~ Continuous Practice Retreat ~
Our Zen practice is not just zazen, chanting, and study. We aim to extend the heart of practice – calm attentiveness and care – to every aspect of our lives: work, eating, resting, exercising, cleaning, caretaking, you name it.
The Continuous Practice Retreat bridges our regular Tuesday evening practice meeting with our regular Sunday morning meeting. Whether you can participate in the retreat full time or need to work or deal with other responsibilities at times, you are invited to join the Sangha in continuing the thread of practice throughout four full days – Wednesday through Saturday – whatever you are doing.
You are encouraged to form an intention ahead of time for how you will practice during this retreat, and you are invited to share this intention on your registration form (or email info[at]brightwayzen.org with updates). Even if you need to remain engaged in your usual daily activities, there are many ways to simplify your life for the duration, including:
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- Going offline except for what is truly necessary for work or other responsibilities
- Maintaining silence in your home for periods of time, if the people you live with are amenable
- Forgoing watching TV, movies, reading for entertainment, and listening to music
- Getting your shopping and errands done ahead of time so you don’t need to go out
- Setting aside any unecessary projects or worries for the duration
There will be study text for this retreat (to be decided), and we will do mondo practice on Saturday afternoon (the last day of the retreat).
See Everyone's Practice Intentions for the Retreat
Study Text (TBD)
Cloud and Dirt Zendo Participation
This year, the Continuous Practice Retreat will be available full time in both the Dirt and Cloud Zendos. Because we have no kitchen at the Dirt Zendo, we will simplify meals:
- Breakfast: We will have granola, milk, fruit, and tea oryoki-style, all four mornings.
- Lunch: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, bring your own vegetarian bag lunch; we will eat formally in the Zendo, at our seats (chairs and tray tables available). Saturday, an oryoki lunch will be provided to those who register.
- Dinner: For those who register, a simple oryoki dinner of soup and bread will be provided (email info[at]brightwayzen.org to volunteer to cook a dinner!).
Register for the Continuous Practice Retreat
Let us know your practice intentions for the four days of retreat, regardless of how much of the shared schedule you can attend!
Join Us for Practice Any Time, Whether You Register or Not
The retreat Cloud Zendo will be on Bright Way Zen Zoom #2: 9371741010, same password as our usual Zoom. (Don’t know the password? Click here.)
Continuous Practice Retreat Schedule
Pacific Time ~ See Below
Continuous Practice Retreat Schedule in 8 Time Zones
~ Printable ~
8 Time Zones ~ Printable
Click here for Wednesday-Friday Schedule
Click here for Saturday Schedule
Oct. 21st – Regular Tuesday Evening Practice
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Retreat Schedule ~ Wednesday, Oct. 22nd – Friday, Oct. 24th*
* The schedule for Saturday, Oct. 25th is somewhat different because it will include three oryoki meals in the Dirt Zendo and afternoon Mondo practice; the Saturday schedule can be found after the Wed-Fri one.
CLOUD & DIRT ZENDO TOGETHER:
5:30am …………….. Zazen/Posture Adjustment/Zazen
6:20 …………………. Kinhin (slow walking meditation – in the Cloud Zendo, walk slowly, one half-footstep per breath, back and forth between two points)
6:30 …………………. Zazen/Posture Adjustment/Zazen
7:20 …………………. Chanting Service (In the Cloud Zendo, chant along but keep yourself muted; it doesn’t work to chant together on Zoom – Click here for a copy of the chanting service.)
CLOUD & DIRT ZENDO SEPARATELY:
8:00 …………………. Breakfast Prep – Cloud Zendo on your own; aim to eat mindfully and silently, perhaps reciting the meal chant first
8:15 …………………. Oryoki Breakfast (Meal chant) – Cloud Zendo on your own
8:45 …………………. Cleanup
CLOUD & DIRT ZENDO TOGETHER:
9:00 …………………. Silent Work – Cloud Zendo can join at the beginning of this period for the work chant.
In the Dirt Zendo: Please accept a work assignment, and work silently and mindfully. Work until the bell rings to end the work period.
At home: Choose something simple, physical, and restorative to do, like cleaning, sewing, gardening. Also take this time to prepare your lunch. Set a timer for yourself so you can work without looking at the clock. When the timer goes off, immediately stop your work and clean up.
10:00 …………………. End Work
10:20 …………………. Recitation of Mondo Text (TBD)
10:35 …………………. Zazen
10:55 …………………. Kinhin
11:05 …………………. Zazen
11:25 …………………. Kinhin
11:05 …………………. Zazen
12:00pm …………….End Zazen/Meal Prep – go get your lunch, come back and sit down, wait in silence for meal chant to begin.
12:05 ………………….Formal Lunch – Click here for a copy of our meal chant. (Cloud Zendo can easily join this meal, as it is not oryoki-style)
12:40 ………………… Rest Period (Do something restful, not work-related: take a nap or walk, read some Dharma material)
2:30 ………………….. Dharma Talk & Chants
3:15 …………………… Kinhin
3:30 ………………….. Zazen (Sanzen available)
3:55 ………………….. Kinhin
4:05 ………………….. Zazen – Optional outdoor zazen or kinhin, or reclining zazen indoors but outside main Zendo room
4:30 ………………….. Kinhin
4:40 ………………….. Zazen
5:00 ………………….. End zazen
CLOUD & DIRT ZENDO SEPARATELY:
5:00 …………………. Dinner Prep
5:15 ………………….. Oryoki Dinner (Meal chant) – Cloud Zendo on your own
5:45 …………………. Cleanup, break
CLOUD & DIRT ZENDO TOGETHER
6:30pm ……………… Zazen
6:55 …………………… Kinhin
7:05 …………………… Zazen
7:30 …………………… Kinhin
7:40 …………………… Zazen
8:00 ………………….. Formal Tea
8:20 ………………….. Closing Chant and Bows
8:30pm-the next day ……..On your own, but try to continue the thread of mindful practice through anything you do, including falling asleep and waking up
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Retreat Schedule ~ Saturday, Oct. 25th*
* The schedule for Saturday, Oct. 25th is somewhat different because it will include three oryoki meals in the Dirt Zendo and afternoon Mondo practice; see the schedule above for Wed-Fri.
CLOUD & DIRT ZENDO TOGETHER:
5:30am …………….. Zazen/Posture Adjustment/Zazen
6:20 …………………. Kinhin (slow walking meditation – in the Cloud Zendo, walk slowly, one half-footstep per breath, back and forth between two points)
6:30 …………………. Zazen/Posture Adjustment/Zazen
7:20 …………………. Chanting Service (In the Cloud Zendo, chant along but keep yourself muted; it doesn’t work to chant together on Zoom – Click here for a copy of the chanting service.)
CLOUD & DIRT ZENDO SEPARATELY:
8:00 …………………. Breakfast Prep – Cloud Zendo on your own; aim to eat mindfully and silently, perhaps reciting the meal chant first
8:15 …………………. Oryoki Breakfast (Meal chant) – Cloud Zendo on your own
8:45 …………………. Cleanup
CLOUD & DIRT ZENDO TOGETHER:
9:00 …………………. Silent Work – Cloud Zendo can join at the beginning of this period for the work chant.
In the Dirt Zendo: Please accept a work assignment, and work silently and mindfully. Work until the bell rings to end the work period.
At home: Choose something simple, physical, and restorative to do, like cleaning, sewing, gardening. Also take this time to prepare your lunch. Set a timer for yourself so you can work without looking at the clock. When the timer goes off, immediately stop your work and clean up.
10:00 …………………. End Work
10:20 …………………. Recitation of Mondo Text (TBD)
10:35 …………………. Zazen
10:55 …………………. Kinhin
11:05 …………………. Zazen
11:25 …………………. Kinhin
11:05 …………………. Zazen
12:00pm …………….End Zazen
CLOUD & DIRT ZENDO SEPARATELY:
12:05pm ……………… Oryoki Lunch (Meal chant) – Cloud Zendo on your own
12:40 ………………….. Rest Period (Do something restful, not work-related: take a nap or walk, read some Dharma material)
2:15 ……………………. End Rest Period
CLOUD & DIRT ZENDO TOGETHER:
2:30 ………………….. Zazen
2:55 …………………… Kinhin
3:05 ………………….. Zazen
3:30 ………………….. Mondo Practice
4:30 ………………….. Zazen – Optional outdoor zazen or kinhin, or reclining zazen indoors but outside main Zendo room
5:00 ………………….. End zazen – Everyone is called back to Zendo at 4:55
CLOUD & DIRT ZENDO SEPARATELY:
5:05 ………………….. Oryoki Dinner (Meal chant) – Cloud Zendo on your own
5:40 ………………….. Retreat cleanup, Rest Period
CLOUD & DIRT ZENDO TOGETHER:
6:30pm ……………… Zazen
6:55 …………………… Kinhin
7:05 …………………… Zazen
7:30 …………………… Closing Circle
8:00 ………………….. Closing Chant and Bows