Registration will open August 15
Rohatsu is traditionally the most intensive sesshin of the year, commemorating the Buddha’s enlightenment under the bodhi tree. Sesshin means "touching the heart/mind" - since the time of the Buddha practitioners have gathered in community during the rainy season to deepen their practice and touch the true nature of Mind.
This sesshin will conclude our 9-week practice period, with a traditional rohatsu ceremony to celebrate the Buddha’s enlightenment. Please join the Mountain Rain sangha for this seven-day residential retreat, led by Myoshin Kate McCandless and Shinmon Michael Newton, in the beautiful natural surroundings of Brew Creek Centre.
Accommodation
The Brew Creek Centre offers comfortably furnished accommodations in several buildings.
Single rooms have a king, queen or double bed. Most have an ensuite bathroom. Some single rooms have a shared bathroom, but are private rooms. Couples may wish to share a single room. Please indicate this on the registration form, and pay the same fee as for shared accommodation.
Shared accommodations consist of two rooms, one downstairs with a king bed, and an upstairs loft with a double bed, with a shared bathroom downstairs. You can imagine these units as being townhouse-style.
Meals
We will use the traditional Zen monastic style of eating using oryoki bowls. Instructions will be provided. If you do not have your own oryoki set you may rent one from Mountain Rain Zen. Please be sure to pay the oryoki fee when you register to reserve your set.
Oryoki meals are meant to provide ‘just enough’ food for our practice. For the July 2026 sesshin, Oryoki meals will be vegan , while the snack table will have additional options such as eggs, dairy (milk and yogurt), peanut butter, and fruit to ensure no one goes hungry. We make an effort to use a variety of alternative proteins, and lots of vegetables, for a healthy diet.
Please consider practicing with dietary preferences while at sesshin, and when registering, limit the food alternative requests to those items that will jeopardize your health if eaten in small amounts over the 7 day sesshin. Those with significant dietary restrictions are welcome to check about bringing extra snacks - please make a note on the registration form. There is a cool room available for storage, but we are unable to provide refrigeration or freezer access, beyond a bar fridge for small items. We cannot provide cooking facilities for general sangha use.
Fees
Shared : $1,256
Single: $1,653
Oryoki bowls: $15 (For those who cannot bring their own oryoki set. This fee helps us maintain our supply of oryoki sets to borrow.
Bedding: $55
Online (Zoom) attendance: sliding scale
Subsidies We have a budget of $3000 to support those for whom the full retreat fee would pose a financial hardship, and who have already practiced with Mountain Rain by attending weekly events, day retreats, or previous sesshin. Participants are normally eligible for one subsidized retreat per calendar year.
Application Process – The window for applying for subsidies will be open during the sesshin registration period, starting with the member-only registration period, and will close once the budget is exhausted.
The application form will be posted HERE
There have been updates to the subsidy policy. If you want to read the policy in detail, it can be found in the MRZC Charter HERE
NOTE: In addition to filling out the application, you will have to register for sesshin. We will let you know if you’ve been approved for subsidy within two weeks of applying, and refund you accordingly.
Cancellation One month and over before the event begins: Full refund. Less than one month before the event: 25% refund (this is to guard against Mountain Rain losing money on the off-site facility rental deposit).
Half-time attendance We will give priority to full-time participants. Part-time attendance will be offered subject to availability of rooms. If you would like to request part-time attendance please contact the registrar at registrar@mountainrainzen.org and specify first-half or second-half and preferred accommodation choice. We will let you know if half-time attendance becomes available, about a month before the retreat.
We ask that half-time attendees arrive only at the beginning of the retreat or by noon on Tuesday, in time for lunch. Those who have never attended a Zen sesshin and can only attend half-time are asked to come for the first half of the retreat so that you can be there for the orientation and oryoki training.
Full participation in the schedule is expected.
Personal modifications to the schedule can be arranged to accommodate special needs, in dialogue with the teachers and ino (head of zendo) at the retreat. Please note special needs on your registration form, and check in with the ino at the beginning of the retreat if you have any questions or concerns about the schedule.
Zazen: sitting meditation (approximately 6 hours per day) indoor and outdoor
Kinhin: walking meditation, indoor and outdoor
Dharma talks daily by MRZC guiding teachers and the shuso
Oryoki: formal meals in the Japanese Zen tradition (orientation provided)
Formal afternoon tea service in the zendo
Dokusan: individual meetings with teachers
Samu: work practice to maintain the community
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