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Dunedin Rohatsu Sesshin - Summer
6 - 13 December 2024 at Quarantine Island, Otago Harbour Led by Glenn Wallis Roshi.
Where: Quarantine Island, Otago Harbour via Back Beach, Port Chalmers, Otago. When: Starting Friday 6th December at 3pm when boarding the boat at Back Beach, Port Chalmers, and finishing at 3pm at Back Beach on Friday 13th December. Cost: Weekend Option: $175. Full 7 Day Option: $425 - $525 (please select a price in this range fitting your circumstances). Registration deadline: 22 November 2024 |
More Details
The format of the Dunedin Zen Sesshin is along the lines of traditional Zen Sesshin. Sesshin is an intensive retreat of up to seven days in duration. Sesshins held in Dunedin are three to seven or ten days in length, but as they begin on a Friday, there is also the option for people to attend for the weekend only. Some people find this is the best way to get their first taste of a true Zen intensive.
There are three areas of practice in Zen: Zazen on the cushion (meditation); Dokusan - one to one private meetings with the Zen Teacher; and practice off the cushion - mindfulness practice. eg: work practice, walking meditation, chanting.
During Sesshin, we have the opportunity to fully engage in all these phases of Zen practice in an atmosphere specifically designed to foster each person’s practice.
The usual day of Sesshin has four block periods of zazen practice spread through the day. Included in these periods are sutra chanting, an afternoon dharma talk, evening Teisho (formal dharma presentation by the Teacher), work practice, and outside walking meditation.
Dokusan with the Teacher is available through three of the Zazen periods each day. In Zen practice it is important to meet with the Roshi in dokusan. This is an opportunity for the zen student to ask questions, if there are questions to ask, and to explore practice together with the Teacher.
Sesshin is a silent retreat. Silence is a powerful tool to go deeper into our practice. During dokusan, however, we talk freely.
Meals are held in silence in the dining room, the attentiveness of Zazen being encouraged throughout all our activity. All meals are vegetarian.
People are encouraged to wear black or unpatterned dark clothing for the meditation periods and at Sesshin generally. Please do not wear shorts or singlets. The whole approach is to avoid distracting the other participants from their practice.
The formalities of Sesshin are generally picked up at the time. The role of formal activity in the dojo (meditation room) is to totally embody our activity right now, taking the opportunity to fully engage in being present: whether chanting, walking, bowing, standing up or sitting down.
Our Sesshins are held on the wonderful Quarantine Island. Transport to and from the Island is arranged and included in the cost of Sesshin.
There is provision during Sesshin to offer Dana to the Teacher in the form of money, or a card. This is a way of supporting the Teacher and giving something in return for the life of practice that is offered to us through their presence during Sesshin.
If you are in the position of being emotionally or mentally unstable and wish to participate in Zen Sesshin, you should discuss this carefully with your mental health professional and clearly inform the organizers of the retreat of your past and current situation. This is particularly important in a Zen intensive.
Before Sesshin it is good to ensure you are well rested. Try to get an early night the night before, rather than turning up to Sesshin tired after a series of late nights. This will help you settle in and engage in the timetable of activities. After Sesshin, if possible, it is good to try and ensure that you have arranged the next couple of days to be relatively quiet and restful. You will want to take advantage of the stillness you have cultivated during Sesshin.
If this is your first retreat or real contact with Zen practice, please get hold of a copy of Robert Aitken Roshi's 'Taking the Path of Zen'. This will help orientate you to the experience of a Zen Sesshin. It may be possible to borrow a copy from the Dunedin Zen Group Library.
Please tell your family, regular contact people that you will be out of cell phone contact, with your phone turned off. Plan to be out of contact. All phones are to be strictly kept off, unless previously discussed with the teacher, and specific arrangements come to. If you really do have to be on the phone and often, perhaps Sesshin isn’t appropriate.
Emergency contact is the Quarantine Island resident at 021 082 58619, they will relay the message to the Sesshin leader who will make contact with you.
The Zen Teacher is Glenn Wallis Roshi. Glenn started the Dunedin Zen Group in in 1987, after meeting and practising with a Korean Zen trained Monk Ham Wol Sunim in Auckland in 1983. In 1993, he met Ross Bolleter Roshi and became Ross’ formal student. Ross Bolleter Roshi is the dharma heir of Robert Aitken Roshi and John Tarrant Roshi. He resides in Perth, Australia.
Glenn was appointed as a Zen Teacher in the line of his teacher in November of 2004 and received Dharma Transmission from Ross Bolleter Roshi in Dec 5 2010.
Glenn has taught Tai Chi and meditation in Dunedin since 1987, and in November 2010 he returned from 5 years overseas with his wife Heidi. Glenn leads the Dunedin Zen Group meetings at the Quaker Meeting House in Park Street on Thursday nights.
If you have no contact with a zen group locally or have questions to ask, please email Glenn at [email protected]
There are three areas of practice in Zen: Zazen on the cushion (meditation); Dokusan - one to one private meetings with the Zen Teacher; and practice off the cushion - mindfulness practice. eg: work practice, walking meditation, chanting.
During Sesshin, we have the opportunity to fully engage in all these phases of Zen practice in an atmosphere specifically designed to foster each person’s practice.
The usual day of Sesshin has four block periods of zazen practice spread through the day. Included in these periods are sutra chanting, an afternoon dharma talk, evening Teisho (formal dharma presentation by the Teacher), work practice, and outside walking meditation.
Dokusan with the Teacher is available through three of the Zazen periods each day. In Zen practice it is important to meet with the Roshi in dokusan. This is an opportunity for the zen student to ask questions, if there are questions to ask, and to explore practice together with the Teacher.
Sesshin is a silent retreat. Silence is a powerful tool to go deeper into our practice. During dokusan, however, we talk freely.
Meals are held in silence in the dining room, the attentiveness of Zazen being encouraged throughout all our activity. All meals are vegetarian.
People are encouraged to wear black or unpatterned dark clothing for the meditation periods and at Sesshin generally. Please do not wear shorts or singlets. The whole approach is to avoid distracting the other participants from their practice.
The formalities of Sesshin are generally picked up at the time. The role of formal activity in the dojo (meditation room) is to totally embody our activity right now, taking the opportunity to fully engage in being present: whether chanting, walking, bowing, standing up or sitting down.
Our Sesshins are held on the wonderful Quarantine Island. Transport to and from the Island is arranged and included in the cost of Sesshin.
There is provision during Sesshin to offer Dana to the Teacher in the form of money, or a card. This is a way of supporting the Teacher and giving something in return for the life of practice that is offered to us through their presence during Sesshin.
If you are in the position of being emotionally or mentally unstable and wish to participate in Zen Sesshin, you should discuss this carefully with your mental health professional and clearly inform the organizers of the retreat of your past and current situation. This is particularly important in a Zen intensive.
Before Sesshin it is good to ensure you are well rested. Try to get an early night the night before, rather than turning up to Sesshin tired after a series of late nights. This will help you settle in and engage in the timetable of activities. After Sesshin, if possible, it is good to try and ensure that you have arranged the next couple of days to be relatively quiet and restful. You will want to take advantage of the stillness you have cultivated during Sesshin.
If this is your first retreat or real contact with Zen practice, please get hold of a copy of Robert Aitken Roshi's 'Taking the Path of Zen'. This will help orientate you to the experience of a Zen Sesshin. It may be possible to borrow a copy from the Dunedin Zen Group Library.
Please tell your family, regular contact people that you will be out of cell phone contact, with your phone turned off. Plan to be out of contact. All phones are to be strictly kept off, unless previously discussed with the teacher, and specific arrangements come to. If you really do have to be on the phone and often, perhaps Sesshin isn’t appropriate.
Emergency contact is the Quarantine Island resident at 021 082 58619, they will relay the message to the Sesshin leader who will make contact with you.
The Zen Teacher is Glenn Wallis Roshi. Glenn started the Dunedin Zen Group in in 1987, after meeting and practising with a Korean Zen trained Monk Ham Wol Sunim in Auckland in 1983. In 1993, he met Ross Bolleter Roshi and became Ross’ formal student. Ross Bolleter Roshi is the dharma heir of Robert Aitken Roshi and John Tarrant Roshi. He resides in Perth, Australia.
Glenn was appointed as a Zen Teacher in the line of his teacher in November of 2004 and received Dharma Transmission from Ross Bolleter Roshi in Dec 5 2010.
Glenn has taught Tai Chi and meditation in Dunedin since 1987, and in November 2010 he returned from 5 years overseas with his wife Heidi. Glenn leads the Dunedin Zen Group meetings at the Quaker Meeting House in Park Street on Thursday nights.
If you have no contact with a zen group locally or have questions to ask, please email Glenn at [email protected]