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…
Silver Dragons Monthly Gathering – Practicing Impermanence (Online)
With Kodo Conover
June 25, 2025
Online Only
Zoom Only 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: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuHczgCFWaY) These monthly gatherings are offered for Silver Dragons that is, people 60 and older, to provide an opportunity to co-create an open conversation about dying, death, grief and related topics. In short to face, contemplate, and practice impermanence. These gatherings will be facilitated by Temple Priest Nancy Kodo Conover and ZCO member David Seikan Snyder. Each gathering will open with a short period of Zazen. We will then introduce ourselves…
Mindful Eating Weekend Retreat
With Jan Chozen Bays, Roshi
June 27 - 29, 2025
Great Vow Zen Monastery
It can be so easy to lose touch with the basic joys of our life. With eating, the simple exploration of texture, smell, taste and touch, can bring us into deep presence and ease. What is it like to truly taste a raisin? How often do we just eat, without a cellphone or radio, without distraction? Chozen Bays Roshi has been teaching mindful eating for decades. We eat to be nourished, body, heart and mind. With mindfulness practices and community support, we can learn together - the art of eating, and the joys of being nourished. In this workshop we…
Summer Residency Program 2025
July 8 - August 17, 2025
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.
Five Buddhist Precepts for Ethical Living: Online Class Series
With Darah Shonin Ashton
July 9 - August 13, 2025
Online
These one hour online 5 Precepts classes will happen every Wednesday 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.
Beginner’s Mind Weekend Meditation Retreat
With Laura Jomon Martin and Myoyu Haley Voekel
July 11 - 13, 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…
Summer Zazenkai: A One Day Meditation Retreat
With Darah Shonin Ashton
July 19, 2025
Heart Of Wisdom Zen Temple
This is a silent day of Zen Buddhist meditation practice together, seated and active. The schedule includes meditation (zazen), chanting, caring for the garden and grounds, and Dharma talk.
Jukai Ceremony at Great Vow Zen Monastery
July 20, 2025
Great Vow Zen Monastery 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.
July Sesshin – Summer Breeze
With Patrick Bansho Green and Darah Shonin Ashton
July 21 - 27, 2025
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.
City Refuge Retreat
With Kodo Conover
July 24 - 26, 2025
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.
16 Bodhisattva Precepts Series (in – person)
With Kodo Conover
July 29 - September 2, 2025
Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple
**A new offering**: precept study outdoors in Heart of Wisdom temple garden. Appreciate the longer days and summer breezes with community. The beginning and end of our practice is ethical living; acting, speaking and thinking in ways that support the greatest well-being and awakening for all beings. Anyone who has taken the 5 Precepts Class can take this class, whether you have already formally taken the precepts, are considering taking the precepts, or you are simply curious about the ethical guidelines that rest at the foundation of Zen practice.
Seeing Through Obstacles – Inner Critic Weekend Retreat
With Jan Chozen Bays, Roshi and Patrick Bansho Green
August 1 - 3, 2025
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…
Way Seeking Mind with Chozen Roshi
August 10, 2025
Great Vow Zen Monastery / Online
During our usual Sunday Morning Program at Great Vow Zen Monastery, Chozen Roshi will be offering part one of her Way Seeking Mind Talk. A Way Seeking Mind talk is a way to tell our life story from the perspective of our spiritual life path and its maturation. It is an offering to our community as the teller examines and shares their history from the perspective of opportunity and the cultivation of life vows. This Way Seeking Mind Talk is special because Chozen Roshi is turning 80 on August 9th! She has lived many lives, seen many things, and had…
Grasses, Trees, and the Great Earth Sesshin
With Amy Kisei, Sensei and Myoyu Haley Voekel
August 11 - 17, 2025
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…
Chant for Peace at Heart of Wisdom
August 30, 2025
Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple
INTERFAITH CHANT FOR PEACE AT HEART OF WISDOM ZEN TEMPLE, PORTLAND OREGON TIME: 9:00am - 9:00pm LOCATION: In-Person at Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple and Online ADDRESS: 6401 NE 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97211, USA To join via Zoom, click here 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.…
Deepening Freedom through The Work: A Gentle Deconstruction of Identity
With Eduardo Kyozen Zambrano
September 4 - 7, 2025
Great Vow Zen Monastery
There is a true person of no rank who is constantly coming and going from the portals of your face. Who is that true person of no rank? ~ Rinzai Why Come: In the quiet of the monastery we will combine zazen with Byron Katie’s inquiry, The Work, to question the stories that hold the sense of “me” in place. When those beliefs are seen through, fear relaxes and a natural compassion shines through. Over the retreat you will: Cultivate a fearless state of mind – apply The Work to any thought or circumstance, large or small. See through the…
Jizo Sesshin
With Jan Chozen Bays, Roshi and Laura Jomon Martin
September 9 - 14, 2025
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.…
Oceans of Compassion: A Retreat In Service To The Earth
With Kodo Conover and Laura Jomon Martin
September 18 - 21, 2025
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.
Autumn Ango – Fall Residency 2025
With Hogen and Chozen Roshi, Patrick Bansho Green and Myoyu Haley Voekel
October 7 - December 21, 2025
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, Jogen Salzberg, Sensei and Danney Soten Lynch
October 9 - 19, 2025
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…
New Member Tea
October 25, 2025
Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple
Calling New Members~ The ZCO membership committee joyfully invites you to join us at our New Member Tea! New member tea is open to ZCO members who joined in the 2024/2025 calendar year. Come connect, make new friends, tour the temple, 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 and treats.
November Sesshin – Gratitude
With Laura Jomon Martin, Myoyu Haley Voekel and Anusha Enryu Fernando
November 10 - 16, 2025
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 Myoyu Haley Voekel
December 7 - 14, 2025
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…