Sesshin
Sesshin offers a unique opportunity to deepen your practice in a supportive atmosphere.
Our sesshins are seven-day silent retreats. We hold two a year. At the moment we are offering sesshin mid-summer (January) and early spring (September). We are trialing this summer/spring format to avoid holding sesshin during the winter flu/Covid season.
All our sesshins are held at Bella Rakha, a beautiful retreat centre on the outskirts of Auckland city.
Sesshin is conducted in disciplined silence, with every aspect of the day supporting whole-hearted practice and focus on the present moment. Dokusan (one-to-one instruction with a teacher) is offered three times a day, and additional sitting, outside of the formal rounds, is encouraged. Prior zazen experience is required for sesshin.
Note: We also offer non-residential urban retreats at Auckland Zen Centre in Onehunga. Check our events page to see what’s coming up.
Sesshin dates 2025
Friday 3 - Friday 10 January 2025, Summer 7-Day Sesshin, Bella Rakha
Friday 5 - Friday 12 September 2025, Spring 7-Day Sesshin, Bella Rakha
Sesshin application
To apply for sesshin, please click on the button below and complete the online application form. If you have not attended sesshin with us before, please talk with Amala-roshi or Richard-sensei before applying. You can also email the Richard-sensei (who is our Centre manager: info@aucklandzen.org.nz) if you have questions.
The deadline for applications is two weeks prior to the sesshin start date. If cost is a barrier, Teacher’s Scholarships are available for members. Please talk to Amala-roshi or Richard-sensei about the scholarships if you wish to apply for financial support.
Sesshin fees
Attending the whole 7-day sesshin:
supporting member: $735 waged, $630 unwaged
non-member: $805 waged, $700 unwaged
Attending one or more full days:
supporting member $105/day waged, $90/day unwaged
non-member $115/day waged, $100/day unwaged
Attending a section:
supporting member $30/section waged, $25/section unwaged
non-member $35/section waged, $30/section unwaged
Payment is due in full before the start of sesshin unless special arrangements have been made. If cost is a barrier, Teacher’s Scholarships are available for members. Please talk to Amala-roshi or Richard-sensei about the scholarships if you wish to apply for financial support.
Cancellation Policy
Except in cases where urgent medical, personal or business circumstances prevent you from attending sesshin, the sesshin fee will not be returned unless a cancellation is made at least four days before sesshin begins.
If you need to leave the sesshin early due to illness or injury you are entitled to a refund of the portion of the sesshin which you could not attend. You may also choose to donate the unused portion of your sesshin fee.
If you choose to receive a refund, please contact our bookkeeper (accounts@auckland.org.nz) with your paid sesshin days plus your actual sesshin days so that your refund amount can be calculated (e.g. "I have paid for four whole days (Days 1 - 4) but ended up going home on the afternoon of Day 2 because I got sick"). Please supply the bookkeeper with your bank account as well.
If you choose to donate the unused portion of your sesshin fee -- thank-you, that is very much appreciated -- but please still let the bookkeeper know your details so the donation can be calculated and recorded against your name.
Sesshin schedule
Arrival
Check-in (usually between 4 and 5 p.m.), followed by orientation and dinner, then and sitting from about 7:30 p.m. You'll receive an email with more details.
Day One to Final Day
4:10 Wakeup
4:30 Outdoor Kinhin
4:45 Zazen*
5:15 Chanting Service
5:45 Zazen with dokusan
7:00 Formal Breakfast
7:20 Samu (work practice)
8:30 Rest
9:30 Zazen
10:15 Teisho
11:05 Zazen
12:30 Lunch (informal), rest
1:30 Zazen with dokusan
3:30 Chanting Service
3:50 Group Exercises
4:40 Zazen
5:15 Formal Dinner, rest
7:00 Zazen with dokusan
9:30 Four Vows
* The standard round is 35 minutes, followed by kinhin (walking meditation).
Final Day
As above until after teisho, followed by zazen with final dokusan, lunch, and work practice (packing up, re-setting Princes St zendo). Work finishes by approximately 4:00pm.
How to get to sesshin
Our sesshins are held at the Bella Rakha Retreat Centre & Creative Venue
581 West Coast Road,
Oratia, Auckland 0604
What to bring to sesshin
Robes
For the zendo bring your own sitting robe (and rakusu) if you have them.
If you don't have a robe, you can use a loaner robe. Please pick one out at the Centre the week before sesshin, so you get one that fits well, and then bring it with you to sesshin (and wash it afterwards and then return).
If you can’t get to the Centre ahead of sesshin, email info@aucklandzen.org.nz to request a loaner robe.
Clothes
Bring plain, loose, modest clothing for wearing under your robes. Robes are worn at all times except for work or exercises.
Avoid wearing hooded sweatshirts or very thick fleece in the zendo (as these make it hard for the kyosaku to be used accurately).
Clothing with busy patterns, pictures, or writing is not suitable for the sesshin work or exercise periods.
Subdued colours are preferable. If you need to wear socks in the zendo, make sure they are dark (not white or brightly coloured).
Make sure you have warm clothes and plenty of layers, so you can adjust if we get a spell of cold or hot weather.
Raincoat and umbrella are both useful.
Shoes
Bring closed shoes for working in the kitchen (jandals or sandals are not OK in the kitchen for safety reasons).
Also highly recommended: slip-on shoes, jandals or sandals for going to dokusan, sturdier shoes for walking, gumboots for winter
Other items
Sheets and pillowcase (essential- not provided)
Towel, personal toiletries (no strong perfumes please) including toothpaste, torch, insect repellent (odourless).
Earplugs if you are a light sleeper.
Any prescription medicines you need.
Things to not bring
No books or reading material
No journals or writing material
No extra food should be brought to sesshin unless absolutely necessary for health reasons (please discuss with Amala-roshi ahead of time).