Retreats and planned teaching events
Upcoming retreats and teaching events
Full details are available on the calendar page
2025 STO/ASZC Fall Retreat
AMERICAN ZEN PIONEER
Celebrating the 85th Anniversary of
Soyu Matsuoka Roshi coming to America
Oct. 15 to 19, 2025
“Many people question whether or not a person of another religion can sit in meditation. Why not? Meditation is to empty your mind and to purify it. It does not presuppose a religious creed.”— Matsuoka Roshi
This year we will focus on the Wisdom, Warmth and Wit of our root teacher and lineage Founder, Soyu Matsuoka Roshi on this 85th Anniversary of his coming and bringing Zen to America. We will line-up a variety of speakers, some who had the good fortune to actually meet and practice with O-Sensei in person. Our speakers will share his teachings and personal anecdotes of his compassionate spirit — including his insistence that “Zen is for everyone”; and his prediction that genuine Zen will find its rebirth in America.
2025 marks the 14th anniversary of our annual retreat! Everyone is welcome to attend online, as well as in person. ASZC will be the host site for this retreat. It will begin on October 15 at 6pm ET and end on October 19 at noon. Please take this yearly opportunity to join with other members of our far-flung Affiliates and members at large, in retreat.
Prepare for the STO retreat, or just learn more about Matsuoka-Roshi by reading his books. You may purchase a copy of both The Kyosaku or Moku-Rai by following this link.
Watershed REtreat Center
Watershed Retreat Center is located on 94 acres in a pastoral farm setting highly conducive to finding, or returning to our true nature, in the embrace of Mother Nature. We have planned four retreats at Watershed in 2025 — Spring Roshi Retreat, Spring Silent Retreat, Fall Roshi Retreat, and Fall Silent Retreat. Planned dates for the retreats are as follows:
Spring Roshi Retreat — June 11th — June 15th (NEW DATES!)
Spring Silent Retreat — April 16th — April 19th
NEW DATES
Fall Roshi Retreat — September 17th — September 21st
SOLD OUT — Fall Silent Retreat — October 15th — October 19th
For each retreat, space is limited. Further details are available on the calendar page.
