Sesshin
Sesshin (Japanese: “Touching the heart-mind”) is a programme of silent meditation, walking, eating, resting, hearing talks, having face-to-face interview with the teachers, cleaning and food preparation, all of which is conducted in the traditional Zen way. Our formal ritual is much reduced from the Japanese tradition. However, we retain some because it provides the safety and containment necessary for people to feel at ease and drop deeply into meditative stillness during the Sesshin.
To enter wholeheartedly into a Sesshin is to experience personally the essence of the Buddha’s own discovery about freedom from mental anguish. People leave a retreat feeling refreshed, more emotionally stable and more joyfully alive to each moment of experience.
Sesshin is a formal zen retreat led by a Roshi or Sensei (teachers) . They hold the Sesshin in a spiritual and practice sense offering dokusan throughout the day during sitting periods and a Teisho daily. They also meet daily with the leaders to co-ordinate the schedule, make sure things are running smoothly and your needs are met.
The leadership team coordinates the various needs and tasks during the silence of Sesshin. They include:
Jikki Jitsu: timekeeper - uses bell and clappers, and leads Kinhin
Jisha: the teacher's liaison/attendant esp for Dokusan and in charge of housekeeping ie your needs outside of the zendo
Ino: chant leader
Tanto: in charge of the Zendo and your practice needs
Tenzo: in charge of the kitchen and meals
Sesshin Schedule
A Sesshin is typically 5 - 7 days long but can be as short as 2 or as long as 10.
Daily there will be:
Bells are used to ring in meditation. Their sound is a signal that is eventually embodied allowing us to bring our attention to 'Just this, right here'..
The leadership team coordinates the various needs and tasks during the silence of Sesshin. They include:
Jikki Jitsu: timekeeper - uses bell and clappers, and leads Kinhin
Jisha: the teacher's liaison/attendant esp for Dokusan and in charge of housekeeping ie your needs outside of the zendo
Ino: chant leader
Tanto: in charge of the Zendo and your practice needs
Tenzo: in charge of the kitchen and meals
Sesshin Schedule
A Sesshin is typically 5 - 7 days long but can be as short as 2 or as long as 10.
Daily there will be:
- blocks of meditation and these will include 25 (approx) minutes of sitting meditation alternating with 5 (approx) minutes of walking meditation. Some blocks will offer Dokusan with the teacher.
- meals - vegetarian, maybe formal (Oryoki) or informal
- rest periods
- work practice - to prepare meals, clean and tidy
- chanting practice
- walking practice (approx 30 minutes)
- Teisho
Bells are used to ring in meditation. Their sound is a signal that is eventually embodied allowing us to bring our attention to 'Just this, right here'..