Zazenkai

A Zazenkai is a day of intensive zazen. There are three types of Zazenkai.

REGULAR ZAZENKAI: Participants may come for part or all of the day. Due to our COVID safety protocols space in the zendo is now somewhat limited, but we will always make a place for you. Please bring a bag lunch if you will be staying through the lunch period. All are welcome. If you have not practiced with us, please arrange an orientation before attending a zazenkai.

Coming together to do zazen provides an opportunity to deepen our practice. It can also be an introduction to longer practice, and is good preparation for sesshin, where we sit for multiple days. Zazenkai is a rich practice format that includes Dharma Assembly, a dharma talk usually given by one of the Tantos (training leaders) and includes dharma interchange with the participants. Zazenkai also includes a full sutra service, extended zazen, and dokusan, which is a face-to-face encounter with the teacher (only for those who have been given permission to go to dokusan).

Regular Zazenkai Schedule

8:30 am  Sutra Service

9:00 am  Zazen and Dokusan

11:30 am  Lunch (bring a bag lunch, eaten in silence)

12:30 pm  Zazen

1:00 pm  Dharma Assembly

2:00 pm  Zazen and Dokusan

4:00 pm  Tea

HUI PŪ MAI ZAZENKAI: Hui Pū Mai in Hawaiian means “coming together as a group” The schedule for this is the same as the Regular Zazenkai up until 1pm. The rest of the afternoon is then devoted to another activity that is designed to bring us closer together as sangha. The day ends with zazen at the end.

HIKING ZAZENKAI: We meet at a trailhead at 9am. After a little zazen (bring something to sit on) we begin hiking one at a time in silent kinhin (walking zazen). There is a break at lunch (bring your own) that includes zazen, a talk/reading and discussion. After lunch we return to the trailhead by 4pm.