JANUARY
ONLINE MEDITATION RETREAT
Retreat is a time to look inside and investigate our life. It is an opportunity to clear our mind of habitual thinking and access our wisdom and compassion.
Saturday January 30 – Sunday January 31
U.S.A. / Korea / U.K.
Join from anywhere in the world.
Details
The retreat will be led by Jason Quinn JDPSN, Andrzej Stec JDPSN and Elizabeth Coombs JDPSN and will include 1:1 kong-an interviews. This will be a 24 hour continuous retreat, but you may sit as little or as much as your time allows.
The first part of the retreat will be led by Jason Quinn JDPSN in California, U.S.A.
Pacific Standard Time: Saturday, January 30, 6am to 3pm
Korean Time: Saturday, January 30 to Sunday, January 31, 11 pm to 8 am.
Greenwich Mean Time: Saturday January 30, 2pm to 11 pm.
The second part of the retreat will be led by Andrzej Stec JDPSN in Seoul, South Korea.
Pacific Standard Time: Saturday, January 30, 3 pm to 10 pm
Korean Time: Sunday, January 31, 8 am to 3pm
Greenwich Mean Time: Saturday, January 30, to Sunday, January 31, 11 pm to 6 am
The third part of the retreat will be led by Elizabeth Coombs JDPSN in York, England.
Pacific Standard Time: Saturday, January 30, to Sunday, January 31,10pm to 6am
Korean Time: Sunday, January 31, 3 pm to 11pm
Greenwich Mean Time: Sunday, January 31, 6 am to 2 pm
Check your time zone here for the retreat times.
Download Retreat Schedule
Teachers
Jason Quinn JDPSN
Jason Quinn JDPSN began practicing in 1997 with the Kwan Um School of Zen in Seattle. He trained as a monk at the Providence Zen Center for ten years where he held various staff positions, including Abbot. During that time, he sat many long summer and winter Kyol Che retreats, and participated in retreats around the world. He now lives in Santa Clara, CA with his wife, son, and daughter. Jason received inka in 2015 and is a teacher and Vice Abbot at the Empty Gate Zen Center in Berkeley, CA and leads the Empty Gate Zen Center group in Santa Clara.
Andrzej Stec JDPSN
Andrzej Stec JDPSN received a Masters of Architecture at the Gdansk Polytechnic University in his native Poland. He became a Zen monk in Korea where he trained for thirteen years. He received inka (permission to teach) from Zen Master Seung Sahn in 1998 and has been teaching in Europe, Asia and the United States ever since. He lives in Korea and is the guiding teacher of the Kwan Um Seoul Zen Group and the Kwan Um Daejeon Zen Group.
Elizabeth Coombs JDPSN
Lizzie Coombs JDPSN started practicing with the Kwan Um School of Zen in 1987 in the U.S.A. She trained with Zen Master Soeng Hyang and Zen Master Dae Kwang Sunim, mostly at Providence Zen Center. In 2010 she moved back to the United Kingdom, her country of origin, and lives in York with her husband Roger. She has sat long retreats in the U.K., Poland, Hungary and the U.S.A. In 2018 she received inka, permission to teach, from Zen Master Soeng Hyang. She is Guiding Teacher of York Zen and The Peak Zen Groups and Buddhist Chaplain at the University of Durham.
"The retreat was well structured and with three main components, sitting meditation, walking meditation and kong-an interviews. It was easy to follow and the technology was easy to use."
Non-Members
$60
Not a member of the Kwan Um School of Zen? No problem. We welcome anyone who has a genuine interest in practicing together online.
KUSZ/KUOS Members
$45
Discounted rate for members of the Kwan Um School of Zen who are registered with the Online Sangha, and for Online Sangha members. Please log in to view this month's discount code.
FAQ
Question: What if I can't sit the whole retreat?
Answer: You can join the retreat for as little or as much as you want. You can also join part of the retreat, leave, and return again later.
Question: What do I do about meals and breaks?
Answer: There will be breaks as directed by the retreat leader. These breaks are an hour long. You may also break when it is convenient for you.
Question: How do I join the retreat?
Answer: We will be meeting and practicing on Zoom. A link to join the retreat will be sent to your email. If you don't have Zoom installed on your device, you can download it here: https://zoom.us/download. If you're confused about the schedule, don't worry. Just show up and follow along.
Question: What will be the schedule?
Answer: The retreat will consist of sitting & walking meditation, chanting, and Soen Yu energy exercises. Some parts of the retreat also include a dharma talk with a chance to ask questions. When you enter the retreat, just follow the schedule. Download a printable schedule: Retreat Schedule
Question: How will I get an interview with the teacher?
Answer: The teacher will call each person to the "virtual" interview room. This will be a chance to ask any questions you have about practice and to work with kong-ans.
Question: What do I need to do to prepare?
Answer: Try to find a place to practice where you will not be interrupted. Sit in a place in your home that is quiet. You can set up a small table or bench and set anything on it that inspires you to practice meditation. An example would be a statue, a picture, candle, or incense. This is optional. Sit on a meditation cushion or a pillow. Bring the book, The Whole World Is A Single Flower, if you have it.
Question: Can I participate with my phone or tablet?
Answer: You can participate with a phone or tablet, but a laptop is highly recommended.
Non-Members
$60
Not a member of the Kwan Um School of Zen? No problem. We welcome anyone who has a genuine interest in practicing together online.
KUSZ/KUOS Members
$45
Discounted rate for members of the Kwan Um School of Zen who are registered with the Online Sangha, and for Online Sangha members. Please log in to view this month's discount code.
"I am very grateful for the opportunity to have a sangha to sit with, and the kong-an interviews were very helpful for my practice."