Saturday
18
Zazenkai (Daylong Retreat)
with Valerie Forstman
Mountain Cloud Zen Center / Santa Fe, NM, USA
This Week's Letter — The Retreats Desk · April 17
Nothing lacking
SFZC opens a month-long practice period titled after Dogen's most direct teaching — the same week Green Gulch plants trees and a Huayan scholar visits City Center.
In the seventh century, the Chinese monk Fazang placed a Buddha statue in a mirrored room and lit a candle. Each mirror reflected every other mirror, and each reflection contained all the reflections — infinite, mutual, without hierarchy. This was his demonstration of the Avatamsaka Sutra for Empress Wu. No metaphor. A room full of light proving that everything already contains everything.
April
2026 11 retreatsSunday
19
Soto Zen Sunday Service - Shinjin-sensei Talk
with Mike Goldman
Atlanta Soto Zen Center / Atlanta, GA, USA
Sunday
19
Transforming Shame and Guilt to Healing & Connection: A Meditation in Recovery Daylong Retreat
San Francisco Zen Center / San Francisco, CA, USA
Monday – Sunday · 7 days
20–26
Apple Blossom Sesshin
with Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Jody Hojin Kimmel, Ron Hogen Green, Danica Shoan Ankele
Zen Center of New York City/Fire Lotus Temple / Brooklyn, NY, USA
Monday – Sunday · 7 days
20–26
One Continuous Thread: Home Practice Intensive—April
with Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Jody Hojin Kimmel, Danica Shoan Ankele
Zen Center of New York City/Fire Lotus Temple / Brooklyn, NY, USA
Saturday
25
Half-day Sit
with MRO Staff
Zen Center of New York City/Fire Lotus Temple / Brooklyn, NY, USA
Saturday
25
Spring Zazenkai: A One Day Meditation Retreat
Great Vow Zen Monastery / Clatskanie, OR, USA
Sunday – Saturday · 7 days
Apr 26 – May 02
Appamada Spring 2026 Integrated Intensive: Not Two: Encounter
with Peg Syverson, Joel Barna, Flint Sparks
Appamada / Austin, TX, USA
Monday – Saturday · 34 days
Apr 27 – May 30
City Center Spring 2026 Practice Period: Nothing Lacking, Continuous Practice
Green Gulch Farm Zen Center / Green Dragon Temple / Muir Beach, CA, USA
Monday – Saturday · 34 days
Apr 27 – May 30
City Center Spring 2026 Practice Period: Nothing Lacking, Continuous Practice, Residential
San Francisco Zen Center / San Francisco, CA, USA
Thursday – Sunday · 4 days
Apr 30 – May 03
Love & Spaciousness: A Loving Kindness Weekend Retreat
Great Vow Zen Monastery / Clatskanie, OR, USA
May
2026 17 retreatsFriday – Sunday
01–03
Introduction to Zen Training Weekend
with Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Danica Shoan Ankele, Gokan Bonebakker
Zen Center of New York City/Fire Lotus Temple / Brooklyn, NY, USA
Saturday
02
May 2 All-Day Sitting
with Norman
Everyday Zen Foundation / Oakland, CA, USA
Sunday – Saturday · 7 days
03–09
Private Centering Prayer Retreat
Hokyoji Zen Practice Community / Eitzen, MN, USA
Thursday – Sunday · 4 days
07–10
Ango Intensive
with Geoffrey Shugen Arnold
Zen Center of New York City/Fire Lotus Temple / Brooklyn, NY, USA
Thursday – Sunday · 4 days
07–10
Ango Intensive – Turning Words and the Wellspring of Great Peace
with Geoffrey Shugen Arnold
Zen Center of New York City/Fire Lotus Temple / Brooklyn, NY, USA
Saturday – Monday
09–11
Norman Fischer Retreat
with Norman Fischer
Mountain Rain Zen Community / Vancouver, BC, Canada
Monday – Sunday · 7 days
11–17
May Sesshin – The Light of Our Ancestors
Great Vow Zen Monastery / Clatskanie, OR, USA
Thursday – Sunday · 4 days
14–17
Chado: The Zen Art of Tea
with Pei-Tsen Tao, Naomi, Andrew Hobai Pekarik, David Kozen Williams
Zen Center of New York City/Fire Lotus Temple / Brooklyn, NY, USA
Thursday – Sunday · 4 days
14–17
True Heart Women's Retreat 2026
Hokyoji Zen Practice Community / Eitzen, MN, USA