Sesshin / Retreats

These 6-Day retreats provide a uniquely deep dive into silence, stillness, and practice in community, all the while guided and supported by the teachings and 1-1 guidance with Valerie Forstman.

2026 6-Day Retreat / Sesshin Dates:
Spring Sesshin 
with Valerie Forstman, March 16th – 22nd (learn more here)
Ecodharma Sesshin with David Loy, May 18th – 24th (learn more here)
North American Sanbo Zen Sesshin with Yamada Ryoun Roshi, June 21st – 26th (learn more here)
Autumn Sesshin with Valerie Forstman, September 21st – 27th (learn more here)
Rohatsu / December Sesshin with Valerie Forstman and Henry Shukman, December 7th – 13th (learn more here)

These retreats offer the opportunity to experience the unique opportunity of extended practice with support from:

  • The profound silence and stillness of the age-old sesshin format
  • The deep container provided by Sanbo Zen Associate Master Valerie Forstman
  • Dokusan (one-on-one interviews) conducted in person by Valerie and other Zen teachers
  • Q&A sessions with Assistant Sanbo Zen teachers

Sesshin is a term used in Zen to refer to an intensive period of meditation practice, typically lasting several days to a week or more. During sesshin, practitioners engage in extended periods of sitting meditation (zazen), walking meditation (kinhin), chanting, and other forms of Zen practice under the guidance of a teacher. Sesshin is often held in a retreat setting, with participants observing noble silence and following a strict schedule of meditation sessions interspersed with short breaks for rest and meals. The purpose of sesshin is to deepen one’s meditation practice, cultivate mindfulness, and gain insight into the nature of reality.

Sample Daily Schedule for Sesshin

Morning

  • 6:00-7:30am  Sitting
  • 7:30-9:30am : Breakfast, samu (work practice), and rest

Main Block

  • 9:30am-noon   Sitting and dharma talk (recorded and shared via email in the evening)
  • Noon-1:30pm  Lunch and rest
  • 2:00-5:30pm   Movement, Sitting and Q&A (recorded and shared via email in the evening)

Evening Block

  • 5:30-7:00pm   Dinner, rest, personal time
  • 7:00-8:30pm    Sitting & Closing
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