Our extended zazenkai schedule is generally as follows:
Friday Evening
[4:30-6:00(?) Oryoki instruction, as needed; service instruction, as needed.]
8:00-8:30 opening remarks; zazen
8:40-9:10 zazen; Four Bodhisattva Vows
9:30 Lights Out
Saturday
5:00-5:25 Coffee and tea
5:30-6:10 Gatha of Atonement; zazen
6:20-7:00 zazen
7:10-7:40 zazen; Verse of the Kesa
7:40-8:20 service
8:20-9:00 breakfast
9:00-10:00 break
10:00-10:30 zazen
10:40-11:40 Dharma Talk
11:40-11:50 kinhin
11:55-12:05 service
12:05-12:45 lunch
12:45-2:15 break
2:15-3:30 samu
3:45-4:15 zazen
4:25-4:55 zazen
5:05-5:25 zazen
5:25-5:35 service
5:35-6:10 dinner
6:10-7:00 break
7:00-7:30 zazen
7:40-8:10 zazen
8:20-8:50 zazen; Four Bodhisattva Vows
9:30 Lights out
Sunday Morning
5:00-5:25 Coffee and tea
5:30-6:10 Gatha of Atonement; zazen
6:20-7:00 zazen
7:10-7:40 zazen; Verse of the Kesa
7:40-8:20 service
8:20-9:00 informal breakfast
Oryoki (formal meal) instruction will take place at about 4:30 Friday afternoon, so please come early if you have not eaten in oryoki style before or need a refresher. It is mandatory for first-time participants to attend this instruction session. If time allows, there will also be some instruction in service formalities.
For those sleeping over either Friday and Saturday nights or both, you are advised to bring a sleeping bag, wash cloth, towel, and other personal toiletries as necessary. It is also helpful to have a small flashlight. If you bring a cell phone to retreat, you should restrict calls to break times and set the ringer to silent.
We are sometimes asked whether it is OK to come to just the Dharma talk. This is fine, but we prefer that those who come for the talk commit to the period of meditation that precedes it. Therefore, if you want to come mainly for the talk, plan on arriving just before the 10:00 AM period of zazen and staying until about 11:40. If you cannot commit to the period of zazen before the talk, please arrive promptly at 10:30 AM, so that we can seat you in time for the talk. We appreciate your cooperation.
