SESSHIN OF GRATITUDE – A Tribute to TAISEN DESHIMARU

Zen is the effort of the human being practicing meditation, zazen. Striving to attain mastery of thoughts without discrimination, consciousness beyond all categories, encompassing all expressions of language.”

(Taisen Deshimaru)

Sesshin of gratitude to Grandmaster Mokudo Taisen Deshimaru, from April 27 to May 1 in Shorin-ji, arriving on Friday afternoon, April 26.

Deshimaru was the human being, the bohisattva, the Buddha who made the very zazen we practice possible and real, as he was the one to first introduce it in Paris in 1967, where he founded the first European Zen Dojo. He put all his energy into transmiting the treasure he received from his teacher Kodo Sawaki, creating a new line for the transmission of the Zen in the West. He died on April 30, 1982, leaving hundreds of disciples orphaned, but heirs to a teaching that would accompany them forever. Most of them continued, some even became true masters in the line of succession, such as our sensei Barbara Kosen, who will lead the sesshin. Thanks also to their courage and energy, we continue. On this anniversary, we renew the merit that has brought us into practice and express it by continuing and protecting the zazen of transmission.

We gather as a tribute to him and practice together in harmony, whether meditating on Zazen or performing samu. We make the right amount of effort, letting go of our egos.

You can sleep in a tent or in shared rooms, and it is advisable to bring a sleeping bag and a flashlight. The diet is mostly vegetarian, except at the end of the sesshin where there is a festive meal with some meat or fish.

The cost of the sesshin is 150 euros.

We all practice at the temple as members of the Taisen Deshimaru Zen Association, so you need to be registered and have your membership fee paid in the current year. It’s only 20 euros. These procedures can be carried out in the temple itself.

Registration and contact: dojo@zenkan.com / +34 611 184 657