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Zazenkai - Mondo Koan Intensive - One-Day Online Retreat

Fall Practice Period 2025

Mondo Koan Intensive

Ego Deconstruction - Reconstruction Koans

with Ekai Joel Kreisberg

Sunday October 19th, 2025

9:00 am - 5:00 pm ET (New York)


There is a huge amount of unnecessary suffering in the world - unnecessary because it does not arise directly from our life circumstances but from the conditioned way in which we react to our own memories, stories, and beliefs.

- Jun Po Denis Kelly Roshi

Jun Po Roshi’s Mondo Koan practice is a facilitating dialogue engaging the unconditional compassion that arises when we awaken to Clear, Deep Heart-Mind. The Mondo dialogue invites a mutual commitment to honesty, vulnerability and openness. You are invited into a broadly inclusive, liberating experience. Led by trained facilitators, the Mondo Koan Intensive takes participants through all ten of the Ego Deconstruction-Reconstruction koans. Participants will practice together in the full group and will be led in small-group triads as well in order to better close the gap between facilitator and participant.


This Retreat will:

  • Introduce the basic philosophical reorientation of the Mondo process.

  • Teach the basic dharana practice utilized throughout the full Mondo process.

  • Lead participants through the first five ego deconstructing koans through interactive meditative inquiry.

  • Introduce and practice the Pure Awareness group practice.

  • Guide participants through the ego reconstruction process. (Koans six - ten)

  • Prepare participants for working with emotional awareness koans

This day-long retreat offers a series of hands-on teachings designed to introduce the first ten koans of Jun Po Roshi’s Mondo Facilitation process. For intermediate students, the retreat offers an opportunity to deepen understanding through dedicated practice in a supportive community.


Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn,

A cool breeze in summer, snow in winter.

If your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things,

This is the best season of your life.

~ Mumon Ekai


Registration

Full Fee

$95.00

Fair Fee

$65.00

Low Cost

$35.00

About Ekai Joel Kreisberg

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.


Mondo Koan Intensive is a retreat for anyone that wants to uncover their ‘true self’ without dedicating twenty plus years of sitting on the cushion. It is a lasered approach to discovering how we react as opposed to respond. The program offers tangible methods to refer to when not on the cushion that are useful in everyday ‘reality.’
— Lisa B.
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October 18

Stand Like a Tree - The Standing Poses of Zhan Zhuang

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October 24

Seminar - Emotional Awareness Koans of Jun Po Roshi