with Roshis Chozen and Hogen Bays
Cultivating a truly quiet mind is a main prerequisite or Dharma gate for transformative or awakening insight experiences. In giving instructions for meditation, the Japanese Zen master Dogen wrote: “Think about non-thinking. How to think about non-thinking? Non-thinking.”
What is one to make of this injunction? How can one understand and practice with these instructions? In this four-day silent retreat, drawing upon their many decades of Zen practice and teaching, Roshis Chozen and Hogen Bays will share practical and effective methods for quieting our busy minds in order to cultivate a mind of calm alertness, both on and off the cushion.
A silent Zen meditation retreat can be rigorous and, at times, challenging for some, and is not recommended for beginners. In order to attend in person, it is recommended that you have first attended one of our silent weekend or longer retreats or a four-to-seven day silent retreat at another Buddhist Center.
Registration will close on December 31.
Retreat Logistics
This retreat is in-person only participation at FCM ’s Tampa Center. The retreat will begin with orientation at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, February 5 and ends after lunch on Sunday, February 9. Participation is open to both FCM members and non-members.
The fee for in-person participation is $360 for overnighters and $280 for commuters, with a $50 deposit required to apply.
If you are not familiar with our campus, you may enjoy this short video tour.
Please note:
- The deadline for application for this retreat will be December 31. We anticipate that we may have more applicants than spaces available for this retreat, so please understand that this application DOES NOT guarantee you a spot in the retreat.
- We will notify all applicants by January 3 as to whether or not they have been accepted into the retreat.
- For those accepted, the balance of the fee will be then be due by January 12, otherwise the spot will be given to another applicant.
- Please click here to read FCM's Retreat Cancellation Policy.
Retreat Scholarships are available; please click here to see FCM’s Retreat Scholarship Policy and for an Application, which needs to be submitted prior to the registration deadline for this retreat.
The Bay’s teachings will be offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teachers freely give of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they ’ve received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. As their teachings are offered freely, the student ’s response should also be based on Dana, i.e. generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage. All dana collected at the end of retreat will go towards supporting the retreat teachers.
The retreat registrar will be sending additional information to accepted registrants once registration is closed.
Retreat Leaders
Roshi Chozen Bays has been the teacher for Zen Community of Oregon since 1985. In 2002 she helped to found Great Vow Zen Monastery and is co-abbot. In 2011 she also helped found Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple in Portland, Oregon. She has written books on mindfulness and mindful eating, and written articles published in Buddhadharma and Shambhala Sun.
Roshi Hogen Bays began practicing Zen in 1968 with Philip Kapleau, Roshi doing residential training at Zen Center of Rochester and eventually at Zen Center of Los Angeles with Taizan Maezumi Roshi. He continued his Zen studies with Shodo Harada Roshi in Japan and on Whidbey Island from 1990 – 2015. He ’s a psychologist and Naturopathic Doctor (ND). He is co-abbot of Great Vow Zen Monastery.
Questions?
For more information, please contact Angie at parrish26@gmail.com.
