Half-day Sit

A half-day sit is a low-commitment entry point to zazen practice—three hours of sitting, no overnight commitment, no multi-day retreat schedule to navigate. This one is framed around three things: connecting with stillness, making space in body and mind, and taking refuge. If you're new to Zen practice, a three-hour intensive gives you enough time to settle into the rhythm of sitting without the intensity of a full sesshin.

The format is straightforward: zazen (Zen sitting meditation), likely with walking breaks (kinhin) between periods. No lectures, no meals, in and out in an afternoon. Zen Mountain Monastery has been teaching in the Shunryu Suzuki lineage for decades; their approach tends toward accessible, direct practice. This kind of half-day sit is their standard entry point.