Tahoma Sogenji monastery

Zazen Schedule

If you wish to come sit at Tahoma, please arrive 30 minutes early, and someone will show you how to enter the zendo, sit comfortably, and a short introduction to breathing from your tanden (lower belly).  Please wear loose comfortable dark or plain colored clothing. You can contact the zendo ahead of time at (360) 331-4142 or tahoma@whidbey.com. Please be aware that we have no office 'staff'; if the phone is not answered we are meditating in the zendo or somewhere caring for the monastery grounds. Please come sit anyway. Come at Zazen times or anytime to walk the gardens and enjoy our lakeside meditation platform. 

DAILY ZAZEN SCHEDULE
Choka (chanting) starts at 4:00 a.m. and finishes around 4:40 a.m. 

Zazen meditation is from 4:40 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.
Evening Zazen is 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

We do zazen (sitting meditation) in periods of 25 minutes with a few minutes of break in between.  Please be in the Zendo and on a cushion ten minutes before zazen begins.  If you arrive after a period has started, please wait in the entrance area on a cushion until the period ends before coming into the Zendo.  Chairs and kneeling benches are available.

Residents of the Monastery follow this schedule; however, non-residents are welcome to drop in anytime for one or more periods without previous announcement.

ZAZENKAI
Sundays at 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. 

Zazenkai includes sutra chanting, zazen, walking meditation, and a short reading of texts by Shodo Harada Roshi.  Afterwards, tea and sweets are served in the dining hall, and there is an opportunity for questions, discussion, and conversation. Tea can last up to one hour, 9-10 am. 

Kosesshin Schedule

Morning
3:50 A.M. On Cushion
4:00 Choka (morning chanting)
4:40 Zazen
5:00 Zazen, Sanzen
7:00 Breakfast

7:40 Personal cleaning
8:00 Temple Cleaning
8:30 Samu (work)
10:15 tea break- until 10:45 A.M.
12:00 Samu ends

12:30 Lunch
4:00 Freestyle supper
4:50 On Cushion
5:00 Zazen (3 periods)
6:30 Zazen, sanzen
8:30 Sarei (formal tea), Zazen
9:00 Kachin (evening chanting)
9:30 Yaza (night sitting)

Osesshin  Schedule: 

3:50: Wake Up Bell

4:20 On Cushion

4:30 Sutras/Baito

5:00 Zazen/Sanzen

6:55 Breakfast 

8:00 Samu

9:20 On Cushion

9:30 Zazen

11:55 Lunch

12:35 On Cushion

1:00 Teisho

3:00 Exercise

3:55 Supper

5:50 On Cushion

6:00 Golden Hour

7:00 Zazen/Sanzen

9:00 Sarei/Sutras

36 HOUR WEEKEND SESSHIN

Friday
5:00 pm Orientation and supper
5:50 pm On cushion
6:00 pm Zazen
9:00 pm Yaza

Saturday
4:00 am Wake up bell
4:20 am On cushion
4:30 am Sutras
5:10 am Zazen
6:55 am Breakfast
7:30 am Clean-up
8:00 am Samu
9:30 am Break
9:50 am On cushion
10:00 am Zazen
11:55 Lunch
12:40 pm Break
1:30 pm Zazen/Reading of Harada Roshi's Teachings
2:45 pm Break
3:00 pm Long kinhin/exercise
4:15 pm Optional Supper
5:20 pm On cushion
5:30 pm Zazen 
9:00 pm Yaza