Calendar
Great Vow Zen Monastery Zendo
Online Zendo Schedule:
Wednesday – Saturday (Connect via Zoom link below)
5:30 – 6:50 AM – Zazen
6:50-7:30 AM – Service
Sunday Morning:
6:30-7:50AM – Zazen
Monastery Sunday Public Program, Clatskanie, Oregon
10 AM-12:15 PM – in person and online.
Zoom link for all events
YouTube link for Sunday Program (Our Youtube is currently down as of 2026, In Progress.)
Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple
Sunday Mornings: 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Led by Zen Teacher Larry Fuho Trussell
Meditation, Dharma talk, and chanting service. During sitting, Fuho offers sanzen, one-on-one meetings about Zen practice.
In Person and Online.
Zoom link for Sunday Morning (must be logged into Zoom)
Sunday Evenings: 7 PM to 9:00 PM
Led by Hogen Bays, Roshi
Meditation and teachings on Buddhist sutras and spiritual practice.
In Person and Online.
Zoom link for Sunday Evening (must be logged in to Zoom)
Tuesday Evenings: 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Led by Zen Teacher Nancy Kodo Conover
Meditation, a short talk and group discussion about how Buddhist teachings apply to our life today.
In Person and Online.
Zoom link for Tuesday Evening (must be logged into Zoom)
Wednesday Evenings: 7 PM to 9:00 PM
Led by Jogen Sensei
Silent and guided meditation including calm-abiding, emptiness practice and/or loving-kindness followed by dharma talk. In person and Online.
Zoom link for Wednesday Evening (must be logged into Zoom)
Thursday Evenings: 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Led by Shonin Ashton and Gensho Welsh
Meditation and Dharma talk with a focus on foundational Buddhist teachings and practices.
In Person and Online.
Zoom link for Thursday Evening (must be logged in to Zoom)
Friday Mornings: 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM 
Led by Doug Onkatsu Kagel
Begins with chanting service, seated and walking meditation, and meditation instruction in the zendo. Open zendo – drop in.
In Person and Online.
Zoom link for Friday Morning (you must be logged into your Zoom account)
Plum Blossom Zendo and Online
Monday Evenings: 6 PM to 7:30 PM. 
Led by Amy Kisei, Sensei
Guided + silent meditation practice that includes the themes of embodiment, compassion and awareness practices. Dharma talk begins at 6:45P, followed by discussion. Drop in anytime! Online Only. Zoom link for Monday Evening
Tuesday Evenings: 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM 
Led by Laura Jomon Martin, Zen Teacher
Plum Blossom Zendo Vancouver United Church of Christ, Bradford Hall, First Floor 1220 NE 68th St. Vancouver, WA 98686
In Person and Online. Zoom link for Tuesday Evening
Friday Evenings: 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Led by Zen Teacher Patrick Bansho Green
Guided meditations on metta (loving-kindness).
Online Only. Zoom link for Friday Evening
Affinity Groups and Other Ongoing Events
Morning Meditation with Trillium House Residents Learn More Here
Monday – Friday, 6:00 AM to 7 AM PT
Online. In Person at Heart of Wisdom on Fridays. Zoom link.
LGBTQIA+ Dharma Group Learn More Here
1st Saturday each month: 7 PM to 8:30 PM PT.
For more information and Zoom link: Send an email.
In Person at Heart of Wisdom and Online.
Silver Dragons Online Monthly Gathering Learn More Here
4th Wednesday each month: 1 PM to 2:30 PM PT.
Online Only. Zoom Link.
Dharma Jews Learn More Here
4th Saturday each month: 7 PM to 8:30 PM PT.
4th Saturday each month: 7 PM to 8:30 PM PT.
For more information: send an email.
In Person at Heart of Wisdom.
The Work of Byron Katie Learn More Here
In Person at Heart of Wisdom:
1st & 3rd Monday each Month: 7 PM – 8:30 PM
1st Friday of the month: 1 PM – 2 PM
Online: 2nd and 4th Monday each month: 7 PM – 8:30 PM. Zoom link.
Note: The Work will be suspended for the months of June, July, and August. Check back in August for more details. Chōon will still be available to meet one-on-one. You can reach out to how@zendust.org to get in touch or ask questions.
Mindful Men’s Meditation for Recovery Learn More Here
1st & 3rd Mondays each month: 7 PM to 9 PM PT.
In Person at Heart of Wisdom.
1st & 3rd Mondays each month: 7 PM to 9 PM PT.
In Person at Heart of Wisdom.
Meditation Retreats, Sesshin, Workshops
Please do not attend in person if you feel sick or you live with someone who feels ill.
July 2026 | |
| 7/20 - 7/26 | July Sesshin |
August 2026 | |
| 8/2 - 8/9 | Heart of the Mountain Sesshin: A Backpacking Sesshin at the Bells Mountain |
| 8/10 - 8/16 | Grasses, Trees, and the Great Earth Sesshin |
| 8/29 - 9/12 | Walking Mountain Pilgrimage Sesshin with Bells Mountain |
September 2026 | |
| 9/8 - 9/13 | Jizo Sesshin |
| 9/26 - 10/3 | Soul of the Mountain Sesshin: A Backpacking Sesshin at Bells Mountain |
October 2026 | |
| 10/8 - 10/18 | October Sesshin – The Ancient Way |
November 2026 | |
| 11/9 - 11/15 | November Sesshin – Gratitude |
December 2026 | |
| 12/6 - 12/13 | December Sesshin – Rohatsu |
September 2026 | |
| 9/17 - 9/20 | Oceans of Compassion: A Retreat In Service To The Earth |
November 2026 | |
| 11/5 - 11/7 | City Refuge Retreat |
July 2026 | |
| 7/31 - 8/2 | Seeing Through Obstacles – Inner Critic Weekend Retreat |
September 2026 | |
| 9/19 | Investigating Zen Practice: A One-Day Workshop |
October 2026 | |
| 10/6 - 12/20 | Autumn Ango – Fall Residency 2026 |
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…
July Sesshin
With Jogen Salzberg, Sensei, Patrick Bansho Green and Myoyu Haley Voekel
July 20 - 26, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery
Summer is bright and alive. The sun hangs high in the sky, illuminating the earth with unflinching clarity. What wisdom does a warm summer day offer? Everything is laid bare before the luminous rays of the sun. In this meditation immersion, we will endeavor to study the self, forget the self and glimpse Buddha Nature, opening in silent communion with this community of human and non- human beings. This is our collective awakening.
Seeing Through Obstacles – Inner Critic Weekend Retreat
With Patrick Bansho Green and Laura Jomon Martin
July 31 - August 2, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery
“Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.” – W. Whitman Transformation of our hearts and minds has never been more vital. The very possibility for future humans to experience Truth, Beauty and Goodness is up in the air! And yet, most of us have significant challenges following through with our aspirations and continuing through the ups and downs that come with committed Dharma work. This retreat will bring together inner critic work with Buddhist meditation practices to amplify understanding and dis-identify from ‘voices’ or ‘selves’ that hinder our unfolding. We will also…
Full Moon Fusatsu – Affirming the Precepts
With Kodo Conover, Myoyu Haley Voekel and Onshin Landry
August 2, 2026
Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple and Online
Fusatsu is an ancient bowing and chanting ceremony with origins dating back to the time of the Buddha, when monks would gather under the full moon to renew their vows. This ritual traveled through India, China, and Japan, becoming a significant monthly ceremony in the large monasteries of Japan. In this ceremony, we re-affirm our commitments to live according to the Sixteen Bodhisattva Precepts, our Ethical Guidelines for everyday life. Fusatsu will take place during our regular Sunday evening program after a period of zazen. The evening's schedule may be slightly altered but will still be held from 7 -…
Heart of the Mountain Sesshin: A Backpacking Sesshin at the Bells Mountain
With Sara Shinei Monial and Danney Soten Lynch
August 2 - 9, 2026
Bell's Mountain Dharma Center
Previous meditation retreat and backpacking experience is highly recommended. Immerse yourself in the silent wisdom of the forest, mountains, and sky. Allow these wild places to awaken within you and inform how you experience and embody this life.
Relationship and Place: Indigenous Histories of Clatskanie and the Portland Basin
August 3, 2026
Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple and Online
Join us for a talk on the Indigenous histories of Clatskanie and the Portland Basin. Rengyo Rachel Tusler, a longtime resident at Great Vow Zen Monastery and a member of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma, will offer an introduction to the Indigenous peoples whose ancestral homelands include these regions. The talk will explore historical periods from time immemorial through contact and colonization--including the treaty era, boarding schools, and termination--while holding the question of what it means to be in good relationship with the land we inhabit. This event will be in person at Heart of Wisdom and online.…
Jukai Ceremony at Heart of Wisdom
August 9, 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.
Grasses, Trees, and the Great Earth Sesshin
With Amy Kisei, Sensei and Myoyu Haley Voekel
August 10 - 16, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery
Earth body, sky heart. Rooted and flowing. Luminous and open. We are made of earth and sky, of wind breath and rain song, our lives woven from the teachings of the natural world. This retreat is an opportunity to re-connect and relax into the wild, ancient, wisdom of the Grasses, Trees and Great Earth. We will spend time learning from each of the five elements, as they manifest in our experience. Deeply exploring and releasing into our interconnection with the living, breathing body of the Earth, waters, energizing air, bright fiery sun, and vast spacious sky. This retreat is held…
Summer Zazenkai: A One Day Meditation Retreat
With Darah Shonin Ashton
August 15, 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.
Chant for Peace at Heart of Wisdom
August 22, 2026
Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple
Interfaith 12 Hour Chant for Peace DATE: Saturday, August 22, 2026 TIME: 9:00am - 9:00pm LOCATION: Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple ADDRESS: 6401 NE 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97211, USA Awake with a passion for inner and global transformation, this 12-hour chanting vigil is a celebration of our spiritual aspirations to see the Sacred in every person, and to live Unconditional Love. This is an Interfaith event. Each hour of the Chant for Peace is led by a different spiritual tradition. We form one community and join our voices together. Chanting is spiritually potent medicine. It aligns heart and mind, connects us…
Walking Mountain Pilgrimage Sesshin with Bells Mountain
With Sara Shinei Monial and Danney Soten Lynch
August 29 - September 12, 2026
Pacific Northwest (exact location TBD)
Previous meditation retreat and backpacking experience is highly recommended. Immerse yourself in the silent wisdom of the forest, mountains, and sky. Allow these wild places to awaken within you and inform how you experience and embody this life.
Jizo Sesshin
With Jan Chozen Bays, Roshi and Laura Jomon Martin
September 8 - 13, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery - In Person Only
This retreat begins on Tuesday! This retreat will focus on the qualities of Jizo Bodhisattva, guardian of all that comes from the earth, and Jizo’s qualities – benevolence, optimism, fearlessness, determination, and vow. A unique element of this retreat is the inclusion of time devoted to art projects, creative time, and a slide show and talk about Jizo. As part of our practice, we will be making small Jizo-related items. Due to the nature of this retreat schedule, we will be sitting outside and also out of the zendo to make art, there will not be an online option.…
Equinox Zazenkai: A One Day Meditation Retreat
With Jogen Salzberg, Sensei
September 12, 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.
Oceans of Compassion: A Retreat In Service To The Earth
With Laura Jomon Martin and Kodo Conover
September 17 - 20, 2026
Offsite: Beverly Beach State Park
In conjunction with SOLVE’s Oregon Beach Cleanup activities, you’re invited to join the Zen Community of Oregon for a weekend CAMPING/MEDITATION retreat at BEVERLY BEACH STATE PARK. Take a weekend on the coast to connect with the Sangha. With a relaxed schedule and opportunity for socializing, there will be sitting times, Dharma talks, and practices to take with you into the clean-up.
New Member Tea at Great Vow Zen Monastery
September 19, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery
Calling all members! Have you visited your monastery yet? Are you a regular at Heart of Wisdom but have yet to make the journey out to Great Vow? You're invited to tea, a tour and lunch! September is a beautiful time to enjoy the grounds. This Tea is open to all ZCO members and Heart of Wisdom regulars. Come connect, make new friends, tour the grounds, learn about ways to practice and the organization as a whole. It's a great opportunity to ask questions! Please RSVP so we can provide enough tea, coffee, and lunch. 10:15 - arrival 10:30 - Tour 11:00…
Investigating Zen Practice: A One-Day Workshop
With Darah Shonin Ashton, Ed Gensho Welsh and Kosho Ault
September 19, 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.…
Soul of the Mountain Sesshin: A Backpacking Sesshin at Bells Mountain
With Sara Shinei Monial and Danney Soten Lynch
September 26 - October 3, 2026
Bell's Mountain Dharma Center
Previous meditation retreat and backpacking experience is highly recommended. Immerse yourself in the silent wisdom of the forest, mountains, and sky. Allow these wild places to awaken within you and inform how you experience and embody this life.
Autumn Ango – Fall Residency 2026
With Hogen and Chozen Roshi, Patrick Bansho Green and Myoyu Haley Voekel
October 6 - December 20, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery
This Dharma is abundantly present in each human being, but if we do not practice it, it does not manifest itself, and if we do not experience it, it cannot be realized. - Dogen Zenji In communion with our ancestors who set aside time each year for deep retreat, the Monastery offers this Autumn Ango. Ango is a celebration of stillness and quiet contemplation, upheld with the support of community and teachers. Ango can be translated to mean peaceful dwelling. During this practice period our daily schedule takes on a tone of a light retreat which includes more zazen (about…
October Sesshin – The Ancient Way
With Hogen Bays, Roshi, Patrick Bansho Green and Darah Shonin Ashton
October 8 - 18, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery or Online
There is something very special about the magic of autumn and the kicking off of the fall ango practice period that makes this sesshin so powerful. What a great gift it is to be able to sit together in silence. This is our longest sesshin of the year. The extra days enable us drop down into the bare bones essentials of our lives. We have this rare opportunity to turn towards the practice/awakening that is our true nature, and to celebrate quietly together in the container of sesshin. Day after day plunge into the waters of mystery and exploration. Turn…
Autumn Zazenkai: A One Day Meditation Retreat
With Laura Jomon Martin
October 24, 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.
City Refuge Retreat
With Larry Fuho Trussell
November 5 - 7, 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.
November Sesshin – Gratitude
With Jogen Salzberg, Sensei, Patrick Bansho Green and Anusha Enryu Fernando
November 9 - 15, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery
With gratitude for our beloved sangha near and far, the Monastery joyfully offers another sesshin. This sesshin has no set price. All are welcome to attend, and donations from the heart are welcome. During this week of practice, we will eat only the offerings brought to us specifically for this retreat. So food donations, while always welcome, are particularly helpful! Bring food that you like to eat, bring food that will challenge our kitchen team and cook. The head cook (tenzo) will need to dive into creativity and allow the surprises of each donation manifest our meals. We will otherwise…
December Sesshin – Rohatsu
With Hogen Bays, Roshi, Larry Fuho Trussell and Darah Shonin Ashton
December 6 - 13, 2026
Great Vow Zen Monastery or Online
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 is the most valued sesshin of the year, and may be the only one that many people are able to attend. We…