Two-Day Practice

Extended sittings are encouraged in order to extend the silence and deepen our introspection. They become an opportunity for us to allow ourselves to sit quietly and relax in the midst of our lives.

Milwaukee Zen Center offers alternate half-day and one-day sit per each month, and 3 longer sittings (three or five days) per year. Please, check the calendar.

Half day sittings starts with an orientation at 8 am, and zazen for everybody at 8:30. Thirty minute zazen periods alternate with 10 or 15 minutes of walking meditation. The sitting ends with a service and communal bag lunch.

One-day Sittings follow a similar schedule as the half day, but start at 7:30am and and end at 4:30 pm. Lunch will be taken in the zendo in a formal fashion (oryoki), and there is a silent tea in the afternoon.

Three or Five Day Sittings (Sesshins) start on the evening of the first day, followed by full days.

There will usually be a short talk, which may be followed by questions.

Please, keep silence throughout the day. No reading, writing, or phone calls. The upstairs guest room will be available for rest periods.

Practitioners are asked to participate in the whole event, or at least one full day for the longer sittings. Exceptions can be discussed with the leader.