A ZEN UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST MEDITATION RETREAT (in Person & Online)

A ZEN UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST MEDITATION RETREAT (in Person & Online) June 11, 2023

“Pilgrim encounters a turtledove in the forest” Jan Luyken, 1687

You are cordially invited to join us for a Zen retreat

Wednesday Jun 21 – Sunday Jun 25, 2023

A multi-day Zen meditation retreat (Sesshin) hosted by the University Unitarian Church, in Seattle, Washington. We will meet in person and on Zoom.

The meditation retreat will be facilitated by the Bright Cloud Zen practice group of the Empty Moon Zen Sanghas.

This commuter retreat is open to all. Although some experience with silent, self-guided meditation is helpful. You do not have to be a Zen Buddhist or a Unitarian Universalist to attend.

Participants have the option to attend in-person at University Unitarian Church (UUC) in Seattle, or on-line via Zoom.

Please register in advance to attend full-time or part-time, whether online or onsite.

Drop-ins are welcome on a space available basis.

Our teachers during this retreat will include the Rev James Myoun Ford, the Rev Janine Seitetsu Larsen, and Jan Seiryu Seymour-Ford.

Each day will offer periods of silent sitting, walking meditation, chanting and ritual, dharma talks, and one-on-one meetings with teacher(s). As weather allows, we will include periods of outdoor sitting and walking. You’ll go home to your own bed each night.

Full-time participation is encouraged. If you can’t attend the entire retreat, we invite you into bring more mindfulness into your life throughout the time of this retreat as your days allow.

Simple vegetarian meals are included for those who register to attend on-site. This will include vegan and gluten-free options. However, if you have a special diet, please bring the nourishment you need. A refrigerator and freezer are available for personal foods (please label). Participants are encouraged to bring snacks to share, and to sign up for one or more meal/snack items during registration.

Chairs are provided. A few floor sitting supplies are available (zafus, zabutons, kneeling benches), as well as lap blankets and some support cushions. You are welcome to bring your own sitting supplies to increase your comfort (please label with your name).

There is a fee requested to help defray costs of this retreat, includes meals and travel expenses for teachers. Registration fees include an option to pay in installments. And fee waivers are available.

A detailed schedule will be available at a later date. But here is a general outline of our schedule:

  • Wednesday 6/21:  7-9 p.m.
  • Thursday, Friday, Saturday 6/22-6/24:
    • Early Morning:  6:30-7:30 a.m.
    • Breakfast & clean-up: 7:30-9 a.m.
    • Mid-Morning: 9 a.m. – Noon
    • Lunch & Clean-up: 12:15 – 1:00
    • Rest/ personal practice: 1:00-2:00
    • Afternoon: 2:00-5:30 p.m.
    • Dinner & clean-up: 5:45-6:45 p.m.
    • Evening: 7-9 p.m. (on Saturday, includes 5 Precepts & Jukai ceremony; guests welcome)
  • Sunday 6/25
    • Early morning: 6:30-7:30 a.m.
    • Breakfast & clean-up: 7:30-9 a.m.
    • Mid-Morning: 9 a.m. – Noon (includes closing circle)
    • Feast of leftovers: 12-1 p.m.
    • Clean-up: 1-3 p.m.

For more information, contact one of the Retreat Contacts:

  •  Janine Seitetsu Larsen, Retreat Leader, UUC Director of Ministries and Zen Teacher with Empty Moon Zen. Janine is Tanto (retreat leader) for this Sesshin.
  • Dinah Seishin Hartley, UUC member and Empty Moon Zen Practice Leader.

Begin your registration here

Continue through each page, scrolling up or down as needed. Be sure to click the final blue “Register” button on the last page to submit your registration. You should receive a confirmation email almost immediately. If you don’t, please try again or contact Janine for assistance.

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And as a thank you for reading all of this, or just for skipping to the bottom, here are five versions of what can be thought of as Zen’s principal sacred text, the Heart Sutra.
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