Come Join Us in the 2024 Rohatsu Sesshin
Wednesday, December 4 to Sunday, December 8
Buddhists around the world sit in meditation each December to commemorate the Buddha’s enlightenment. Soto Zen practitioners call this “Rohatsu,” meaning “the eighth day of the twelfth month” in Japanese. NZC offers you the opportunity to join this global celebration with a five-day sesshin, starting on the evening of Wednesday, December 4, and ending at midday on Sunday, December 8.
This formal retreat includes zazen, kinhin (walking meditation), services, dharma talks, formal and informal meals, dokusan (meetings with a teacher), and work practice. Rev. Daishin McCabe will guide us.
We want everyone in the NZC community to have an opportunity to celebrate with us, so both full and partial participation are possible.
Sitting during Rohatsu:
We want everyone in the NZC community to have an opportunity to celebrate with us, so even if you don’t register for the retreat, you can join the following zazen periods.
Non-registrant options:
Evening sitting: Everyone is invited to join in-person evening sittings on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Sunday morning sitting and service: Anyone can attend the Sunday morning sitting, Enlightenment Day service, and dharma talk (from 10 am to the end of the dharma talk).
Remember, this is a silent retreat: non-registered participants must come and go quietly, without speaking. If attending the evening sitting, you may leave during any kinhin rather than staying until close. Sunday morning attendees will leave after dharma talk.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced practitioner, we hope you will consider joining our Rohatsu sesshin to the extent you are able. It’s a wonderful opportunity for deep practice and realization, inspired by the Buddha’s determination as he sat beneath the Bodhi tree, vowing not to rise until he achieved true awakening.
Open Zen, Sunday December 8
10 am—11:30 am
Zazen, dharma talk, Q & A
*Open Zen will happen as usual on Sunday, December 8. If you are only attending Open Zen, please enter and leave quietly.