Spring Kessei at Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-ji starts March 21 and ends June 15. Fall kessei will start on approximately September 15. The traditional length of kessei training is three months, but shorter stays are possible.
Kessei students participate in a schedule of daily meditation, chanting, caretaking, and study. The monastic schedule offers an unparalleled opportunity to deepen your Zen practice. Daily meditation, chanting, and work, and the beautiful remote setting deep in the Catskill Mountains, invite you to immerse yourself completely in the present moment, a rarity in our typically hectic, plugged-in, multitasking life.
Guided by Abbot Chigan Roshi and senior residents, kessei participants learn traditional Rinzai Zen forms and engage in daily zazen, sutra chanting, and study. Sesshin, a silent week of intensive practice, is held once a month, providing the opportunity for deep introspection and daily individual study. Spring kessei students are encouraged to stay through Dai Bosatsu Anniversary Sesshin in the first week of July. Students will be assigned samu (work practice), which includes tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and caring for our buildings and grounds. Yoga, breath work, and other body practices are a part of the daily schedule, as are personal and group study periods.
Abbess Emerita Shinge Roshi describes the kessei experience in this short video.
The fees for Kessei are $2,000 for the full three months; $1,500 for two months; $1,000 for one month; and $500 for two weeks. To apply for kessei, contact the office (office@daibosatsu.org) for information. DBZ office or call (845) 439-4566. No one will be turned away for lack of funds; please contact the office.
While we have opened our temples to in-person practice, we continue our online teachings, meetings and sittings. We rely on you to keep everyone safe. Read our full Health Protocols.