The 116th Practice Period at Tassajara
Led by Abbot Dōshin Mako Voelkel
September 23 – December 19, 2026
Application due date is August 10
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).
Surrounded by the silence and natural beauty of the Ventana Wilderness, we will devote ourselves to wholehearted practice through the rhythms of monastery life while exploring Eihei Dōgen Zenji's Genjōkōan, one of the most treasured and enduring teachings of Dōgen Zenji's Shōbōgenzō.
The title Genjōkōan points to "reality fully manifesting here and now." Rather than presenting enlightenment as something to attain, Dōgen invites us to discover the inseparability of practice and realization in the midst of ordinary life. This fundamental question is not answered through ideas or philosophy, but through meeting each moment completely: with this body, this mind, this work, and this community.
During these three months, we will return again and again to Dōgen's teaching of practice-realization (shushō ittō) and to his enduring words:
To study the Buddha Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be actualized by the myriad things.
Together we will explore what it means to allow the myriad things to illuminate us, responding wholeheartedly to whatever arises and discovering the freedom that is already present within the ordinary activity of daily life. In this way, our monastic life of forms and ceremonies itself becomes the living expression of the Genjōkōan.
Through a daily zazen schedule, formal oryoki meals, chanting services, work practice, study, dharma talks & classes, sesshins, and one-on-one practice discussions with the Abbot and Tassajara's resident teachers,* we will continually return to Dōgen's invitation to realize that as the whole moon is reflected in a single dewdrop on the grass, nothing is outside this very moment.
Besides a comparison of Genjōkōan translations, our textual study will include readings from Shōhaku Okumura's Realizing Genjōkōan: The Key to Dōgen's Shōbōgenzō, Shinshū Roberts's Meeting the Myriad Things: A Zen Practitioner's Guide to Dōgen's Genjōkōan, and assorted other commentaries.
*This ango may also include the presence of several visiting teachers, including Sōshin Teah Strozer, Kokyo Henkel, and Gendō Lucy Xiao.
First Month Only Option: Wednesday, September 23–Sunday, October 25
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 limited number of 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 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. Please note that there are only a limited number of spots available for this first month only option.
Full Practice Period Option: Wednesday, September 23–Saturday, December 19
To be considered for the full Fall 2026 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 by the August 10 deadline
- 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.
Please note: please be prepared for additional weather challenges given predictions that late fall 2026/winter 2027 may present a Super El Niño.
Important Practice Period Documents:
Practice Period Fees*: $4,000 USD, 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*: $1,700 USD, 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 $5,000 per student, we kindly invite those who are able to consider making an additional donation. For the one-month option, similar considerations apply.
Financial assistance is available for priests in training who might otherwise be unable to attend the practice period due to financial constraints. For more information, please contact zmcdirector@sfzc.org.
The form will remain online, as late submissions may still be considered after the August 10 deadline if there is space available.
