Introduction to Zen Training Weekend

What to expect

A traditional sesshin format compressed into a weekend. You'll sit zazen (Zen meditation) in periods, usually 40 minutes each with walking practice (kinhin) between them. The schedule includes meals taken in silence as part of practice (oryoki, formal meal practice), work assignments, chanting, and dokusan — private meetings with a teacher to discuss your practice.

As an introductory retreat, there will be instruction. You'll learn how to sit, how to move mindfully, what the liturgy is and why it matters. This isn't assumed knowledge.

The tradition

Zen Mountain Monastery teaches in the Soto Zen lineage, which emphasizes zazen as the primary practice. Soto is sometimes called "just sitting" — the meditation itself is seen as the whole path, not a means to an end. You may encounter koans (paradoxical teaching stories) in dokusan, but the backbone is sustained, careful attention to breath and posture.

The place

The monastery sits in the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York. This is a residential retreat, meaning you sleep and eat there for the duration. The setting matters — you're removed from ordinary life, which is the point of sesshin.

Logistics

• Three days, so realistic for a first retreat. Not grueling, but structured.
• Residential: meals and lodging included in the price.
• Schedule runs from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon typically (confirm on signup).
• Bring sitting clothes (dark, comfortable, nothing flashy), toiletries, any medications. The monastery provides everything else.
• Noble silence is observed — no unnecessary talking. You can speak to teachers and staff about logistics, but conversation with other participants isn't part of the schedule.