The Path to Wholeness, ZMC 8/4–8/9

This retreat uses traditional Zen sesshin structure—silent sitting periods, kinhin (walking meditation), and meals in the meditation hall—as a container for exploring how to live with wholehearted presence. Rather than a purely silent retreat, it weaves in writing, poetry, and Zen stories as part of the teaching method, which gives it a slightly different flavor than a standard sesshin.

Tassajara, SFZC's mountain monastery in the Los Padres National Forest, is the setting—a deep-practice environment with minimal outside contact. The six-day format is substantial without being a full week's commitment.

This is a Soto Zen offering, the lineage that emphasizes "just sitting" (shikantaza) as the heart of practice. The retreat's integration of creative work—writing and poetry—alongside formal meditation suggests a teaching approach that honors both the sitting and how practitioners relate to their own lives. Worth considering if you want sesshin structure with room for reflection and expression.