teachings first week July 8-14 in Dutch
with Frank Roshi

*

teachings second week July 15-21 in English
Frank Roshi and Mushin Sensei

 

In this silent Zen retreat, we offer intensive Zen practice in Oberdürenbach, a lovely village in the beautiful Eifel region in Germany. We stay at Haus Königssee, a comfortable guest house with an intimate zendo and beautiful, spacious rooms.
You can participate for one or two weeks.

 

Frank Roshi will lead the first week of the retreat. The second week, Frank Roshi and his wife Mushin Sensei will co-lead  and teach in English, and both Sensei and Roshi will give interviews.

Sesshin literally means ‘gathering the heart/mind’. A sesshin is an intensive multi-day Zen meditation retreat with a consistent schedule that creates a deep, quiet container for practice. Each day consists of sitting (zazen) and walking (kinhin) meditation, chanting (liturgy), meals, work practice (samu) and physical exercise. We observe silence throughout and support each other in quiet, whole-hearted practice.
Weather permitting, we meditate outside and sometimes go for a walk in the rural area. A personal interview with the teacher(s) is provided.

You can register for one or for two weeks and there is room for about twenty-five participants.
People new to the practice are very welcome! All newcomers will receive personal introductory instruction.

 

 

 


Haus Königssee, our retreat location
Haus Königssee was the former ‘Dorfgaststätte’ (1893). The house was renovated in the early nineties in an ecological way into a charming and modern retreat house. It is located on the outskirts of the rural village of Oberdürenbach in the volcanic hills of the Eifel nature reserve.
Accomodation is in nice, comfortable double rooms, each with its own bathroom. For the retreat there is room for up to 25 people. The four available single rooms have already been assigned.
In our sangha all meals are vegetarian, not vegan. If requested however, we can provide lactose- and gluten-free food. Indicate this at your registration. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate other dietary requirements.

Address
Haus Königssee
Hauptstrasse 45
56651 Oberdürenbach (Eifel)
Germany
http://www.koenigssee-haus.de

 

 

PRACTICAL
Start English sesshin Monday afternoon July 15th at 6pm with a light supper – arrival from 1pm on.
End sesshin Sunday afternoon July 21st at around 3pm after clean up.

We will pick people up at the nearest train station (Sinzig) on Monday July 8 and July 15 at 1:20pm (see below).
The trip back to the station can be arranged on site.

There will be a break from Sunday afternoon July 14 to Monday evening July 15.
You can arrive on Monday afternoon July 8 and July 15 from 1pm onwards.

 

 

Participation fee (everything included, except travel expenses)
One can register only for the periods indicated.

The four available single rooms have already been assigned. Depending on the number of participants, some double rooms may be assigned as single rooms upon arrival, subject to a supplement of 10 euros per night to be paid on the spot. However, we cannot guarantee this.
Please indicate when you register if you would like a single room if possible.

One week (6 nights)
Zen Sangha members (costs-contributing) € 500
Other participants € 560

Two weeks (13 nights)
Zen Sangha members (costs-contributing) € 850
Other participants € 970

Costs-contributing Zen Sangha members are those who have paid the annual Zen Sangha membership fee
and in addition have made an annual cost contribution.

 


Registration
& Payment

To register, please fill in the registration form.
You will receive a mail confirming your registration and some additional information. Then make your correct payment to the Zen Sangha bank account:
IBAN: BE81 8901 5424 8724
BIC: VDSPBE91

Please indicate clearly your own name + ‘sesshin Oberdürenbach 2024’ (+ which week + single room if wanted)
Only upon receiving your payment is your registration valid.
For more information, mail to registratie@zensangha.be

Cancellation Policy
The cancellation fee is fifty euros and benefits our solidarity fund, with which we grant reductions to certain participants upon request.

 

Bring along
Loose (black) clothing, slippers, hiking clothes and possibly your own bench or sitting cushion (zafu).
Bring your own towels and sheets (i.e., pillowcase, duvet cover and bottom sheet). Sheets and towels can also be rented for 12 euro.

 

HOW TO GET THERE
By car
Take the motorway (A61) from Cologne to Koblenz to exit 32 Niederzissen. Then follow the direction of Nürburgring until Niederdürenbach. Outside this village, turn right in the direction of Oberdürenbach.

By train
On Mondays July 8 and 15 you board in Köln Hbf the regional train DPN 28515 destination Koblenz Hbf at 12:32pm.
You arrive in Sinzig (Rhein) station at 1:19pm.

Our shuttle service awaits you at Sinzig station and takes you to Oberdürenbach (10km).
For a shuttle ride (20km) we ask a contribution of € 5 per person. Our shuttle service  will run only on Mondays July 8 and 15. The return journey to Sinzig can be arranged on site.
Reserve your shuttle at registration.

 

Dusk in Oberdürenbach

 

Schedule of the day
Zen meditation starts at dawn and is followed by breakfast. After the work meditation, there is again zazen, followed by a Zen talk. After lunch, a retreat day has two more periods of zazen. There is also a sutra liturgy and an informal dinner.

6:30   wake up
7:00   zazen
9:00   breakfast
10:15 work meditation
11:30 coffee and tea
11:45 zazen and zen teaching
13:15 lunch

lunch break

15:30 coffee and tea
16:00 zazen
17:50 sutra service
18:15 supper
20:00 zazen
21:10 four vows

The schedule is subject to change.