Winter 2024 Practice Period at Tassajara, 1/10 - 4/4

Practice Center
Date / Time
Jan 10, 2024 / 12:00pm - Apr 4, 2024 / 3:00pm
Event Type
Practice Periods
Description

The 111th Practice Period at Tassajara

Led by Senior Dharma Teacher Ryushin Paul Haller

January 10 – April 4, 2024

Application due date is TBA

Tassajara’s ninety-day practice period follows the traditional Soto Zen monastic schedule. The practice period is a rare opportunity for experienced practitioners to participate in the intensive practice at Zen Mountain Center (Zenshinji).

The intense schedule and atmosphere of a traditional Zen Ango (Practice Period) are for the purpose of helping us to go beyond our usual senses of self so that we can enter the wide open life of the Buddha. Kindness and love for one another will be our watchwords as we negotiate the way together for these precious few months.


Kitchen Practice Period Opportunity

Tassajara is offering a practice period this Winter to those who are interested and eligible to join the practice period kitchen crew. This is an opportunity to support Tassajara’s monastic practice at no charge and without using earned practice period credits. Come nourish yourself and the sangha while deepening your practice through daily zazen, dharma offerings, and harmonizing with the Zen kitchen and crew.

Contact Jamie, Tassajara Director, at zmcdirector@sfzc.org for details.


The following prerequisites for the Winter 2024 practice period at Tassajara must be fulfilled in total for your application to be considered:

  • 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 complete the full three months
  • Submitting a completed application [link available soon] before the 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

In order to participate in the practice period, students must be fully vaccinated. In addition, testing and masking protocols will likely 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:

Fee Information

Practice Period Fees*: $3,600 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. A practice period credit (which includes room, board, and tuition) may be earned by participating in the Work Practice Apprenticeship Program during the summer before the practice period.

*As the basic operating expenses for the practice period are in excess of $4,500 per student, please consider donating more if you are able.

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.