Returning To Now-Sangha Week

Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, the oldest Zen monastery in North America, sits in a remote canyon south of Big Sur. This week-long sesshin follows the traditional Soto Zen schedule: early morning zazen, work practice (maintaining the monastery and its grounds), formal meals, and evening sitting. The theme—returning to now—frames each day's Dharma exploration without imposing a separate curriculum; the practice itself is the teaching.

Rev. Lucy Xiao and Rev. Dōjin Brent Haas co-lead from within the residential sangha. Soto Zen emphasizes shikantaza (just sitting) and the integration of practice into daily work and community life. You'll find this reflected in the schedule: zazen periods bookend the day, but the hours between are filled with oryoki (formal meals), work assignments, and the rhythms of a functioning monastery.

The location matters. Tassajara's isolation—no cell service, minimal distractions—is itself part of the practice container. You'll sleep in monastery accommodations, eat in the zendo, and move through the week at a pace set by bells and the mountain itself.

Note: This retreat is waitlist only, suggesting it fills quickly. Check the center's website for registration details and cancellation policies.