Rohatsu 2025: Our Treeleaf Rohatsu Practice Lessons! Eating, Bowing, Washing and more

[Jundo]

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Dear All,

In anticipation of our upcoming annual TREELEAF 'ALWAYS AT HOME, TWO-DAY, ALL ONLINE' ROHATSU RETREAT, to be held December 6th and 7th this year, we have posted some preparatory practice lessons and materials. Participants, even if it is your first time, can join in a simple "Oryoki" eating ritual, learn the significance of bowing, the practice of working and cleaning, the sacredness of washing the face and even the special ritual of the toilet hall. Any Zen practitioner, even if not participating in our Retreat, might benefit from these short lessons and explanations. Please look here:
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Treeleaf Rohatsu Retreat Preparatory Lessons (Link)

And, of course, all are invited to join in our Retreat for both days or, if life and health make it difficult, as much as you can, or spread out in portions over many days.

The retreat is a part of the current preparations for our Jukai (Undertaking the Precepts) ceremony in January, and marks Rohatsu, the traditional holiday in Japan celebrating the time of the Buddha’s Enlightenment.

Sesshins are traditional Soto Zen retreats that include Dharma talks, Zazen and walking meditation, mindful eating (oryoki), ceremonies, and the opportunity for group practice. These retreats provide a powerful container, supporting what’s at the core of our practice: verification of our true awakened nature through purposeful, subtle, and wondrous practice. This is our goalless practice within realization, not towards it.

This retreat is for all, regardless of how experienced or inexperienced we might consider ourselves. All that’s required is a commitment to see this one thing through and do our best.

If you would like to get a sense of what the Retreat will include, and its schedule, please look here:

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Treeleaf Rohatsu Retreat Main Page & Schedule (Link)

The Retreat will have all the features we can present for a 2-Day Zen Retreat as undertaken by any Soto Zen Sangha. Please consider joining us, and please try to do so, especially if participating in our Jukai and Ango this year.

Gassho, Jundo
stlah
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[Chikyou]

Is the Chant Book going to be the same as previous years? (Can I reuse mine?)

Gassho,
SatLah,
Chikyō

[Bion]

Is the Chant Book going to be the same as previous years? (Can I reuse mine?)

Gassho,
SatLah,
Chikyō

We have updated it to match the changed schedule and different structure of services, so you might want to redownload it.

Gassho
sat lah

[Chikyou]

We have updated it to match the changed schedule and different structure of services, so you might want to redownload it.

Gassho
sat lah

I will do so. I notice it seems a bit shorter this year? I was just looking at the schedule and I seem to recall being up until 10 or 11PM in prior years.

Gassho,
SatLah,
Chikyō

[Bion]

I will do so. I notice it seems a bit shorter this year? I was just looking at the schedule and I seem to recall being up until 10 or 11PM in prior years.

Gassho,
SatLah,
Chikyō

Exactly...You guys can now sleep at a more decent hour, and our European side of the sangha can participate live in more of the retreat, should we choose to. This, we feel, caters better to the actual needs of our international sangha.

Gassho
sat lah

[Chikyou]

Exactly...You guys can now sleep at a more decent hour, and our European side of the sangha can participate live in more of the retreat, should we choose to. This, we feel, caters better to the actual needs of our international sangha.

Gassho
sat lah

My back and knees certainly thank you!!!

Since we'll now have more free time at the end of day one, is reading an acceptable pursuit during off-hours? I will be endeavoring to avoid screens (and turning my phone off, unless some pressing need requires me to keep it on) but I have a pretty decent collection of hard copy books.

Gassho,
SatLah,
Chikyō

[Bion]

My back and knees certainly thank you!!!

Since we'll now have more free time at the end of day one, is reading an acceptable pursuit during off-hours? I will be endeavoring to avoid screens (and turning my phone off, unless some pressing need requires me to keep it on), but I have a pretty decent collection of hard copy books.

Gassho,
SatLah,
Chikyō

Maybe our shuso has some better advice for you, but for me, between the 2 days, even reading of dharma materials is best avoided. The spirit of a sesshin is noble silence, and noble silence is not just a thing of the mouth, but of the mind and the whole body. We rarely truly experience seclusion and true quiet. Sesshin is a great opportunity for that, even during sleep and rest time. As we say in our retreat pointers document, "...don’t grab a newspaper, check non-urgent e-mails or pop on the tv! During break times, moderate reading of a Zen-related book is acceptable if in very small amounts, although even that is best avoided.) If it is absolutely necessary for you to talk to someone - please do so as quietly and succinctly as possible. As far as you can, you are taking a ‘Vow of Silence’ for the day."

Gassho
sat lah

[Koushi]

is reading an acceptable pursuit during off-hours?

Maybe our shuso has some better advice for you

This is a great question! I mostly want to echo Jundo and Bion, here. Sesshin/retreat is a rare chance for us to not only experience that “noble silence” of speech as Bion noted, but also a kind of silence of input, not filling the space with anything extra, even if it’s good Dharma material. We can see what it’s like to not immediately give the mind something to chew on during the hours.

That said, if after a bit of time you still genuinely feel called to read a little/need to, then a few pages of a dharma-related book can be workable IMO. Just keep an eye on whether it’s supporting the spirit of Rohatsu, or whether it’s a way to avoid the spaciousness and “nothing to do” (and occasional boredom) that Rohatsu is offering.

But as everything else, too, please consider whether something is a genuine need, as well. If at any time you feel like you absolutely NEED to do X, please do, for your well-being.

Gassho,
Koushi
STLaH

[Jundo]

Yes, some light Buddhist reading is fine.

Gassho, Jundo
stlah

[Kinshu]

Hello everyone!

I don't think I'll be able to participate in the entire Sesshin, but I'm thinking of participating at some of the times! That would be great!

Gasshô!

Vitório sat lah

[michaelw]

Re SECOND YAZA (Before Day 2) - with or without Okesa or Rakusu?

Gassho
MichaelW

satlah

[Jundo]

Re SECOND YAZA (Before Day 2) - with or without Okesa or Rakusu?

Gassho
MichaelW

satlah

Hmmm. I would say either way. If you consider it the end of Day 1, then with. If you consider it the start of Day 2, without. In either case, do not wear Okesa or Rakusu for the first Unit of either Day 1 or Day 2, as they are placed on at the end, with the Verse of the Kesa.

Gassho, J
stlah

[michaelw]

If you consider it the end of Day 1, then with. If you consider it the start of Day 2, without.

Is that a koan?

Gassho
MichaelW

satlah

[Bion]

If you consider it the end of Day 1, then with. If you consider it the start of Day 2, without.

Is that a koan?

Gassho
MichaelW

satlah

haha that's just Jundo being in a different time zone Maybe time zones are the real koan

Gassho
sat lah

[michaelw]

Au contraire mange tu as they say in Peckham (obscure English humour reference) I thought it was all just one time ?

Gassho
MichaelW

satlah