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City Refuge Retreat
3 days of stillness in the city. Great food and companions.
About Zen Community of Oregon
Zen Community of Oregon
Mission & Vision
Great Vow Zen Monastery is a residential community of lay and ordained people engaged in around-the-clock Buddhist practice. The practice heritage of the monastery is the White Plum Soto/Rinzai lineage of Taizan Maezumi, Roshi enriched by teachings and practices from the Tibetan and Theravada traditions.
Abbots Jan Chozen Bays, Roshi and Hogen Bays, Roshi are the spiritual directors and senior teachers at the monastery, with assistance from other Zen Community of Oregon teachers, lay and ordained. Great Vow offers residencies, retreats, and workshops that are open and available to everyone. There are many ways you can practice here.
The monastery is located 80 miles northwest of Portland, Oregon on twenty forested acres overlooking the Columbia River flood plain. The monastery includes a spacious meditation hall, guest and resident dormitories, dining hall, and a large organic vegetable garden. Within the forest is Great Vow’s famous Jizo Garden, a memorial garden for people who have died, and the newly dedicated Shrine of Vows, a place where people leave tokens of their deep aspirations.
Visiting the monastery
Are you interested in getting a taste of monastic life or residential practice? Opportunities to stay at Great Vow as a guest are available throughout the year. Guests are expected to follow the monastic schedule for the duration of their stay.
Arrangements for overnight guest stays can be made by emailing the registrar or by calling the monastery at 503-728-0654. Guest stays are not available on Sunday – Tuesday of any week, nor during retreats.
If you are interested in visiting the monastery please call ahead 503-728-0654 or email the registrar@zendust.org.
The monastery is closed to visitors from Sunday afternoon until Tuesday afternoon and also during our monthly silent retreats. Please check the calendar before planning your visit.
Check out our website www.zendust.org
Upcoming Retreats at Zen Community of Oregon
Meditation
Pari-Nirvana Sesshin: A Meditation Retreat exploring Life, Death & the Unknown
From $280
/ 7 days
4.92
Meditation
Pari-Nirvana Sesshin: A Meditation Retreat exploring Life, Death & the Unknown
From $280
/ 7 days
4.92
Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi
Spa
Sauna
Pool
Towels
Free Parking
Kitchen
Tour Assistance
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
Cafe
Restaurant
Fitness Center
Yoga Studio
Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent
The monastery includes a spacious meditation hall, guest and resident dormitories, dining hall, and a large organic vegetable garden.
Within the forest is Great Vow's famous Jizo Garden, a memorial garden for people who have died, and the newly dedicated Shrine of Vows, a place where people leave tokens of their deep aspirations.
Within the forest is Great Vow's famous Jizo Garden, a memorial garden for people who have died, and the newly dedicated Shrine of Vows, a place where people leave tokens of their deep aspirations.
Meals
Menu Types
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Ayurvedic
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
Meals are simple. Breakfast is usually hot grain cereal, nuts or nut butter, dairy and non-dairy milk, fruit, yogurt, and tea. Lunch is the most substantial with a main entree, salad, vegetable side, and condiments. Dinner is soup and bread. Many retreats are served as buffet. Zen-style retreats feature meals that are oriyoki, a Zen form of mindful eating in monasteries that goes back 1,000 years. Imagine Zen tea ceremony, but eating. Newcomers are guided on how to do it and people get the hang of it after a couple days. Meals are vegetarian with vegan options. Gluten-free alternatives can be accommodated. Coffee, caffeinated, and herbal tea are provided.
Getting Here
Zen Community of Oregon, 79640 Quincy Mayger Road, Clatskanie, Oregon 97016, USA //
6401 NE 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97211
Directions
Ride sharing can be arranged from the airport with some advanced notice with our registrar. The monastery is located 80 miles northwest of Portland, Oregon on twenty forested acres overlooking the Columbia River flood plain. The drive takes 80-90 minutes.
Directions from the airport:
1. Take I-205 North to I-5 North. I-5 North to exit 36 Longview (south of Seattle, north of Portland).
2. At the exit travel west on to 432 towards Longview City Center.
3. At the sign to “Highway 30 to Oregon”, turn left (south) onto “Oregon Way” .
4. Cross the Lewis and Clark Bridge into Oregon.
5. Turn right (west) onto Highway 30 towards Astoria. Clatskanie is 12 miles from this point.
6. In Clatskanie turn right at the stoplight onto Nehalem Street
7. Go straight to the end, and then follow the road left onto 5th street.
8. Stay on this road (do NOT take the first left fork to the Poplar Farm).
9. You will reach a fork after 2.9 miles; stay left, on Quincy-Mayger Road. Following the street signs saying “Zen Monastery”.
10. The Monastery is 1.8 miles past the fork, at 79640 Quincy-Mayger Road on the right.
Customer Reviews
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5.0
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Turning the Mirror Inward
Participating in inner criticism is like turning yourself around in front of a mirror—up, down, left, right, front, and back—so that you can truly see yourself clearly. You must be brave and honest enough to face your true self—the depths of your own heart. Inside, there is good and evil, light and darkness, and a tangled mix of disguise and authenticity intertwined with your external relationships.
It takes courage to see and honesty to confront this stubborn “self” and the attachment to “ego.” From my own learning experience, this is only the first step in self-cleansing. It may take years of self-acceptance (often a painful process) and the wisdom to protect that inner self. Only by taking this first step can one truly begin the practice of cultivating the mind and nurturing goodness.
I am deeply grateful to Teacher Jogen for his guidance to beginners in meditation. His approach is both kind and down-to-earth, and he highlighted the importance of turning our awareness inward. I am also thankful for all his teachings and final reminders. Through persistent daily meditation and prayer (self-reflection), we can cultivate the mind and nurture goodness.
It takes courage to see and honesty to confront this stubborn “self” and the attachment to “ego.” From my own learning experience, this is only the first step in self-cleansing. It may take years of self-acceptance (often a painful process) and the wisdom to protect that inner self. Only by taking this first step can one truly begin the practice of cultivating the mind and nurturing goodness.
I am deeply grateful to Teacher Jogen for his guidance to beginners in meditation. His approach is both kind and down-to-earth, and he highlighted the importance of turning our awareness inward. I am also thankful for all his teachings and final reminders. Through persistent daily meditation and prayer (self-reflection), we can cultivate the mind and nurture goodness.
4.0
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New Member Tea
Glad I attended as it gave me more insight into why sangha matters. I had felt seperate from others, I think because my 'usual' way of relating, mostly through conversation, simply had not had nor made many opportunities as I sat at home on zoom, or even as I attended zazenkais over the last many couple of years.
I appreciate the opportunity to share and to ask questions of interest to me.
Thank you.
I appreciate the opportunity to share and to ask questions of interest to me.
Thank you.
5.0
Verified
Well worth the time
I was reluctant to sign up for a full day Basic Zen Buddhism offering but the experience was well worth the time. Teachers were excellent and covered all of the basics that aren’t covered anywhere else. It’s like learning a new culture!
I loved the environment and atmosphere and all of the people attending were so pleasant. Beautiful way to spend the day.
I loved the environment and atmosphere and all of the people attending were so pleasant. Beautiful way to spend the day.
5.0
Verified
Heart of Wisdom Zazenkai: Sept. 20, 2025
This one-day retreat was my first with the Zen Community of Oregon (ZCO) at the Heart of Wisdom temple. I found the treat so peaceful, so calming, in such a beautiful and comfortable space. The retreat was intimate, but not too small---about 25 attendees. I found this to be perfect. I found the dharma talk to be uplifting and personally impactful. I'm looking forward to the next opportunity for extended time with the ZCO!
Chad O.
Chad O.
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