Where a weekly sit lasts an evening, a sesshin unfolds over several days - often around five. We sit together from early morning into the evening, mostly in silence, with alternating periods of zazen and kinhin (walking), meals taken mindfully, a little work, and time to rest. Days shaped like this let the mind settle in a way that an hour here and there rarely can.
They are also an opportunity to meet the teacher one to one, and to hear a teisho (talk) that might land in a way it wouldn't at home. Retreats include daily chanting of the sutras, and often an optional Big Mind session. There is nothing to achieve and nowhere to get to - only the quiet, steady work of showing up, again and again, to this moment.
We typically hold two or three retreats a year and a number of Zazenkai (one day retreats). Members are also welcome to join sesshins with the wider Stonewater Sangha.