Winter Sesshin

Here is the initial email announcing the possibility of a winter intensive:

Good day, all!

I’ve had an intention these past several years to add intensive meditation retreats to the schedule of practice supports offered within our sangha. So I’ve only managed a few, but I have found them to be just lovely and one of my favorite things that we do. All of our retreats include sitting meditation, of course, but sometimes it’s good and helpful to put aside the process work and the investigative inquiry that we love, and just sit. In the Japanese tradition a retreat that consists primarily of formal sitting and walking meditation is called a “sesshin”. A traditional sesshin can be quite difficult, with sitting meditation and walking meditation alternating from early morning to late at night, and that’s pretty much it. I love sesshin, but I’m afraid if I offer a retreat which involves that level of difficulty I’ll be the only one who will show up. Instead, what I’ve found that works is a modified sesshin (I’ve been calling it a “meditation intensive”), which includes enough sitting and walking meditation to feel challenging–and also to produce the special kind of focus that comes from a lot of sitting, and the magical experiences that can sometimes occur–but also includes some space to rest, to walk, to stretch and in other ways take care of the body, and so on. I’m writing today to see if there are enough folks who would like to do a meditation intensive this winter, and if there are I’ll set it up.
I’m thinking this time we will do a four-night retreat, Wednesday afternoon to Sunday lunch. That’s a bit short, I know, but it’s helpful to keep it that way so that more people can participate and also to keep down the cost. Perhaps down the road as interest builds in this sort of retreat, which I hope it will, I’ll offer longer intensives.

Our dharma-sister Beth A has found a spot for us to do the retreat which I think will be just right (thanks, Beth!). There is a state park called Hanging Rock a bit north of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, which offers heated cabins all winter. Each cabin can sleep four people in shared rooms, two people to a room. I’ll see how many folks would like to participate in the retreat, and then we’ll just rent as many cabins as we need. We’ll push the furniture out of the way in one cabin to create a zendo, and we’ll use the kitchen in a second cabin to prepare the food. I think this should work quite well. The park is lovely, so there will be lots of beautiful walking and places to be when we’re not sitting. It is also relatively inexpensive to rent the cabins, which helps to keep the costs down. Here’s a link to the park website: https://www.ncparks.gov/state-parks/hanging-rock-state-park

In terms of the finances: everyone will divide the hard costs of the retreat. The retreat experience itself will be offered on a donation basis, as always. The cost of the retreat per person will be $250. This covers food,, lodging, and odds and ends. Cheap, eh?!!! People will pay the $250 ahead of the retreat, then I will ask for donations as the retreat ends.

Might you be interested? If you are, let me know.

You’ll find a sample intensive schedule below.

Thank you for your attention to this message, and for considering this practice opportunity! Whether you would like to attend or not, I wish you well, and I thank you for your practice.

In peace and gratitude, David

Possible Meditation Intensive Schedule:
6:00 Wake up

6:30 Sitting meditation

7:00 Walking Meditation

7:30 Sitting Meditation

8:00 Breakfast

9:30 Sitting meditation

10:00 Walking Meditation

10:30 Sitting Meditation

11:00 Walking meditation

11:30 Dharma Talk

12:15 Lunch

3:00 Sitting meditation

3:30 Walking Meditation

4:00 Sitting meditation

4:30 Walking Meditation

5:00 Sitting meditation

5:30 Informal walk/stretch

6:15 Supper

7:00 Group

8:00 Sitting meditation

Here is a follow-up email with more information:

Good afternoon, friends!

This email is going out to everyone who expressed interest in a possible meditation intensive retreat this winter….

I’m very pleased to say the retreat is a go! I’m writing this afternoon in order to give you the details, to make sure you are clear on what you would be getting yourself into if you decide to commit, and to provide a way to officially register.

The retreat will happen January 22nd to 26th, Wednesday mid afternoon until Sunday noon, at Hanging Rock State park, just north of Winston-Salem.

The retreat will involve eight or more half hour sitting meditation periods each day, plus five or more half hour walking meditation periods. It’s important of course, that you’re prepared to do that much formal meditation. Also on the schedule will be:

• a dharma talk in the morning
• a group discussion in the evening
• a ten minute one-on-one guidance session each day for those who would like to have that
• some free time during which people may walk, nap, or in other ways take care of themselves
• three vegetarian meals

Nothing on the schedule will be optional other than the one-on-one guidance sessions.

The meals will be simple, but hearty and ample. There will also be fruit and protein snacks available in between meals. I will ask that everyone eat only the food provided, and not to bring their own supply of food.

Everyone will be required to participate in a small amount of working meditation over the course of the retreat in order to help prepare the meals and keep things clean.

The retreat will be held in silence apart from the group discussions, the dharma talks, and the one on ones.

When you arrive I will ask you to turn in your cell phones, computers, books, and anything else that might serve as a distraction, and I will return those to you once the retreat ends. It will not be possible to be in communication with people in your life outside of the retreat.

It will not be permitted for you to leave the retreat once you arrive.

Rooms will be shared.

The cabins are a bit rustic, but perfectly comfortable. They are heated, and each cabin has a full bathroom with a shower.

In terms of the cost, everyone will be splitting the hard costs of the retreat (food and lodging), which should come out to be around $250 per person. My work as organizer and facilitator of the experience is offered on a donation basis. I will ask for donations at the end of the retreat.

If you would like to attend this retreat given the structures and expectations outlined above, go to www.theoneopendoor.org and use one of the donation buttons to make a $250 retreat deposit. If $250 is a lot of money for you to come up with right now, that’s fine–just give what you can. Once I receive your retreat deposit I will confirm your place in the retreat. There are a limited number of spaces, and these spaces will be offered on a first come / first served basis.

If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your attention to this email, take care, and have a good day!
In peace,

David