Wandering Ox: A First Sesshin For Chosei Zen's Newest Dojo
Chosei Zen Europe's first sesshin was an exploration into 'working with what we've got'. Venue, equipment, sesshin experience, the weather - what we had is what we had. From the makeshift ‘shed’ dojo with car-battery-powered lighting to the torrential rain-soaked, open-air kitchen, we accepted the conditions as they were. Together, we experienced sesshin with a 'pioneer' feel, where nature whipped, dripped and crept around and through us. It was elemental. It was pretty damn amazing.
Aside from Robins Roshi, the rest of our small group had limited or no sesshin experience, which added a new dimension to the training yet also highlighted the strength of the Virtual Dojo and our sangha. It was almost a surprise to remember that some of us had never met in person.
We knew before Fall Sesshin that without a dedicated dojo our nomadic, in-person training, to be pitched at different locations across Europe, would have to adapt to each location. That we'd need to strip everything back to essentials, to imaginatively use whatever we could fit into a car or a suitcase or find onsite (frying-umpan…), whilst maintaining the integrity and the intensity of the training. In October, alone at a rustic, organically grown community space and garden in rural Gloucestershire, England, we started to understand how this bare-bones, in-person and online training could evolve to best serve the community.
Six weeks on, as we begin establishing a new Pan-European “Wandering Ox Dojo” and grow our community, I spoke to one of our group, Sharon, to understand her journey from this year’s 90-day challenge in January to sesshin in October.
“I met Robins Roshi on a course just before the 90-day challenge and when I mentioned I wanted to take my meditation to the next level, he suggested I join the 90 days. I’ve always had a meditation practice but have never done seated meditation before for any length of time and so it was painful to begin with, physically and mentally. Sitting zazen is still not easy but I’m getting used to it.”
Given the challenges of sitting zazen, I wanted to know why Sharon had decided to join sesshin and how she’d found the experience.
“I was curious to experience zen training in an outdoor setting, close to nature. I also realised that my 50th birthday was the same weekend and thought it would be an interesting way to spend it.
I enjoyed sesshin but it was so painful. The long sits were physically tough as was constantly having to be around and aware of other people - I’m used to my own space. The training schedule was intense and I found it difficult not to be in control of my own routine. I felt mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted on day two and I really wondered what the point of it all was. But then I had a breakthrough. I somehow managed to transcend the physical pain and felt so much energy and joy on the last day. I can’t wait for the next one.”
(For anyone who’d also like to join us for ‘the next one’ aka Spring Sesshin in the French Alps, details are here.)
Speaking with Sharon and others who attended and listening to their sesshin experiences, really highlighted that whilst Wandering Ox sesshins have to work with whatever is available, it doesn’t matter whether we’re clearing logs at Spring Green, digging vegetables gardens in the UK or hiking a mountain trail in the Alps. We bring with us what we bring and we experience the sesshin we need to experience. We show up, kiai first wherever we are, on screen or off, rooted in nature and train.
