Weekend Sesshin - Spring Ango Opening

What is ango?

Ango (literally "peaceful dwelling") is a traditional three-month training period in Zen monasteries, historically aligned with the seasons. This weekend marks the spring ango opening — a chance to join the monastery's formal training cycle without committing to the full three months. You'll sit alongside resident monks and longer-term practitioners in the same schedule and structure.

What to expect

This is a traditional sesshin format: 7–10 hours of zazen daily, split across multiple sitting periods with kinhin (walking meditation) between them. Meals are taken in silence using oryoki (formal bowls). There's also work practice — the monastery operates as a functioning community, and sesshin participants contribute to upkeep. Dokusan (private meetings with a teacher) are included, giving you direct feedback on your sitting.

The retreat is silent from the moment it begins. You'll wake early, sit through the morning, break for a work period, sit again in the afternoon, and attend evening chanting services. It's structured and demanding, which is the point — the intensive schedule itself is part of the practice.

Who it's for

Zen Mountain Monastery explicitly welcomes newcomers to intensive practice. You don't need prior sitting experience, though some familiarity with basic zazen posture is helpful. If you've never done a sesshin before, a weekend is a good way to test whether this practice suits you. If you have experience, this is a chance to deepen your sitting in a serious monastic environment.