Fall retreat 2026

Hosted by Facing the Mountain Zen Group at the beautiful Zephyr Point, located in Zephyr Cove, Lake Tahoe, NV. This retreat is open to all practitioners, regardless of experience level.

The silent retreat begins Thursday evening, October 22 at 5pm and ends late morning on Sunday, October 25. Sitting periods are 25 minutes, with 10 minutes of kinhin (walking meditation) between periods. Zafus, zabutons, and chairs are available.

This year we are deepening our meal practice: breakfast and lunch will be served oryoki style, prepared by our own kitchen crew, and dinner will be a buffet provided by the conference center. All meals are vegetarian (dinner offers additional options selected at registration). Guest oryoki sets are available if you don't have your own — the application form will ask.

We will hold an oryoki practice session in the weeks before the retreat, with additional instruction for meal servers. Details will be announced to registered participants.

Follow the link below and complete the online form. Once completed, follow the instructions in the form to send your deposit to the registrar. After completing the application we will send you a follow-up email to confirm.

The per person cost, including lodging, meals, and facility fee is $350.

A $100 deposit is required at sign-up to reserve your place. The remaining balance is due to the registrar by September 1, 2026.

Checks may be made payable to Facing the Mountain Zen Group. An online payment option is coming soon and will be announced to registrants.

Some participants may choose to stay offsite and commute to the retreat. This is fine — please note it on your application — but the retreat fee is the same for onsite and offsite participants and is not prorated.

Scholarships: Cost should never be the reason someone cannot practice with us. Partial scholarships are available; please indicate your interest on the application form and we will follow up with you confidentially.

The number of rooms reserved for us is limited, so single occupancy may be limited. Single-day attendance may be possible; please address such requests to the registrar.

With oryoki breakfast and lunch this year, the retreat runs on volunteer kitchen and serving crews working under our tenzo (head cook). Serving and cooking are practice positions, not chores — if you'd like to take part, there is a place on the application form to volunteer. No experience necessary; training will be provided.

We're looking forward to your joining us for the 2026 Fall Zen Retreat. Here is some general information about the venue as well as some guidelines for your participation.

Please plan to arrive between 3pm and 5pm on Thursday, October 22, 2026. Buffet dinner and social hour begins at 6pm in the main dining hall. Orientation will be 7pm. Please bring your personal seating to orientation. If you need to arrive after dinner, please let us know in advance.

Zephyr Point is located along the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe, about 45 minutes from the Reno airport. The address is 660 Highway 50, Zephyr Cove, NV 89448.

After orientation on Thursday evening, we will enter into silence until the Sunday Shosan ceremony. This is a rare opportunity to calmly abide within ourselves, to find out what lives beneath the noise of our everyday lives. Please leave electronic devices and reading material in your car. Avoid eye contact and whispered conversations. If you have a need, address your question to the Sesshin Director or Ino, outside the zendo or break room, in a low voice.

During the late afternoon and early evenings we move from the zendo to outside for a practice we call Twilight Porch Sitting. Be prepared by bringing whatever lawn chair or yoga mat that will make you comfortable outdoors in the late afternoon, weather permitting.

During work periods, be prepared for light zendo cleaning or grounds maintenance activities. This year, work practice also includes kitchen and serving crews supporting our oryoki meals. A couple of people may be sewing Buddha's Robe; they know who they are and should bring their sewing.

Beginners are warmly welcome — several people will be attending their first retreat this year. But we want you to know what you're signing up for. This is a sesshin: three days of sustained silent practice. The days begin early and are structured around zazen, walking meditation, formal oryoki meals, work practice, and rest. Most of the retreat is held in silence. There is no coming and going — once the retreat begins, everyone stays through the closing on Sunday. It's a rare and beautiful thing, and it asks something of you. No experience with any particular form is required; we'll teach you everything you need, including oryoki, before and during the retreat. What we do ask is that this isn't your very first encounter with Zen practice. If you're local, come sit with us on a few Tuesday evenings first — that's the best way to meet the sangha, get comfortable with zazen, and get a feel for whether a retreat is the right next step. If you're not local, or you're unsure whether you're ready, just reach out — we're glad to have a conversation before you register. Space is limited to keep the retreat intimate, and your registration holds a spot someone else may want. Please sign up when you're ready to commit to the full retreat.

* The zendo will remain open for those who wish to continue sitting after lights out.