On the first Saturday of each month, Wallowa Buddhist Temple holds a quiet Day of Serene Reflection between 8:00 am to 3:30 pm in our meditation hall. This retreat is offered without charge. All who have had meditation instruction at the temple are welcome.*

Participants have the choice of joining the retreat for one or more of the sittings or for the entire retreat. We are always glad to know by phone (541-432-6129) or email that you plan to come, even if you don’t know when exactly you will be joining us or for how long. (If you aren’t able to let us know you’re coming, and have had meditation instruction at the temple before, you’re still very welcome.)

How our monthly Day of Serene Reflection unfolds:

• Sittings begin on the hour, every hour, starting at 8 am. Please arrive or depart quietly during the 15 minutes before each hour begins. Each meditation period lasts 35 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of walking meditation, then 15 minutes of rest and transition.

• At 3 pm we offer Mid-Day Service (recitation of Dōgen’s Rules for Meditation) followed by a brief sitting, closing the retreat at 3:30 pm.

• To attend all or most of the retreat, plan to have eaten breakfast before arriving. Bring a vegetarian sack lunch for yourself from home, then choose a single sitting period around mid-day to rest and reflect while you eat your meal silently.

Layered clothing and warm socks are encouraged for the meditation hall during the fall and winter months, and even into early spring. With winter snows and colder temperatures at our 4400-foot elevation, please wear shoes with good tread, even cleats for snow and ice, while walking on temple grounds. (It is often snowy and icy at the temple even when clear at nearby lower elevations.)

Please feel welcome to phone the temple at 541-432-6129 if you have any questions about participating in a monthly day retreat.

* Sōtō Zen meditation instruction from the monks takes about an hour and can be arranged by appointment. If you haven’t yet received this instruction and would like to attend a future retreat, please get in touch to arrange a time to come by the temple. Temple day retreats are held the first Saturday of the month.