Urban retreats (2-3 day sittings, based at the Centre)
Urban retreats offer a chance to deepen your practice under the guidance of a teacher, with a daily schedule that is suitable for beginners and others for whom sesshin may be too demanding. Open to anyone who has attended our Introduction to Zen workshops. Please sign up at the Centre or email info@aucklandzen.org.nz to register (please indicate which blocks you will be attending).

2020 Dates:
  • Labour Weekend 2-Day Sitting, 24 - 25 October 2020
This Labour Weekend retreat will be a "hybrid" -- you can choose to attend via Zoom from home, or you can choose to attend in-person at the Centre, or a mix of both (e.g. you could choose to sit at the Centre through to 4 p.m. then go home for your meal and sit at home via Zoom in the evening). You can also choose to be part-time or full-time.

Breakfast will be provided for those sitting at the Centre, but please bring your own food for lunch and dinner 
(or you may choose to go home or go out for meals).

Please note: Dokusan will be offered at the Centre only during Blocks 2 & 3 on Day 1 and Block 3 on Day 2. Dokusan will be remote only during Blocks 1 & 4 on Day 1 and Block 1 on Day 2.

We are interested to see how this mixed format works for the Sangha -- both those in Auckland and those further away.

Schedule for October 2020 2-day Urban Retreat:

Day One: 

Block 1

6:00 a.m.

tea ceremony/ opening talk /zazen /dokusan (remote only)

8:00

breakfast (provided by the Centre)

Block 2

9:00

zazen /dokusan (Centre only) / morning tea break / zazen

12:00

lunch (bring own lunch if at Centre)

Block 3

1:30 p.m.

zazen /dokusan (Centre only)

3:30

chanting service 

4:00

afternoon break/dinner break - self directed time: you may choose to include yoga or stretching exercises* or samu

Block 4

7:00

zazen / dokusan (remote only)

9:00 

close of day with 4 Vows

 

Day Two: 

Block 1

6:00 a.m.

zazen / dokusan (remote only)

8:00 

breakfast (provided by Centre)

Block 2

9:00

zazen / teisho / zazen

12:00

lunch break (bring own lunch if at Centre)

Block 3

1:30 p.m.

zazen / dokusan (Centre only)

3:30

chanting service

4:00

retreat ends 


Suggested dana for 2-day urban retreat at Auckland Zen Centre: 
Casual Participants: $35/day ($70 total) 
Supporting Members: $30/day ($60 total) 

* Video of a 20-minute guided yoga routine from Hanya available on YouTube: 


One-day sittings (based at the Centre)
One-day sittings offer the opportunity to refresh and deepen your practice, or to try out a more extended sitting schedule for the first time. Come for all or part of the day, but please sign up at the zendo or email info@aucklandzen.org.nz if you plan to attend. 

2021 dates:
  • TBA
Schedule: 
 8:30 talk / zazen / kinhin /dokusan
 10:30   morning tea
 11:00  zazen
 12:30 p.m. lunch
 1:20  zazen / kinhin /dokusan
 3:20 group exercise / samu
 4:05 zazen
 4:40chanting
                               
Lunch is provided by the Centre and a donation is appreciated. 
Suggested dana for 1-day sitting at Auckland Zen Centre: 
Casual Participants: $30
Supporting Members: $25

Please note that the urban retreats are non-residential. Participants from out of town will need to arrange their own accommodation.  Locals- please let us know if you have room for someone to stay.