About Retreats

Retreats are times to clear our minds of habitual thinking. Yong Maeng Jong Jin means “to leap like a tiger while sitting,” a Korean term traditionally used to describe intensive Zen meditation. It points to the state of clarity and wisdom we experience that is both relaxed and wide like space, and clear and meticulous as the tip of a needle, so that we can use our experience to help ourselves and this world, moment to moment.

The Zen Center holds a one-, two-, three-day retreat every month. Consult our events page for our upcoming retreats and our retreat schedule page for additional information about retreat-day timing.

  • For one-day retreats, you are encouraged to sit the entire retreat.  If that is not possible, enter during a walking period. The retreat will begin promptly at 9am, so please plan to arrive 5-10 minutes early to get settled in.

  • Unless there is an emergency, please stay for an entire block of sitting and/or chanting
    (ie., all of early morning sitting, and/or all of mid-morning sitting, and/or all of afternoon sitting, and/or all of evening sitting; and/or all of morning chanting, and/or all of evening chanting).

  • Retreat fees can be found on our retreat registration page. You are encouraged to pay the appropriate amount in advance using our Paypal link. You may also pay by check or cash when you enter the retreat. CIZCNY is committed to making our teaching accessible to all, regardless of ability to pay. While we do depend on fees to cover the costs of retreats and to help support the temple, we have a pay-what-you-can policy for those for who cannot afford the regular fee. Donations above retreat fees are appreciated and help support the Zen center.

For newcomers who have never sat a Kwan Um School of Zen retreat:

  • We strongly encourage newcomers to attend our Wednesday evening Intro session and/or a number of regular practice sessions before attending your first retreat. 

  • If you have retreat experience, but have not attended a KUSZ format retreat, please plan to arrive before the scheduled start time for a brief orientation:

    • For a 1 day retreat, please arrive at 8:45 AM for orientation.

    • For a 2, 3, or 7 day retreat, please arrive at 6:30 PM for orientation on the evening the retreat starts.

To register for a retreat please fill out our registration form. If you have any questions, please send an email to info@chogyezencenter.org.