About Sesshin
Sesshin literally means, "to touch the heart mind." It is a time put aside from our daily lives to substantially deepen our Zen practice by participating in a residential retreat. In the Sydney school these retreats are of one week duration.
They are held in a quiet rural setting at the rustic Stroud Monastery in Stroud New South Wales about three hours drive north of Sydney and about 50 km north west of Newcastle.
Sesshin is conducted in silence with no eye contact or social greetings to allow participants to deepen their practice in an atmosphere of reverence free from social expectations or demands. It is also a communal practice and all participants are expected to maintain the full schedule except for reasons of sickness.
Full-time attendance is expected, however permission to attend part-time may be granted by our teacher Geoff in special circumstances. Please contact Geoff before submitting an application to attend part-time. All participants are also expected to be involved in samu (mindful communal work), during the retreat. This may involve cooking, cleaning, gardening or other maintenance work that the work leader may designate. Samu is a core aspect of Zen practice and is conducted in the spirit of the original Chinese Zen monasteries “a day of no work is a day of no eating”.
All meals are vegetarian and are prepared by Sesshin participants.
There is a dharma talk given each day and Daisan (personal interviews with the teacher) are available twice a day.
Mindful movement instruction such as the Alexander Technique, Tai Chi, Yoga or extended walking meditation is included to balance the long periods of sitting meditation. There is also a longer outside walk in the early morning of each day led through the bush at a brisk pace.
For questions about suitability to attend a sesshin please see the article by Geoff Dawson, Mental Health and Intensive Meditation Retreats under the Buddhism and Psychotherapy section of this website. Or contact Geoff Dawson directly to discuss suitability.
Sesshin Schedule
5.30 am
Tea
8.00 am
Breakfast (Oryoki)
10.30 am
Sutras
1.00 pm
Lunch (Oryoki)
4.20 pm
Zazen
9.00 pm
End
5.35 am
Zazen
8.50 am
Work Meeting
10.50 am
Zazen
1.30 pm
Break
5.30 pm
Supper
6.30 am
Outside Walking
9.00 am
Samu (Work Practice)
11.30 am
Dharma Talk
3.00 pm
Zazen
7.00 pm
Zazen
7.00 am
Zazen
10.00 am
Morning Tea
12.00 pm
Zazen
4.00 pm
Mindful Movement
8.55 pm
Evening Ceremony
Sesshin Fees & Payment Methods
The cost of Sesshin is $600. This fee covers all Sesshin costs. The fee is payable on application. The fee for unemployed persons and pensioners is $300.
Part time fees are payable at the rate of $100 per day ($50 per day for pensioners and unemployed persons).
Financial hardship will not prevent anyone from attending, please contact us if you cannot afford the fees.
Payment: Payments are made via a bank transfer using the following details:
Account Name: Geoffrey Kenneth Dawson
BSB Number: 732099
Account Number: 740247
Please include your name as the reference
About Stroud Monastery
Sesshin takes place at the Stroud Monastery, located 0.5 kilometres north of the historic township of Stroud on the eastern side of The Buckett Way. The mud brick monastery was built for the Sisters of Saint Clare in the 1970s. A grassy verge and gardens surround the monastery, chapel and living quarters. The sisters no longer share community life there and the monastery is maintained by the Franciscan Association. A small Franciscan community lives adjacent to the monastery on the same property.
In 1997, a mud brick and timber building was erected for larger gatherings, and named the Gunya Chiara, meaning House of Healing of Saint Clare. The Gunya Chiara serves as the Dojo during Sesshin. Gunya Chiara has a large and modern kitchen well suited to breakfast and lunch preparation. The floors of the Dojo are well lacquered boards of knotted pine. There is also a small collection of other much buildings on the property, including a single room tree house and a tiny mud brick cabin for personal retreats.
Much of the property is natural bushland. There are a many bush tracks and picturesque dams. Wallabies and all kinds of birdlife can be seen and heard. The dams abound with frogs, butterflies and dragonflies. Early morning Kinhin takes in mountain views and damside stops along the way. On a clear night, the Milky Way lights up the sky. In the evening, Possums sometimes stare inquisitively through the Dojo windows at the humans sitting quietly together.
Facilities
Accommodation is basic in single rooms - formerly bedrooms of resident nuns. You will need to bring your own bed linen / sleeping bag. Blankets and pillow are provided. There are no laundry facilities. The monastery has ample bathing and showering facilities.
What to Bring
Sheets/sleeping bag + pillowslip (quilt, blankets and pillow are provided). It can get cold and wet at times, so warm clothing and wet weather jackets are advisable. A set of work clothes is also needed as work periods can involve tasks such as collecting and chopping firewood, weeding, gardening and fallen timber and leaves from the scrub, roofs and guttering. Gloves will be supplied. Bring a small torch for early morning walk to the dojo and moving around at night.
Torch
Towel
Sheets, or a sleeping bag and pillowslip
Personal toiletries
Sun cream
Sturdy closed-in shoes, preferably waterproof
Work clothes
Wet weather jacket
Insect repellent
Travel
Cars leave the North Sydney Dojo for Stroud around 10 am on the first (Sunday) morning of Sesshin. Interstate attendees are requested to book flights that arrive at Mascot by 9 am and to catch a connecting train to North Sydney train station. Cars usually arrive between 1 and 2 o'clock in the afternoon. This allows a few hours to settle into the accommodation, assign roles, prepare evening supper, set up the kitchen, Dojo and Oryoki bowls. Formal Sesshin starts on Sunday evening after supper.
Sesshin ends about midday on the next Saturday followed by lunch. Cars start leaving Stroud around two or three in the afternoon. Interstate and regional visitors should allow a good 4 to 4.5 hours to get back to Mascot Airport in your travel plans. It is advisable to book flights leaving Mascot after 8pm.
The Monastery is about 3 hours drive from North Sydney. It will take 3.5 - 4 hours to get to Mascot Airport at the end of Sesshin.
1. Get onto the Sydney - Newcastle Freeway at Wahroongah. Both the Pacific Highway and the Cumberland Highway connect directly to the Freeway. If you are driving from the OMZS North Sydney Dojo, simply follow the Pacific Highway and turn right onto the Freeway. Stay on the Freeway for 127 Kilometres.
2. There is a roundabout at the end of the Freeway, at the John Renshaw Drive. Take the third exit onto John Renshaw Drive (Route 15). Head along John Renshaw Drive for 0.6 Km until you reach the new England Highway
3. Turn Right, taking the ramp onto the New England Highway (4.6 km) until you reach the Pacific Highway
4. Turn Left at the Pacific Highway, cross the river and head north 27.2 Km passing through Raymond Terrace until you come to start of The Bucketts Way on your left. If you get to the Karuah Bypass, you have gone too far!
5. Turn Left into The Bucketts Way and travel for 33.4 Km till you come to the township of Stroud.
6. Continue on The Bucketts Way after passing through Stroud for another 0.4 Kilometres. You will pass a country club to your right. Turn Right into Saint Claires Road. This is a signposted track that leads to Stroud Monastery.
7. Pass by Gunya Chiara ( the Dojo) at the top of the hill on your left hand side and proceed down to the parking bay on a flat on th eother side of the hill next to the monastery, kitchen, chapel and sleeping quarters. The Franciscan living quarters and Chapel to your right is off limits.
Sesshin at Stroud Photos
