Top Rated

Sesshin - The Ancient Way

Name: October Sesshin - The Ancient Way
Start: 2025-10-09
End: 2025-10-19
Location: Zen Community of Oregon
Rating: 4.92

4.9293 reviews

79640 Quincy Mayger Road, Clatskanie, Oregon 97016, USA

October 9 - 19, 2025

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Hogen

Jogen

Danney

Hogen Bays, Roshi

Hogen Bays, Roshi began practicing in 1968 with Philip Kapleau, Roshi and was part of the residential staff at Zen Center of Rochester in Rochester, New York until 1975. He lived and trained at Zen Center of Los Angeles under the direction of Taizan Maezumi, Roshi from 1980-1984. In 1990 he took priest’s ordination with Maezumi, Roshi. After advice and consultation with Harada, Roshi and other Zen teachers, in 2000 he received Dharma Transmission from Chozen, Roshi. Since 1990 Hogen has continued his Zen studies with Rinzai Zen teacher Shodo Harada, Roshi, abbot of Sogen-ji monastery in Japan and One Drop Zendo in Tahoma, Washington. He has been a leader of Zen Community of Oregon since 1985 and worked full-time for the sangha since 1997. He is co-abbot of Great Vow Zen Monastery. Hogen holds a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) and Master’s Degree (MS) in Psychology. He worked for the Oregon Department of Corrections for 15 years. Hogen is a lifelong and devoted student of the Dharma and continues to broaden his practice by studying with teachers outside the Zen tradition.

Jogen Salzberg, Sensei

Jogen Salzberg, Sensei has been practicing Zen since 1997, entered monastic training at Great Vow in 2003 and received Dharma Transmission from Chozen Bays, Roshi and Hogen Bays, Roshi in 2017. Jogen leads the weekly Wednesday evening meditation gathering. His teaching draws on the teachings and practices of Zen, with inspiration from the Dzogchen tradition, as well as Depth and Archetypal psychology, Voice Dialogue parts work and more. In addition to being a Zen teacher, he is a parts work facilitator and spiritual counselor. Follow his work at Solisluna.org . Jogen Sensei lives in Portland, Oregon.

Danney Soten Lynch

Danney Soten Lynch is a Dharma Holder and ordained Zen priest. He was a monastic resident at Great Vow from 2010-2020 completing his novice training in 2018. During this time he contributed many songs to the Great Vow liturgy, and directed the monastery’s marimba band. He and his wife, Shinei, started leading backpacking Zen-style sesshin in the Wilderness of the Pacific Northwest in 2015. The program has continued annually and grown to include both meditation and walking intensives. In 2024 Soten will move with his wife to Corvallis where both will fill an assistant teacher position under Abby Mushin Terris for the Sangha Jewel Zen Center. Find out more about other retreats offered by Soten: https://walkingtogetherblog.tumblr.com/retreatsevents

Details of this retreat

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 off the media machine, look, and look again. We do this together. Each person an important part of the web that holds us all together.

Sesshin is a rigorous and, at times, challenging. This 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 a sesshin, click here.

Schedule

Please note: this is an approximation; sesshin schedules vary with leader and season.

First evening
5:00 p.m. Registration begins
6:00 p.m. Dinner (informal) and sesshin orientation
9:00 p.m. Zazen and formal opening of sesshin
10:00 p.m. Monastery doors locked

All full days
4:20 a.m. Wake up bell
5:00 a.m. Zazen
6:50 a.m. Service
7:20 a.m. Breakfast (oriyoki) in dining hall
8:30 a.m. Work period begins
9:50 a.m. Warning bell to clean up
10:00 a.m. End of work period
10:30 a.m. Zazen
12:20 p.m. Service
12:30 p.m. Lunch (oriyoki) in dining hall
3:00 p.m. Zazen
5:20 p.m. Service
5:30 p.m. Dinner (oriyoki) in dining hall
7:00 p.m. Zazen
9:20 p.m. Formal Tea/Zazen
10:00 p.m. Monastery doors locked

Last Sunday
4:50 a.m. Wake-up bell
5:30 a.m. Zazen
6:30 a.m. Breakfast
8:00 a.m. Closing Circle
10:00 a.m. Sunday Program (service, zazen)
11:20 a.m. Dharma talk and formal end of sesshin
12:00 p.m. Lunch (informal)

Note: Schedule is approximate and may change

Getting Here

Zen Community of Oregon, 79640 Quincy Mayger Road, Clatskanie, Oregon 97016, USA

Accommodation

Online only (sustaining rate)

Online only (scholarship rate)

Event fee

Event fee (ZCO member rate)

Customer Reviews

4.92 out of 5.0 average rating

Anonymous • Jul 20, 2025

5.0

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Hogen Bays, Roshi

Jogen Salzberg, Sensei

Danney Soten Lynch

Details of this retreat

Schedule

Getting Here

Accommodation

Customer Reviews

Anonymous • Jul 20, 2025

Zazenkai at Heart of Wisdom Temple, Portland, OR, 7/19/25

Anonymous • Jun 30, 2025

Drop of Stillness - 1/2 day retreat

Doug • Jun 23, 2025

Retreat and Refuge

richard • Jun 18, 2025

again

Teresa • Jun 01, 2025

Such a blessing 🙏

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