The 114th Practice Period at Tassajara
Led by Abbot Dōshin Mako Voelkel
September 24 – December 18, 2025
Application due date is August 12, 2025
The form will remain online, as late submissions may still be considered after the deadline.
Ango (Practice Period) offers a rare opportunity for experienced practitioners to immerse themselves in the intimacy and rigor of monastic practice at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center (Zenshinji).
Within the remote and natural beauty of the Ventana Wilderness, this practice period will explore Dōgen Zenji's teachings as expressed in Tenzo Kyokun: that awakening is not found apart from the most ordinary activities of daily life, but is fully expressed through them. Written after his profound encounters with monastery cooks in China and at the beginning of his founding a residential zen training temple upon returning to Japan, this text reveals how simple acts like preparing and serving food may become a complete path of realization.
The tenzo, or head cook, embodies the essence of bodhisattva practice through whole-hearted work practice: turning everyday tasks into expressions of enlightenment itself. During this three-month ango, we will explore Dōgen’s insight that “nothing is hidden”: how awakening manifests completely through each moment’s activity when approached with joyful mind, parental mind, and magnanimous mind; how the cycle of giving and receiving nourishment mirrors the fundamental interdependence of all existence. Whether preparing meals or sitting zazen, we practice the fundamental teaching that ordinary work and ultimate realization are not two.
Each participant will have the opportunity to spend some time working in the Zen kitchen, directly experiencing these teachings through hands-on practice and service. Through upholding elements of the traditional Sōtō Zen monastic schedule, including daily zazen, formal meals (oryoki), chanting services, work practice, study, dharma talks/classes, and multiple sesshins, along with one-on-one practice discussions with the Abbot and ZMC resident teachers*, together we will discover how both ordinary work and silent illumination become the very ground of awakening when approached with complete presence and care.
* This ango will also include the occasional presence of several visiting teachers, including Senior Dharma Teacher Kiku Christina Lehrner, Soshin Teah Strozer, and Shosan Victoria Austin.
First Month Only Option: September 24 – October 26, 2025
Because there are many sangha members who would appreciate the opportunity to participate in the forms of a traditional ango but aren't able to take three months away from their lives or work, this Tassajara practice period will offer an opportunity for a few practitioners to attend the first month only. During the first month there will be an emphasis on training in the Zen monastic forms and embodying their role in the practice of awakening.
- Prerequisites for participating in the first month of the practice period include having sat at least one traditional seven-day sesshin and the recommendation of a Zen teacher.
Participants for the first month will sit a minimum of two days of tangaryo. Please review the information and documents below the prerequisites section on this page and fill out the application, which includes an option for this one-month participation.
To be considered for the full Fall 2025 practice period at Tassajara the following prerequisites must be fully met:
- Completion of at least one two-month residential practice period at San Francisco Zen Center’s City Center or Green Gulch Farm. An exception may be made for those with comparable practice experience elsewhere; the applicant is asked to submit a letter of recommendation from their teacher.
- Commitment to participate in the full three months
- Submitting a completed application before the deadline (August 12)
- Tuition paid in full before the start of the practice period, or use of a practice period credit earned before arrival and approved by the applications committee
* Applying as soon as possible helps Tassajara with the logistics of planning for the practice period; priority of acceptance will be given to those who apply early.
We encourage all students to be fully vaccinated against Covid. In addition, testing and masking protocols may take place during the first few days of the practice period. Please carefully review the Tassajara Health & Safety Protocols.
SEASONAL WEATHER CONCERNS
Based on our past experience, we expect that the seasonal rains will bring additional challenges to the monastery. These challenges include potential flooding as well as debris flow, slides, and erosion risks along the Tassajara road and throughout the valley. Due to these potential hazards, Tassajara practice period participants have been requested to sign a Waiver of Liability, which is included as a part of the online application form.
Important Practice Period Documents:
Practice Period Fees*: $3,780 US (plus $30 application fee), which covers room, board and tuition. Payment in full is required BEFORE arrival at Tassajara unless another arrangement is made in advance with the director.
Fees for one-month participation*: $1,575 US (plus $30 application fee), which covers room, board and tuition. Payment in full is required BEFORE arrival at Tassajara.
*As basic operating expenses for the practice period are in excess of $4,725 per student, we kindly invite those who are able to consider making an additional donation. For the one-month option, similar considerations apply.
The $30 application fee is required for applicants who are not currently in residence at SFZC, and must be paid at the same time the application is submitted. All applications and fees must be submitted electronically.
Application deadline is Tuesday, August 12, 2025.
Late submissions may still be considered.