Rooted in Awareness: Iyengar Yoga and Zen to Embody Your Life

This retreat pairs two complementary practices—Iyengar Yoga and Zen meditation—in the secluded canyon setting of Tassajara, San Francisco Zen Center's mountain monastery. The combination reflects a practical lineage understanding: that precise postural alignment (the Iyengar method's hallmark) and steady sitting meditation reinforce each other, building embodied awareness rather than treating mind and body separately.

The daily schedule weaves asana (yoga postures), pranayama (breathing practices), and zazen (Zen sitting meditation) into a single arc of practice. You'll work with alignment principles that stabilize your seat for meditation, and use meditation to notice how your body actually inhabits space—not as an idea, but in real time. The retreat is held during early summer at Tassajara, a working monastery about 150 miles south of San Francisco in the Los Padres wilderness, with a functioning bathhouse and communal meals.

This format suits people drawn to both yoga and meditation who want to see how they deepen each other, without requiring prior experience in either tradition. Expect a moderate pace with time for rest and the quietness of the setting itself.