Zen Here – Finding a Home in the West

A two-day retreat with James Myoun Ford Roshi, 21/22 September, Eugene, Oregon, and online.

Beginning formal Zen training in 1969, James Myoun Ford Roshi has long and deep experience of Zen practice in both monastic and non-monastic forms. We are honoured that Myoun Roshi has agreed to reflect over his many years of deep work and the many lessons learned participating in the process of transplantation of Zen to the West. On the first day of the retreat Myoun Roshi will look backwards and share some of these lessons. On the second day, Myoun Roshi will project these learnings forward, laying out the essentials that need to be in place for Zen to flourish within Western culture over the next century.

As well as group presentations, Myoun Roshi has graciously agreed to meet students individually in dokusan (i.e. sanzen, practice interviews).

The retreat will be at Blue Cliff Zen Center, Eugene, Oregon and online. The daily schedule will run 7am (Pacific Time) to 6pm. For the UK this will be 3pm – 2am. European students will therefore be able to participate for the morning schedule on each day (and longer if they wish) – Myoun will give his talks and be available for sanzen during the retreat morning to allow for this.

Timetable

Saturday, September 21
7am – 11:30am: Talk Part 1 (Looking Backwards: The Transplantation of Zen in the West), zazen, sanzen, samu
11:30am – 1pm: lunch
1 – 6pm: talk continued, zazen, sanzen, samu

Sunday, September 22
7am – 11:30am: talk Part 2 (Looking Forwards: The Flourishing of Zen in the West), zazen, sanzen, samu
11:30am – 1pm: lunch
1 – 6pm: talk continued, zazen, sanzen, samu

Booking and donation

For students wishing to book online, please contact us using the link below. For those wishing to book in-person, please visit https://www.bluecliffzen.org/zen-here-finding-a-home-in-the-west/ and book with Blue Cliff.

The retreat is based on donations, with a suggested donation of £100.