In 17th-century China, female Zen masters flourished unprecedentedly. Beata Grant recently collected their poems and life stories in her book Daughters of Emptiness, which shows the wisdom and grace of these women teachers during a time when nuns were given an uncommon degree of respect in the Buddhist world.
In this session, we will take as our guide the lives and poems of two of these remarkable Zen teachers, Master Xinggang and Master Yukui.
Dive deep at our seven-day Spring Sesshin at beautiful Camp Sealth. This will be a formal residential retreat in the Rinzai tradition: seated and walking meditation, chanting, dharma talks, silent walks through the woods. Our teacher will be our Abbot, Koshin Chris Cain, who will offer optional interviews daily.
All meals (vegetarian) and dormitory-style accommodations (heat, electricity, bathrooms with showers) are included. If you have questions, or if you have not previously attended a multi-day retreat, please get in touch with the registrar at registrar@pszc.org. From out-of-town? The registrar will find you a place to stay the night before if needed.
The retreat will begin at 7pm on Sunday 20 April and end at 1:00pm Sunday April 27.
REGISTRATION: Both full-time and part-time registration options are available. Part-time registrants will attend either the first half or the 2nd half. The first half is Sunday-Wednesday (April 20, 21, 22, 23). The second half is Thursday-Sunday (April 24, 25, 26, 27). Seating is limited to 24 participants. Registration closes on (or before) April 13th.
Fees:
Full-time: PSZC member $450. Non-member $500
Part-time: PSZC member $300. Non-member $350
SCHEDULE:
Sunday 20 April:5:00pm arrival6:00 dinner7:00 zazen (alternating periods of seated meditation for 25 minutes, then walking meditation for 10 minutes)8:30 tea and chanting, closing
Monday-Saturday:4:30am wakeup5:00 tea and chanting, zazen7:15 breakfast7:45 break8:30 zazen10:15 dharma talk, zazen (optional teacher meetings during zazen)12:30pm lunch1:00 samu (work practice)1:30 break2:15 zazen, tea, chanting, zazen (long sitting-sit/walk at your discretion)4:45 qi gong5:15 dinner5:45 break6:30 gyodo, dharma talk, zazen (optional teacher meetings during zazen)8:30 tea and chanting, closing
Sunday:4:30am wakeup5:00 tea and chanting, zazen7:15 breakfast7:45 break8:30 qi gong9:00 zazen10:15 dharma talk, zazen (optional teacher meetings during zazen)11:00-11:15 close-
11:15-1:00. Samu- pack up camp
1:00 Group lunch
Camp Sealth is a conference and retreat center on Puget Sound on SW Vashon Island, owned and operated by Camp Fire. Its lodges and dormitory-type lodgings are secluded in the midst of nearly 400 acres of forest and wetlands, plus a mile of saltwater beach.
