Abiding in Shamatha
The Nine Stages of Maitreya
Ekai Joel Kreisberg, Emyo Darlene Tataryn & Jozen Jonathon Fielder
Thursday, March 19th 2:00 pm ET (New York) -
Sunday, March 22nd 3:00 pm ET(New York)
Tendai Buddhist Institute
East Chatham, NY
or Online
Setting the mind
Continuous Setting
Resetting
Close Setting
Taming the mind
Pacification
Complete Pacification
One-Pointedness
Absorption
About the Retreat
Concentration practice forms the backbone of all meditative techniques. While Zen practice is characterized by zazen - just sitting or koans - working with insight story, Shamatha, the Sanskrit term for one-pointed concentration, is a developmental framework for learning to focus the mind.. More often associates with Theravada and Vajrayana styles of Buddhism, Shamatha provides the Zen student with a structure to practice meditation. All aspects of Zen practice are refined with Shamata practice.
How Is This Retreat Organized?
Pointing Out Instructions:
This four day retreat offers a step by step approach to Shamatha practice using the nine stages of calm abiding, known as the elephant path and the Nine Stages of Maitreya. The Bodhisattva Maitreya is the future buddha who waits patiently for all beings to awaken. Pointing out instructions offer the Zen student the opportunity to recognize and return two different aspects of meditative states. Metacognitive Awareness grows as we become familiar with the landscape of concentration practice. Ekai Roshi and Emyo Darlenes have been teaching these stages of meditation for over 20 years.
Individual Meetings With the Teachers
Throughout the retreat, individual students will meet in private one on one sessions with the teachers. Traditional Rinzai retreats enable students to develop a healthy relationship with senior teachers Students will have an opportunity to meet with both Ekai Roshi and Emyo Darlene.
Qi Gong Practice
Each day will includes three Qi Gong practice sessions with Jozen Jonathon Fielder. Conscious embodiment is a important element of our Zen practice. Qi Gong not only fosters a healthy body, it offers students the opportunity to practice zazen while moving.
Retreat Specifics
The retreat will be hosted at the Tendai Buddhist Institute in East Chatham, NY. The meditation hall is quiet and comfortable for long term practice. In person participants will be provided with comfortable sleeping arrangements. Three meals a day are served in the dining hall.
Online participants will have a clear view of the teachers and will have direct access to the teachers
“There is a place in human consciousness that exists below our normal conditioned mental and emotional reactions. If we can gain awareness of this space, there is potential for an immense increase in the ability to gain and maintain agency over our thought and feeling responses to the world around us. ”
Program Fees
In Person:
Member Fee
Non-Member Fee
Financial Aid
Online:
Full Fee
Fair fee
Low Cost
Financial Aid
Retreat Leadership
Ekai Joel Kreisberg Roshi
Ekai continues to evolve his practice to incorporate a variety of Buddhist wisdom in his teachings. His commitment to compassionate action keeps offering endless opportunity for learning and growth. Ekai Roshi has 15 years of experience teaching meditation. He continues to teach both online and in person.
Emyo Darlene Tatryn
A pioneer, Darlene has been doing the work since the early 70's. Her depth insight comes from working deeply with somatic healing, dance therapy, developmental and expressive movement, meditation, and other "mystic" practices. She is the creator of the Asaya Process and Maitreya's Chair; two practices which open this breathing body into receptivity, release tension, realign the spine, and bring the body into natural, blissfully calming, self-healing cycles.
As a long time Meditation instructor and Counselor with an Expressive Therapy Bias, Darlene understands and is able to navigate between the disciplines of therapy and meditation. She is steeped in the understanding of the interconnection and interdependence of all of nature. As a Zen Priest and Mondo Zen facilitator, she is able to guide and orient healthy ego function to the service of clarity and depth of heart and mind.
Darlene's history included the Rinzai Zen Hollow Bones Lineage, The Karma Kagyu Lineage, and Sahaja Marg.
Jozen Jonathon Fielder
Based in London, UK, Jozen Jonathon Fielder is an associate clergy member of Shining Bright Lotus. He was ordained as a Rinzai Zen priest by taiso Roshi in 2022. He is a practitioner and teacher of the South East Asian martial arts of Silat, Kali and Muay Thai.
He holds the rank of Guru in both Harimau Silat from Sumatra, and the Suwanda family system of Silat from Java. Jozen is also a teacher/Kru in Muay Thai under Grand Master Sken, one of the original pioneers of Muay Thai in the United Kingdom. He holds a third degree black belt in Kali and has been awarded the grade of Guro.
Jozen has practiced and taught Qigong, Yoga and the martial arts for over 30 years.
“This retreat was a valuable opportunity to meet good people who are dedicated to making a difference in the world, and also to take a look within and see how I might evolve more effectively. Highly worthwhile!”
Tentative Schedule*
All times in ET (New York)
* In person retreat may vary from online retreat schedule.
Thursday - March 19th
2:00 pm Opening Check in
2:30 pm Orientation
3:00 pm Kinhin
3:10 pm Meditation with Instructions
3:50 pm Kinhin
4:00 pm Meditation
4:30 pm Overview of the nine stages
5:00 pm Kinhin
5:10 pm Meditation
5:30 pm Dinner
7:00 pm Evening Service/ Meditation with instruction
7:40 pm Kinhin
7:50 pm Qigong
8:20 pm Kinhin
8:30 pm Zazen/Closing Service with instruction
9:00 pm Evening Close
Friday & Saturday - March 20nd & 21st
9:00 am Morning Service
9:30 am Meditation
10:00 am Kinhin
10:10 am Qigong
10:35 am Break
10:45 am Meditation
11:15 am Kinhin
11:25 am Group dokusan
11:50 am Kinhin
12:00 pm Meditation
12:30 pm Meal/break
2:00 pm Meditation
2:30 pm Kinhin
2:40 pm Meditation
3:10 pm Kinhin
3:20 pm Meditation
3:50 pm kinhin
4:00 pm Group Dokusan
4:30 pm Meditation
5:00 pm Kinhin
5:10 pm Meditation
5:30 pm Meal Break
7:00 pm Evening Service/ Meditation with instruction
7:40 pm Kinhin
7:50 pm Qigong
8:20 pm Kinhin
8:30 pm Zazen/Closing Service with instruction
9:00 pm Evening Close
Sunday March 22nd
9:00 am Morning Service
9:30 am Meditation
10:00 am Kinhin
10:10 am Qigong
10:35 am Break
10:45 am Meditation
11:15 am Kinhin
11:25 am Group dokusan
11:50 am Kinhin
12:00 pm Meditation
12:30 pm Meal/break
2:00 pm Closing Circle
3:00 pm End