About our practice community
Rocks and Clouds Zendo is a Zen Buddhist community located in Sebastopol, California. Our community is dedicated to Zen practice and training. The community (sangha) meets for meditation, tea and a talk (teisho) by the teacher, Daniel Terragno Roshi, weekly on Wednesdays.
On many Fridays, Terragno Roshi offers dokusan, an opportunity to meet privately for discussion of meditation practice. Terragno Roshi works with and guides students in their practice, which may include study of Zen koans as a way of waking up to one’s true nature and developing the awareness, compassion, insight, and presence to live courageously and responsibly.
Support Rocks and Clouds Practice Community
Catch Terragno Roshi on the Radio and Online.
Where: KOWS-LP Pod Cast Page
“The Mystical Positivist” is a weekly radio show on KOWS-LP FM 107.3 Occidental, CA. “The Mystical Positivist,” is dedicated to the application of reason in the pursuit of spiritual practice and development. I look to this format to be challenging and a bit controversial in that the New Age community tends to have an overly romantic picture of the gritty pursuit of spiritual transformation. My thesis is that rationality is in no way the antithesis of deep mystical experience, in fact, I assert that it is a necessary ally – hence the
blog name “Mystical Positivist.”Talks Online
Many Rivers Books and Tea supports spiritual practice by hosting spiritual talks, classes, and special events with speakers from every religious tradition. In addition to Special Events and Ongoing Events, check out the schedule for our popular Thursdays at Many Rivers series in our store in Sebastopol, California, or download and listen to past talks.
The Dance of Zen Practice
Daniel Terragno, Roshi,
Original date: Thursday, September 30, 2010
Introduction to sitting practice
When: Each 2nd and 4th Wednesday night
Time: 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm
Where: Rocks and Clouds ZendoWe will offer a brief introduction to sitting practice, posture and the traditions of our Zendo.
Community Events 2012
Buddha’s Birthday Celebration
When: April 8th
Time: 2:30 pm – 5:00 pm (after half day retreat).
Bring: A food item to share and your appetite.All are welcome. Come out and get to know your practice community. This is a child friendly event. There will be a children’s activity table, some games and a brief introduction to mindfulness for kids. Bring some food, your family and friends. We will have a short ceremony celebrating Buddha’s Birthday followed by some sweet tea and good eats. The potluck is open to the whole community. Feel free to come if you do not attend the half day retreat before the potluck.
For more information contact us!
Last year we had a beautiful and very sweet day as a community. During the ceromony Daniel gave some encouraging words about our practice. We chanted the heart suttra and one by one each pored some sweet tea over the baby Buddha. To see pictures follow this link: Buddha’s Birthday.
Summer Food and Families Potluck
When: August 19th
Time: 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm (after half day retreat).
Bring: A food item to share and your appetite.All are welcome. Come out and get to know your practice community. This is a child friendly event. There will be a children’s activity table, some games and a brief introduction to mindfulness for kids.
Quaterly Work Days
When: Feb 19th, 2011
Time: 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm (after half day retreat).
Bring: A gardening tool and ware or bring work cloths.Quarterly Rocks and Clouds Zendo is begining to hold work practice. We will have one short meditation period (15 minutes). After the sit we will have work based mindfulness and awareness practice in silence. Work is a wonderful opportunity to support and sustain Rocks and Clouds and take your practice off the cushion. All are welcome!
When: April 8th, 2011
Time: 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
(after half day retreat before Buddha’s Birthday Celebration).
Bring: A gardening tool and ware or bring work cloths.Quarterly Rocks and Clouds Zendo is begining to hold work practice. We will have one short meditation period (15 minutes). After the sit we will have work based mindfulness and awareness practice in silence. Work is a wonderful opportunity to support and sustain Rocks and Clouds and take your practice off the cushion. All are welcome!
When: August 19th, 2011
Time: 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
(after half day retreat and before Family Potluck).
Bring: A gardening tool and ware or bring work cloths.Quarterly Rocks and Clouds Zendo is begining to hold work practice. We will have one short meditation period (15 minutes). After the sit we will have work based mindfulness and awareness practice in silence. Work is a wonderful opportunity to support and sustain Rocks and Clouds and take your practice off the cushion. All are welcome!
When: Nov 18th, 2011
Time: 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm.
Bring: A gardening tool and ware or bring work cloths (after half-day retreat).Quarterly Rocks and Clouds Zendo is begining to hold work practice. We will have one short meditation period (15 minutes). After the sit we will have work based mindfulness and awareness practice in silence. Work is a wonderful opportunity to support and sustain Rocks and Clouds and take your practice off the cushion. All are welcome!
Half-Day Sits in 2012
When: Jan 29th, June 17th, Aug 19th Sept 16th
Time: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Fee: Suggested donation of $20 per day. Sliding scale available upon request.Zazenkai means coming together in awareness. A Zazenkai is a time to deepen practice, to let the busyness of life drop away and allow what is most fundamental to arise. Half Day retreats give us the chance to practice living each moment in connection with our life and courageously open to what is. They are good times to get a solid block of practice for those who have been sitting for years. They are a good time to try a longer sitting for those who have never experienced longer practice time.
We will start sitting at 10 and have 25 min periods with a five min walking period between sits. We will have a 20 min brake at 12. We will end with a short dedication of the sit and chanting.
” Not thinking about anything is zen. Once you know this walking, standing, sitting or lying down, everything you do is zen. To know that the mind is empty is to see the buddha. The buddhas of the ten directions have no mind. To see no mind is to see the buddha.”
- Bohdidharma
Retreats in 2012
Zazenkai’s
One Day Meditation Retreats
Spring Zazenkai
When: Sunday March 18th
Time: 6:00 am to 4:00 pm
Fee: Suggested donation of $40 per day. Sliding scale available upon request.
Summer Zazenkai
When: Sunday July 15th
Time: 6:00 am to 4:00 pm
Fee: Suggested donation of $40 per day. Sliding scale available upon request.
Fall Zazenkai
When: Sunday Oct 21st
Time: 6:00 am to 4:00 pm
Fee: Suggested donation of $40 per day. Sliding scale available upon request.
Zazenkai means coming together in awareness. A Zazenkai is a time to deepen practice, to let the busyness of life drop away and allow what is most fundamental to arise. Day long retreats give us the chance to practice living each moment in connection with our life and courageously open to what is. All levels of practice are welcome. Lunch will be provided.
Multi-Day Retreats 2011
Annual Memorial Day Sesshin
Three Day Meditation Retreat
When: Fri May 25th to Mon May 28th
Time: Daily from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm
(retreat ends at 12 noon on the 28th)Fee: Suggested donation of $45 per day.
Sliding scale available upon request.
Annual Rohatsu Sesshin Residential Retreat
Seven Day Meditation Retreat
When: Saturday December 1st to Saturday December 8th
Time: Daily from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm
Fee: $425 for the week early registration $500 if after Oct. 15th
Cost per day $65. Sliding scale available upon request.
The Rohatsu seven day sesshin is an annual tradition for us at Rocks and Clouds. During this time practice communities around the world sit together in silence. Lead by Daniel Terragno, Roshi this is a time to reconnect to our fundamental nature. Sesshin is a fasting of the senses. Sesshin literally means, “to touch the heart mind.” The stillness allows us to let the water settle and something more real and simple to emerge.Our annual Rohatsu retreat is held at a residential facility. Please call or email if you would like more information about the retreat. We encourage people to sign up early.
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Meals during Sesshin and Zazenkai will be conducted in traditional oryoki (Wikipedia, Shambhala, Berkeley Zen Article) meditation style.Through out the day meditation periods will be 25 minutes long, followed by five minutes of walking meditation.
There will be one period of chanting meditation. Daniel also gives one teisho (talk) each day of retreats at 2:00. These talks are open to both individuals attending the retreat and anyone who would like to attend.
During Zazenkais (full day retreats) and Sesshins there will also be time to have Dokusan with Daniel Terragno or another guiding teacher. Dokusan is a place to ask questions about your practice, work on koan study and engage with life through the dialog with the teacher. It is a simple meeting between two people and a place to directly engage with our life, just as it is.