BIAPOC (Black, Indigenous, Asian, and People of Color) Retreat at ZCNYC: Vibrant Community Practice

This one-day sit is structured specifically for BIAPOC (Black, Indigenous, Asian, and people of color) practitioners within the Soto Zen lineage. It offers the core practice — zazen (seated meditation) and kinhin (walking meditation) — held in silence, which is standard for Zen retreats, but with an intentional community frame and an embodiment practice component afterward.

The addition of gentle movement practice with a seated option acknowledges different bodies and accessibility needs. The day closes with community sharing, which shifts the retreat from silence-only to include space for practitioners to reflect together — a meaningful difference from traditional sesshin format.

Zen Center of New York City is an established Soto Zen sangha in Manhattan. If you're new to zazen or to sitting with a specific community, this day-long format is low-commitment and gives you a real sense of the practice without a weekend or week-long commitment.