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Samish Island Sesshin 2022

  • Sunday, June 19, 2022
  • 4:00 PM (PDT)
  • Monday, June 27, 2022
  • 12:00 PM (PDT)
  • Samish Island Campground, 11565 Scott Rd Bow WA 98232
  • 23

Registration

(depends on selected options)

Base fee:
  • Base price. Sliding scale is $1080 - $1180. Available full time only.
  • Base price. Sliding scale is $850 - $950.
  • Base price. Sliding scale is $520 - $570
  • Base Price. Sliding scale is $520 - 570.
    NOTE: prior attendance at a Samish Island Zen sesshin is required for second half arrival.
  • Base price. Sliding scale is $815 - $915.
  • Base price. Sliding scale is $495 - $545
  • Base price. Sliding scale is $495 - $545
    NOTE: prior attendance at a Samish Island Zen sesshin is required for second half arrival.
  • Base price. Sliding scale is $670 - $770
  • Base price. Sliding scale is $395 - $445
  • Base price. Sliding scale is $395 - $445
    NOTE: prior attendance at a Samish Island Zen sesshin is required for second half arrival.
  • Base price. Sliding scale is $810 - $910.
  • Base price. Sliding scale is $495 - $545
  • Base price. Sliding scale is $495 - $545
    NOTE: prior attendance at a Samish Island Zen retreat is required for second half arrival.
  • Donation-supported 25% scholarship.
  • Donation-supported 50% scholarship.
  • Scholarship
  • Available to Ino, Registrar, and Retreat Manager only.

Registration is closed

Samish this year starts on Sunday instead of the usual Friday evening.  Sun June 19 - Mon June 27.

Our annual 7-day (8 nights) silent Zen sesshin with Zoketsu Norman Fischer with talks and interview also available with Nomon Tim Burnett and others, includes seven days and eight nights of silent practice of sitting and walking meditation in this beautiful church camp on the water on Samish Island in the Skagit Valley. Retreat includes dharma talks by Norman and other Northwest teachers, dokusan and practice discussion, sitting and walking meditation, and delicious vegetarian meals. A deep time for practice and reflection with the support of sangha and teachers.

Many photos of Samish are available on our Photos page.

Covid Safety:

New Samish Island Sesshin Summer 2022 Covid 19 Guest Guidelines as of May 30.

You must be fully vaccinated, perform a home test two days before arriving, and test negative again on arrival to attend this sesshin. Samish Island Campground is a spacious and easily ventilated facility. Masks are now required while indoors at sesshin (except for eating and sleeping). Most housing is in singles but in order to make good use of the “e-Cabins” (en-suite bathrooms) we continue to offer double capacity there. You may request whom your roommate will be and remember that whoever it is they will be vaccinated. Some of these requirements could be altered subject to current advice from health authorities.

No oryoki:

As an additional precaution, we will not be eating in the formal 3-bowl oryoki style this year.

Schedule:
You may attend the entire retreat, or the first or second half. Second half attendance is only appropriate to those who have sat sesshin with us before. We are unable to offer other attendance choices. Signing up is making a commitment to be part of the retreat for the entire period you signed up for.

Full Retreat - Sunday 5:00pm to Monday 27th at noon

First Half - Sunday 5:00pm to Thursday at 5pm

Second Half - Thursday at 5pm to Monday at noon.

Prerequisites & Requirements
This is a rigorous and structured experience. To benefit from being at Samish Sesshin please abide by the following requirements.

  • You should have attended at least one full day formal meditation retreat before attending this 7-day, 8-night, retreat. Please do not register if you have never sat a full day of formal meditation (in Zen or other traditions is fine).
  • If you have never attended Samish sesshin please start at the beginning by attending the full retreat or the first half, and do not attend just the second half.
    Orientation and instructions are offered at the beginning only.
  • No attendance options other than the three listed above can be accommodated. 
  • This is a silent retreat without talking, reading, writing, computer or cell phone use. Please be prepared to follow this guideline fully.
  • Following the full schedule is a core practice of Zen. Some alternate schedules can be arranged with the Ino in cases of health and other needs.
  • Plan on remaining at Samish Island camp during the entire time of your sesshin attendance, not leaving for errands or appointments, etc., and remaining at the camp through 5pm Thursday for first-half attendees, and through final clean up at noon on Monday (for all others) -  unless illness or unavoidable travel arrangements prevent this.

Housing:
Housing is provided with four options:

  1. E-Cabins (en suite shared bath): single and double occupancy.
  2. Rustic Cabins (using the campground bathroom blocks): single occupancy.
  3. RV / Van Camping (full hook ups available or use the camp bathrooms).
  4. Tent Camping (using the camp bathroom blocks).

E-Cabins are recently built multi-room cabins with a bath shared with one other room. E-Cabins are in short supply in this retreat. Please choose a rustic cabin if that is possible for you in order to leave the E-cabins for those with health challenges. Or consider sharing an E-cabin. 

 e-Cabin Exterior

 e-Cabin Interior

Rustic Cabins - simple plywood cabins built in the 1950's. Camp style bathrooms in a separate building. Most rustic housing will be private (not shared), however if couples or friends are willing to share a cabin this can make a difference in accommodating everyone if the sesshin is full.

 Rustic Cabin, exterior

 Rustic cabin, interior

RV Site with Hook-Ups - are available.

Tent - you can bring a tent and camp on the lawn. A lower cost option.

Notes on fees:

1) Dana (teacher donations) is not included in these fees. Registration fees cover retreat costs with any extra to Red Cedar Zen Community for our ongoing expenses and costs. An opportunity to make teacher donation (dana) will be available at the site.

2) Fees have been reduced since the retreat was initially posted. Those who paid higher were offered a refund. We are still in the process of updating to the lower fees for those who registered at the higher rates but have not paid yet.

3) Paying higher on the sliding scale enables us to offer scholarships. In the registration process you first pick your housing and stay length which adds the base fee. Then additional funds may be added on the next screen.

Dates and Cancellation

  • May 15 - Last day to cancel with full refund. Full payment due.
  • June 1 - Registration Closes. Last day to cancel with partial refund. Incomplete (unpaid) registrations will be cancelled at this time to make room for people on the waitlist.
See also the Red Cedar Cancellation Policy

Scholarships

Scholarships are available for Full Time retreats in the Rustic Cabins. They cover one quarter or one half of retreat costs, on a first-come first-served basis. To apply, select registration type option (o) or (p).

Transportation (Airport Shuttle)

There is no public transportation to Samish Island, but we have arranged a shuttle from SeaTac airport to camp samish for full time attendees for $250 round trip. Sign up for the shuttle as a separate event: SeaTac to Samish Island Airporter Shuttle for 2022 Summer Sesshin.

Samish Island Campground

We have rented the Community of Christ's wonderful camp at the eastern end of Samish Island for over a twenty-five years for our residential retreats. A wonderful place where sea meets sky.

11565 Scott Rd, Bow, WA 98232
Map and Directions


www.RedCedarZen.org     360-389-3444     registrar@redcedarzen.org
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