Three Day Fall Retreat – A Brisk and Lively Life

Zen seems to promote a meditative way of life. Yet the 8th century teacher Linchi tells us that the true person of the Way is brisk and lively. Paradoxically he says, to get there we must become a person with nothing to do.

We’ll look at Linchi’s writings to examine the relationship between “nothing to do” and a dynamic life; between no-self and a whole, integrated self.

The retreat is modeled on formal retreats in the Rinzai tradition which include seated and walking meditation, Qi Gong, chanting, dharma talks and optional interviews with teachers. Talks by Koshin Chris Cain. Dokusan interviews offered by Koshin and Genko Kathy Blackman.

The schedule for this online retreat is below. People are invited to participate as much or as little as they wish.  If you are joining us from the Norway sangha or from some other time zone, or need to attend the retreat part-time for some other reason, that’s fine. Of course, the more committed you are to doing a deep dive, the more significant your experience will be. Do your best to keep silence through the whole day. Please take at least one meal in silence. If you can manage all three, wonderful.

Non Members $30/day. Register Here

Members $25/day. Register Here

A Zoom link and password will be sent to each registrant. Our normal sitting schedule will be cancelled during the retreat.

Thursday (10/14)
7:00 to 8:30pm – Welcome, zazen

Friday – Saturday
6:30 to 7:30 Zazen
7:30 to 9:00 Breakfast
9:00 to 12:00 Zazen
–10:00 Dharma Talk
–10:45 to 12:00 Dokusan
12:00 to 1:30 Lunch and break on your own
1:30 to 2:30 work practice around your home
2:30 to 3:00 Qi Gong
3:00 – 3:30 Chanting
3:30 to 5:30 – Long Sitting style zazen with dokusan (walking meditation as you will)
5:30 – 7:00 Dinner break
7:00 to 8:45 – Dharma talk and zazen

Sunday
6:30 to 7:30 Zazen
9:00 to 12:00 Zazen
–10:00 Dharma Talk
–10:45 to 12:00 Dokusan
12:00 to 1:30 Lunch and break on your own
1:30 to 2:30 work practice around your home
2:30 to 3:00 Qi Gong
3:00 – 3:30 Chanting
3:30 – 4:00 Zazen
4:00 – 4:30 – Closing