Zazenkai is an all-day intensive practice of sitting — typically eight hours of sitting in three blocks during a twelve-hour period (from 5am to 5pm) on a Saturday. This sesshin includes two oryoki meals (breakfast and lunch), a brief work practice, and breaks. Zazenkai are typically scheduled about every 6 weeks.
Zazenkai is an all-day intensive practice of sitting — typically eight hours of sitting in three blocks during a twelve-hour period (from 5am to 5pm) on a Saturday. This sesshin includes two oryoki meals (breakfast and lunch), a brief work practice, and breaks. Zazenkai are typically scheduled about every 6 weeks.
Dharma Rain holds at least one retreat every month. These range from half- or one-day retreats on Saturdays (e.g., Zazenkai, Beginners Day Retreat), to weekend retreats, to week-long intensive sesshin, a term that means “examine the heart.” Many retreats are open to the public to drop in for zazen (meditation) and services while requiring people to sign up ahead of time for meals and overnights. Others are “cloistered” (open to drop-ins only during early morning or evening zazen) or “closed” (not open to drop-ins). Retreats are held at our NE Portland campus unless specified otherwise.
Periods of focused practice alternating with lighter practice periods are an ancient and vital part of Buddhist, and especially Zen, tradition. At Dharma Rain, most of our regular sesshin (retreats) take place during the more intensified fall and spring Ango practice periods of our liturgical year.
In sesshin, we have an opportunity to focus on deep meditation and inner reflection. It allows us to step outside of our everyday life and slow things down so that we can look and see more clearly into the self. It is a powerful practice difficult to describe accurately, but, like zazen itself, it has palpable effects over time.
In addition to several hours of zazen each day, the shared silence, moving through forms together as a group, work practice, formal meals (oryoki), and ceremonies gradually create a container for together-practice and a strong sense of sangha. The longer retreats include the opportunity for private interviews with teachers, lectures, and special ceremonies, as well as longer periods of meditation.
Dharma Rain holds at least one retreat every month. These range from half- or one-day retreats on Saturdays (e.g., Zazenkai, Beginners Day Retreat), to weekend retreats, to week-long intensive sesshin, a term that means “examine the heart.” Many retreats are open to the public to drop in for zazen (meditation) and services while requiring people to sign up ahead of time for meals and overnights. Others are “cloistered” (open to drop-ins only during early morning or evening zazen) or “closed” (not open to drop-ins). Retreats are held at our NE Portland campus unless specified otherwise.
Periods of focused practice alternating with lighter practice periods are an ancient and vital part of Buddhist, and especially Zen, tradition. At Dharma Rain, most of our regular sesshin (retreats) take place during the more intensified fall and spring Ango practice periods of our liturgical year.
In sesshin, we have an opportunity to focus on deep meditation and inner reflection. It allows us to step outside of our everyday life and slow things down so that we can look and see more clearly into the self. It is a powerful practice difficult to describe accurately, but, like zazen itself, it has palpable effects over time.
In addition to several hours of zazen each day, the shared silence, moving through forms together as a group, work practice, formal meals (oryoki), and ceremonies gradually create a container for together-practice and a strong sense of sangha. The longer retreats include the opportunity for private interviews with teachers, lectures, and special ceremonies, as well as longer periods of meditation.
Dharma Rain acknowledges that suffering is a human condition made worse by bias and prejudice toward people based on race, ethnicity, income, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, and other traditionally marginalized identities.
We acknowledge the individual and collective impact of privilege, bias, and prejudice in our own sangha and within American Zen. We commit to address our structural inequities as an institution.
We welcome and affirm all who come here to seek the Way and celebrate our differences while harmonizing the one and the many.
