Dharma Rain holds at least one retreat every month. These range from half- or one-day retreats on Saturdays (e.g., Zazenkai, Beginners Day Retreat), to weekend retreats, to week-long intensive sesshin, a term that means “examine the heart.” Many retreats are open to the public to drop in for zazen (meditation) and services while requiring people to sign up ahead of time for meals and overnights. Others are “cloistered” (open to drop-ins only during early morning or evening zazen) or “closed” (not open to drop-ins). Retreats are held at our NE Portland campus unless specified otherwise.

For the schedule of retreats and registration information, see Register for an Event or Retreat or the Calendar.

More information about Attending Sesshin (Retreats)…

More information about Sesshin (Retreat) Forms…


Zazenkai is an all-day intensive practice of sitting — typically eight hours of sitting in three blocks during a twelve-hour period (from 5am to 5pm) on a Saturday. This sesshin includes two oryoki meals (breakfast and lunch), a brief work practice, and breaks. Zazenkai are typically scheduled about every 6 weeks.

Half-Day Zazenkai

The four-hour Half Day Zazenkai provides a welcoming space especially designed for elders and others who feel the need for less rigorous form and yet want to do serious Zen practice.

Beginners Day Retreat

The Beginners Day introductory retreat is designed to provide familiarity with internal and external retreat practices of Soto Zen Buddhism. Instruction is provided for newcomers, and practitioners of all levels are welcome to deepen their practice and hold the container. These retreats are typically scheduled three times a year.

Sejiki Retreat

The Sejiki retreat (formerly called ‘Segaki’) is held every fall and is focused on cleansing karma and releasing attachments to the past, including releasing those who have died. The retreat is vigil-style so that people can come in and leave as they need to. It begins at 7pm on Wednesday and continues through Sunday evening and is typically held near the end of October.

Rohatsu Sesshin

Rohatsu commemorates the Buddha’s enlightenment, traditionally on December 8th. This is a deep and profoundly quiet retreat. It is our longest and most intense retreat of the year and is the culmination of a year of training. Six full days of stillness, silence, moving in harmony, and clarifying our dharma eye through sanzen, talks, and reflection is a potent mix. It’s a supportive environment, allowing you to stretch your practice to new depth, and to reap the fruit of all the mindfulness and meditation you may have done recently. Rohatsu is typically held in early December.

Jukai Sesshin

The Jukai sesshin is a week-long retreat at the end of which individuals who chose to do so receive the Bodhisattva precepts and formally become Buddhists. The Jukai sesshin is typically held in mid-February.


Every third year, at the time of Jukai, we do the major ceremonies of Daijukai. These ceremonies are rarely performed in the United States. The next Daijukai is scheduled for February in 2020.

Denkoe Sesshin

Denkoe is a week-long sesshin devoted to the ancestors, during which we study a chapter of the Denkoroku. Denkoe is typically held in April and is a “cloistered” retreat, which means people are welcome to drop in for early morning or evening zazen.

Genzo-e Sesshin

During the five-day Genzo-e retreat, we examine a fascicle of Dogen’s Shobogenzo. Genzo-e is typically held in June.

Three Robes Retreat

The four-day Three Robes retreat focuses on Right Effort, or just enough. It is typically held in the early fall and alternates with the Heart of Work retreat every other year.

Heart of Work Retreat

The four-day Heart of Work retreat focuses on practice in the work place. To accommodate participants’ working schedules, the retreat takes place in early mornings and evenings on the weekdays and ends with an an all-day session on Saturday. This retreat is typically held in the early fall and alternates with the Three Robes retreat every other year.

Weekend Closed Retreat

A closed weekend retreat is held several times a year with a different theme for each retreat. “Closed” means that people attend for the entire retreat from Friday evening until Sunday morning with no partial attendance or drop-ins for zazen. Oryoki meals are served in the zendo, and attendees may sleep overnight Friday and Saturday nights in the zendo as well.

Dharma Rain Newsletter Signup

