2026 Spring Retreat

Dear sangha members and friends,

we will have our yearly one-day spring retreat on Saturday, April 4th of this year, in celebration of Hanamatsuri.

The format for this retreat will be the same as last year’s. We hope this schedule is manageable for everyone, whether you join for the entire retreat or only part of it, and that it still allows you time with your families and to manage your other responsibilities during the day and weekend.

The topic for this year’s retreat is “Arousing and Maintaining the Mind of Awakening.” The talks will focus on the importance of bodhicitta and its inseparable connection to our practice.

On Hanamatsuri

Hanamatsuri traditionally takes place on 8 April in Japan, and is a dual celebration of the birth day of the Buddha, and the emergence and viewing of cherry blossoms which is an important part of Japanese culture. Hanamatsuri literally translates as Flower Festival. It is not unlike the Christian Easter in its combining of a religious event with nature’s cycles.

Hanamatsuri corresponds to Vesak in South Asian Buddhist traditions as marking the birth of the Buddha, with this based on the lunar calendar and taking place on the full moon in April or May depending on the date.

Full Retreat Schedule:
Europe Start time : 9 am CET – End time: 15 pm CET
America Start time : 9 am EST – End time 15 pm EST

Local times also available on our Practice Calendar >>
We will meet in the Zoom Scheduled Sitting Room >>

9:00 Zazen Opening Bell
30´Zazen
10´ Kinhin
30´Zazen
5´Kinhin
25´Zazen + Verse of Okesa and putting on the robe
10:45 Morning Service Preparation
10:50 Morning Service (includes Lineage Chant, special Eko)
11:15 Tea break
11:30 Dharma Talk (verses for opening and closing Sutras)
12:00 Community Discussion based on the talk
12:30 Lunch Break
13:30 Zazen
30’ Zazen
10’ Kinhin
25’ Zazen
5’ Kinhin
14:40 Closing Short Service
15:00 End

We will begin the retreat as we do our weekly Sunday Zazenkai and the Rohatsu retreat: by sitting.

Please enter the room on time, go directly to your sitting place, and quietly prepare yourself. Do not put on your okesa or rakusu yet; simply keep them nearby. We will recite the Verse of the Robe together at the end of morning zazen.

European Morning Service

Dharma Talk w. Kotei: Arousing and Maintaining the Mind of Awakening

North-American Morning Service

Dharma Talk w. Bion: Arousing and Maintaining The Mind of Awakening