itself.