Zen Studies Society

DBZ: Fall Kessei Opening Day 2026
2026-09-16 | Dai Bosatsu Zendo, 223 Beecher Lake Road, Livingston Manor, NY, 12758
Join us as we enter into this intensive training period with Chigan Roshi and the residents and monastics of Dai Bosatsu Zendo. Kessei offers Zen students a unique opportunity to engage in residential Rinzai Zen practice. In our tradition, kessei refers to a designated period during which daily activities are guided by strict rules and a demanding schedule.
Learn more about the kessei experience as described by kessei practitioners in this in-depth video. To read more in-depth about kessei, click here. The 2026 Fall Kessei will begin on September 16th and end on December 9th. If you are unable to attend for the full three-month period, shorter stays are possible.
To apply for Fall Kessei, email us here. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: Spring Kessei Opening Day 2026
2026-09-16
Join us as we enter into this intensive training period with Chigan Roshi and the residents and monastics of Dai Bosatsu Zendo. Kessei offers Zen students a unique opportunity to engage in residential Rinzai Zen practice. In our tradition, kessei refers to a designated period during which daily activities are guided by strict rules and a demanding schedule.
Learn more about the kessei experience as described by kessei practitioners in this in-depth video. To read more in-depth about kessei, click here. The 2026 Spring Kessei will begin on March 19th and end on July 8th. If you are unable to attend for the full three-month period, shorter stays are possible.
To apply for Spring Kessei, email us here. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: Golden Wind Sesshin
2026-10-03 16:00 - 2026-10-10 14:00 (America/New_York)
A monk asked Ummon, “What will happen when the leaves fall and the trees become bare?”
Ummon said, “Golden wind!”
Join us for a week of silence at Golden Wind Sesshin led by Chigan Roshi. As autumn paints the trees brilliant gold and the wind turns cool and crisp, experience the beauty on Dai Bosatsu Mountain as you clear and refresh your heart and mind. For more details and the typical sesshin schedule, please visit the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Sesshin page.
The fee for this sesshin is $550 for nonmembers and $475 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If this will be your first sesshin, or you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here.

DBZ: Harvest Sesshin
2026-11-03 16:00 - 2026-11-08 14:00
Led by Chigan Roshi, we come together during Harvest Sesshin amid the austere beauty of November on Dai Bosatsu Mountain. As we sit together in deep silence, we experience the profound stillness that inspires us to encounter our true nature.
For more details and the typical sesshin schedule, please visit the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Sesshin page.
The fee for this sesshin is $500 for nonmembers and $425 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If this will be your first sesshin, or you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here.

DBZ: Intro to Zen Weekend
2026-11-13 16:00 - 2026-11-15 14:00
Join us for a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Rinzai Zen Buddhist practice at Dai Bosatsu Zendo, our monastery deep in the Catskill Mountains. Led by teachers and senior students from the Zen Studies Society, Introduction to Zen is an intensive weekend focused on the three essentials of Zen Buddhist practice — zazen (seated meditation with attention to posture and breath), chanting, and samu (work practice).
You will also learn how to use jihatsu (traditional nesting bowls) and to eat attentively in silence. The weekend will include a Dharma talk and a question-and-answer period, concluding with an informal lunch and group discussion on Sunday. No prior experience necessary.
The fee is $300 for this weekend. If you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: Rohatsu Sesshin
2026-11-30 16:00 - 2026-12-08 14:00
Rohatsu is held each year at Zen Buddhist temples and monasteries throughout the world. This eight-day intensive sesshin commemorates the enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha who vowed not to rise from beneath the Bodhi tree until he achieved true awakening. We sit Rohatsu motivated by his dedication, realizing this is unsurpassable opportunity for deep practice.
Led by Chigan Roshi, Rohatsu begins the evening of November 30 and concludes on the morning of December 8 with Jodo-E (Buddha’s Enlightenment Ceremony). Each day, scheduled sittings extend further and further into the night. Each evening we will hear Hakuin Zenji’s “Rohatsu Exhortations.” Chigan Roshi and Shinge Roshi will give teisho and offer dokusan. For more details and the typical sesshin schedule, please visit the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Sesshin page.
The fee for this sesshin is $625 for nonmembers and $550 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If this will be your first sesshin, or you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here.

DBZ: Fall Kessei Closing Day 2026
2026-12-09
Kessei offers Zen students a unique opportunity to engage in residential Rinzai Zen practice. In our tradition, kessei refers to a designated period during which daily activities are guided by strict rules and a demanding schedule. Fall Kessei closes on December 9, 2026.
Learn more about the kessei experience as described by kessei practitioners in this in-depth video. To read more in-depth about kessei, click here. To apply for 2027 Kessei (dates to be announced), email us here.
