Retreat Cabin Application
Open Dates
Great Vow Zen Monastery
The retreat hut is available only to those who have already participated in a weekend retreat or longer here at the monastery. The monastery retreat cabin rests on the edge of our 23 acres of forest. Though, just a short walk to the monastery buildings, it has a feeling of a forest hermitage. Equipped with running water, electricity, a small kitchenette with electric stovetop and small refrigerator and a compost toilet it is an ideal location for doing short solo retreat practice. You will have access to our forest trail system, beautiful meadows and gardens, as well as the privacy…
December Sesshin – Rohatsu
With Hogen Bays, Roshi, Larry Fuho Trussell and Myoyu Haley Voekel
December 7 - 14, 2025
Great Vow Zen Monastery or Online
The current option is to sign up for the Waitlist. We will contact you with more information once you have joined the waitlist. The light of the Buddha's awakening has not dimmed. This very moment, alive, awake and luminous. Each year people from all over the world gather to celebrate, to sit in stillness and to be nourished by this truth. All over the world people join in the ritual of Rohatsu sesshin. This sesshin is the culmination of a year of practice and is also the culmination of our fall Ango practice period. At many centers and monasteries, this…
Silver Dragons Monthly Gathering on Aging, Death and Dying (Online)
With Kodo Conover
December 17, 2025
Online Only
Zoom Only Join other Silver Dragons (people 60 and older) to deeply explore Aging, Death, and Dying through a Buddhist Lens. We will meet monthly over zoom for the rest of 2025 with preselected topics and both large and small group facilitated discussions. In her Dharma Talk “Diving into Impermanence,” Chozen Roshi taught: Impermanence is not just a teaching, it is also a practice. (You can view her Dharma talk here.) Zoom link for this gathering. (You must be logged into Zoom.) These gatherings will be facilitated by Temple Priest Nancy Kodo Conover and ZCO members Gina Enchu…
Beginner’s Mind Weekend Meditation Retreat
December 19 - 21, 2025
Great Vow Zen Monastery
The teachings and practices of Zen Buddhism empower us to live our lives wholeheartedly with openness, insight and compassion. During this weekend retreat we follow a silent retreat schedule, which allows us to temporarily put aside outside concerns and go deeply into inner work. The silent retreat schedule includes about seven hours of sitting meditation (with breaks), Buddhist chanting services, formal oriyoki meals, and a period of community work practice. On the first evening the retreat leaders will give thorough instruction on the foundations and methods of Zen meditation. Opportunities to meet with a teacher or senior practitioner to discuss…
New Year’s Eve Ceremony and Celebration
December 31, 2025 - January 1, 2026
Heart of Wisdom
Time swiftly passes by and opportunities are ever present! Let's celebrate our passage through a challenging and eye-opening year and envision how we'd like to step in to the new year. The evening will include guided meditations to help you reflect on what you want to let go of and welcome in, for the new year. As well as, a fire-ceremony of letting-go, atonement and renewal, which we call Fusatsu. We will end the evening with silent zazen meditation and 108 bells to welcome in the New Year.
Life Vows Weekend Workshop
With Kodo Conover and Kosho Ault
January 9 - 10, 2026
Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple
As we pass the Winter Solstice and turn to the new year, the time is ripe for contemplating vow. When you think about life’s purpose, what comes up? Zazen and inquiry offer a framework to become grounded and transform the energy of the unknown into possibilities. Zazen teaches us to turn down the volume on the planning, worrying mind and make space for deeper kinds of knowing. Infused with the Great Determination, Optimism, and Fearlessness of Jizo Bodhisattva, vow offers a path to inspire and support our lives. Whether you would like to renew your vow, revise your…
Plum Blossom Zendo – Celebrating One Year
With Laura Jomon Martin
January 13, 2026
Bradford Hall, Vancouver WA
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm A gift of Dharma exceeds all gifts; the taste of Dharma, all tastes; a delight in Dharma, all delights… ~Dhammapada 354 You are invited to celebrate a year of Zen practice with Plum Blossom Zendo in Vancouver, Washington. The Zen Community of Oregon welcomes everyone to celebrate the teachings of the Buddhadharma with an evening to include some guided meditation practice, inspiring Dharma words and blessings offered by our founding teachers Chozen Bays, Roshi and Hogen Bays, Roshi, followed by fellowship and refreshments. Attendance is free, but please register so…
Five Buddhist Precepts for Ethical Living – In Person
With Kodo Conover
January 13 - February 17, 2026
Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple
These one hour 5 Precepts classes will happen every Tuesday for six weeks. We all want to live a compassionate life. The precepts give us a framework for what it means to live an ethical life. More then a set of rules to follow, the precepts are deep inquiries into the actual living of our lives with attention and love. The format is an introductory talk followed by class discussion. Participants will be encouraged to do a short writing on each precept and practice with the precept during the week. There are also some supplemental readings.
Winter Zazenkai: A One Day Meditation Retreat
With Ed Gensho Welsh
January 17, 2026
Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple
A Zazenkai is a day of Zen practice in the city. Join us for a silent day of meditation (seated and walking), chanting, mindful eating, temple care-taking, and a dharma talk.
Jukai Ceremony at Heart of Wisdom
January 18, 2026
Heart of Wisdom and Online
Jukai is the process and public ceremony of taking up the 16 precepts, committing to practicing them in everyday life. People take jukai after some years of practicing with the community, establishing a relationship with one of the teachers, and taking part in sesshin. In this ceremony, people join the lineage so formally become a Zen Buddhist.
ZCO Board Meeting January 2026
January 25, 2026
Heart of Wisdom (in person) and Online (Zoom)
Board meetings are open and members of the community are invited to attend. Board meetings are a place to find out what’s happening and how ZCO functions. Typical topics include finances, reports on goings on at the monastery and temple, committee reports, and the community's strategic plans.
Monastery Winter Practice Period
February 3 - March 29, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery
In the stillness and quiet of the monastic container, when we allow the dust to settle and the thinking mind to open and relax, spontaneous wonderment and delight naturally appear. Attention is love. How do we attend to our life? During this practice period we will lean into the natural expression of love and creativity in the day to day activities of Monastery life. The schedule will be much the same as the rest of the year and will include Zazen, work practice, classes and retreats, formal meals and community sharing. Please plan on arriving on February 3rd. …
The Work: a weekend Inquiry workshop
With Eduardo Kyozen Zambrano
February 5 - 8, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery
During this Workshop, we will use Byron Katie’s method of inquiry called The Work to investigate our core beliefs and fixed ideas which cause suffering in our world. What ideas to you have about your life and the world that actually are not in service to the development of compassion? We hold many views simply from habit. In this retreat we will be given tools to expand beyond what we believe to be our limitations, and see our world from a place of insight and deeper wisdom. The monastery environment provides an ideal setting in which to deepen the practice of…
Investigating Zen Practice: A One-Day Workshop
With Ed Gensho Welsh and Kosho Ault
February 7, 2026
Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple
Experience an Introduction to Zen Practice through the Ten Directions. This one-day in-person workshop at Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple is for beginners or those who want to dive deeper into Zen practice. Learn how to practice using ancient methods that are applicable in today’s world: Meditation and sitting with stability Mindfulness practice off the cushion Chanting Mindful eating Work practice Stillness Walking meditation Koans Tradition and ritual Dharma teachings These workshops fill with waitlists. If you are not coming, please let us know ASAP so we can give your spot to someone else. Suggested donation includes a vegetarian/vegan lunch.…
City Refuge Retreat
With Kodo Conover
February 12 - 14, 2026
Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple
Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple will be offering an extended opportunity for retreat practice in the city. This three-day non-residential retreat will include many of the elements you’ll find in sesshin.
Pari-Nirvana Sesshin: A Meditation Retreat exploring Life, Death & the Unknown
With Larry Fuho Trussell, Myoyu Haley Voekel and Ed Gensho Welsh
February 16 - 22, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery or Online
During this sesshin we take up the Buddha’s Parinirvana–the Buddha’s death--as the essential inquiry into our own relationship with death, dying and the uncertainties of this life. How often in your daily life do you allow yourself to reflect on your own mortality, your own death? This sesshin provides the structure and support needed to look into the fears and anxieties surrounding death, dying and the unknown. Supported by the stillness and quiet of winter, we allow the body, heart and mind to deeply settle and rest - as we feel into the fundamental koans - Who is it that's…
Beginner’s Mind Weekend Meditation Retreat
February 27 - March 1, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery
The teachings and practices of Zen Buddhism empower us to live our lives wholeheartedly with openness, insight and compassion. During this weekend retreat we follow a silent retreat schedule, which allows us to temporarily put aside outside concerns and go deeply into inner work. The silent retreat schedule includes about seven hours of sitting meditation (with breaks), Buddhist chanting services, formal oryoki meals, and a period of community work practice. On the first evening the retreat leaders will give thorough instruction on the foundations and methods of Zen meditation. Opportunities to meet with a teacher or senior practitioner to discuss…
March Sesshin – Deep Listening
With Jogen Salzberg, Sensei, Hogen Bays, Roshi and Anusha Enryu Fernando
March 14 - 22, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery or Online
Awareness meeting sound has been a gate into the depths of the heart-mind for as long as human beings hve longed to open. During this sesshin we come together in joyous recognition of the power of deep listening, and sink into the rhythms of our wild, wonderful and mysterious life.
Spring Practice Period: Awakening with the Earth
April 7 - May 26, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery
Spring at Great Vow Zen Monastery is beautiful. The fruit tree blossoms open towards the heavens, the forest is abuzz with new life as birds, insects and tree frogs are wake up from their winter slumber. Early spring flowers emerge in abundant color, offering fresh perspectives and encouragements. With the natural world springing to life with such exubrance and force, residency at the monastery inclines towards the out of doors. We dedicate more of our daily practice to the care and maintenance of our garden and grounds. This includes maintaining our trails and caring for native trees in our…
April Sesshin
With Larry Fuho Trussell and Laura Jomon Martin
April 13 - 19, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery
Our meditation practice can be one of relaxed openness and vivid presence, with wisdom into our nature naturally revealing. This is the practice of serene-illumination, a form of meditation where calm-abiding (shamatha) and insight (vipassana) are practiced as one. Sesshin is a rigorous and, at times, challenging silent meditation retreat that is not recommended for beginners. In order to attend in person, we require that you attend one of our silent weekend retreats or a five-seven day silent retreat at another Zen Center before registering for our longer zen retreats. For more information about what to expect when attending…
May Sesshin – The Light of our Ancestors
With Amy Kisei, Sensei, Patrick Bansho Green and Darah Shonin Ashton
May 11 - 17, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery or Online
Zen is a direct Mind to Mind transmission--a transmission of light. We study with teachers who help us recognize and embody our awakened wisdom and compassion. During this sesshin, we will connect with our roots and draw strength from the stories of those who have come before us. Our ancestors are real people, walking the path of their lives and opening the Dharma truths - just as we aspire to do. Join us for this intimate week of practice. Sesshin is a rigorous and, at times, challenging silent meditation retreat that is not recommended for beginners. In order to attend…
Summer Residency Program 2026
July 7 - August 16, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery
The Summer Program at Great Vow Zen Monastery is an opportunity to plunge into Zen practice with the support of community and teachers, and to taste the benefits of calming the mind and opening the heart. Our Summer Program is a special part of our on-going residential program at the monastery. It is designed to give you a genuine immersion in Zen practice, through the practices of meditation, mindful eating. ritual/liturgy, movement practices (yoga/qi gong), and temple work.
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