​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Meditation Retreats


Louisville Zen Center offers Zen retreats and other extended sittings - both in-person and online. Those who have completed the Introduction to Zen Meditation or equivalent are welcome to attend. For retreats at Heart of Perfect Wisdom Zendo, please read here about how to join us in-person. When attending virtually, click here for how to join us online.

Zazenkai: Extended Sitting

October 22, 2023, 6:15am - 3:00pm​​​​​

Whether the extended sitting is led by Louisville Zen Center or Rochester Zen Center (with Louisville ZC joining online), you may attend in-person at Heart of Perfect Wisdom Zendo, if you wish. During block 3, our group leader usually offers one-to-one, private instruction to those in-person at HPWZ as well as to those on Zoom.


Part-time participation is ok, too. If attending part-time, please arrive/depart during breaks between blocks. Here is the schedule: ​

​

  • 6:15am - Block 1: zazen (35 min.), kinhin (7 min), zazen (35 min.)
  • 7:30am  -  Breakfast break: provided
  • 8:30am - Block 2: zazen (25-25), kinhin (8), chanting (10), talk (50)
  • 10:15am - tea break (provided)    
  • 11:00am - Block 3: zazen (30), kinhin (7), zazen & Private Instruction (30), kinhin (7), zazen (30)
  • 12:45pm - Lunch break: bring your own; water and tea provided
  • 1:30pm  - Block 4: zazen (25), kinhin (5), zazen (25), kinhin (5), zazen (25)
  • 3:00pm   - End with The Four Vows


Email louisvillezen@gmail.com for Zoom access, questions about private instruction, or to reserve a seat at HPWZ. You may extend this schedule even more by attending Louisville Zen Center's regular Sunday evening sitting.


​​Cost. We suggest non-members give $15-$20 via PayPal for each day of the extended sitting, but any contribution, large or small, is much appreciated. To make an ongoing commitment while supporting the mission of the Center, please consider membership.

Dates Length Location Led by Application Deadline
Sep. 23-30 7 days Chapin Mill/Zoom  Sensei Dhara Kowal Sep. 7
Oct. 6-8 2 days Madison ZC/Zoom  Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede Sep. 29; apply here
Oct. 28 - Nov. 4 7 days Chapin Mill/Zoom  Sensei John Pulleyn Oct. 12
Dec. 8-10 2 days Chapin Mill/Zoom Eryl Kubicka Nov. 30
Jan. 6-13, 2024 7 days Chapin Mill/Zoom Sensei John Pulleyn Dec. 28
Feb. 16-18 2 days Chapin Mill/Zoom Ven. Jissai Prince-Cherry Feb. 1
Apr. 13-20 7 days Chapin Mill/Zoom Sensei John Pulleyn Mar. 28
Jun. 1-8 7 days Chapin Mill/Zoom Sensei Dhara Kowal May 16
Jul. 27 - Aug. 3 7 days Chapin Mill/Zoom TBD Jul. 11

​​​Sesshin: Intensive Zen meditation retreat​

You are also invited to participate in sesshin (intensive Zen meditation retreats) and other events led by our mother temple, Rochester Zen Center. Sesshin is offered about once a month at Rochester Zen Center, and vary in length from two to seven days with about 10 hours of zazen scheduled each day. One-to-one instruction is offered about three times daily. You may formally join by applying to attend in-person in NY or online via RZC Zoom. Part-time online participation is available, but to receive one-to-one instruction, you must attend at least two of the four blocks of sitting including one in which one-to-one is offered. You may also attend sittings informally (though without one-to-one instruction) simply by signing on to RZC Zoom before sittings begin. ​Here is the daily sesshin schedule. 


Below is a list of upcoming Rochester Zen Center sesshins. Click here for the application and fee information. Note: Louisville Zen Center members receive member rates for sesshin and other events hosted by Rochester Zen Center.