Jewel Mirror Sesshin - 7 Day Zen Meditation Retreat
Jewel Mirror Sesshin - 7 Day Zen Meditation Retreat
2649 County Road 5, Eitzen, MN, USA
Up to 24 in group
Aug 8 - 15, 2026
Retreat Highlights
- Daily zazen (seated meditation) and kinhin (walking meditation)
- Retreat led me three established Zen teachers: Reirin Gumbel, resident teacher at Milwaukee Zen Center; Daigaku Rumme, guiding teacher at St. Louis Confluence Zen Center; and Dokai Georgesen, resident teacher at Hokyoji.
- Dokusan (private meetings with Zen teachers)
- Chanting and service
- Mindfulness walks
- Retreat is in silence except during work period
About this Retreat
Details of this retreat
According to tradition, when Dogen Zenji returned from China, he wrote the Fukanzazengi, “Universal Recommendations for Zazen”. A few years thereafter he composed his first work in Japanese, Bendōwa, “Discourse on the Practice of the Way”. Framed as a series of 19 questions and answers, Bendōwa lays bare the themes he would spend a lifetime exploring in his magnum opus, Shobogenzo.
Come explore Dogen Zenji’s Bendōwa this Summer with three inspiring teachers of the Soto lineage: Rev. Dokai Georgesen (Hokyoji), Rev. Daigaku Rummé (Confluence ZC, St. Louis), and Rev. Reirin Gumbel (Milwaukee ZC)
Come explore Dogen Zenji’s Bendōwa this Summer with three inspiring teachers of the Soto lineage: Rev. Dokai Georgesen (Hokyoji), Rev. Daigaku Rummé (Confluence ZC, St. Louis), and Rev. Reirin Gumbel (Milwaukee ZC)
Schedule
This is one sample schedule. This will not be an exact match for this retreat.
5:30 am Wake up
6:00 am Zazen (sitting meditation)
6:35 am Kinhin (walking meditation)
6:45 am Zazen
7:20 am Service
7:45 am Breakfast using oryoki
Clean up
Individual Practice
9:00 am Zazen
9:35 am Kinhin
9:45 am Zazen or dharma talk
10:40 am break
11:10 am Zazen
11:45 am Service
12:05 pm Lunch using oryoki
Clean up
Individual Practice
2:00 pm Communal work practice
3:30 pm End work
4:15 pm Zazen
4:50 pm Kinhin
5:00 pm Mindfulness walk
5:35 pm Service
6:00 pm Supper using oryoki
7:30 pm Zazen
8:05 pm Kinhin
8:15 pm Zazen
8:50 pm End of day
Dokusan (private meetings with teachers) held throughout the afternoon and evening
5:30 am Wake up
6:00 am Zazen (sitting meditation)
6:35 am Kinhin (walking meditation)
6:45 am Zazen
7:20 am Service
7:45 am Breakfast using oryoki
Clean up
Individual Practice
9:00 am Zazen
9:35 am Kinhin
9:45 am Zazen or dharma talk
10:40 am break
11:10 am Zazen
11:45 am Service
12:05 pm Lunch using oryoki
Clean up
Individual Practice
2:00 pm Communal work practice
3:30 pm End work
4:15 pm Zazen
4:50 pm Kinhin
5:00 pm Mindfulness walk
5:35 pm Service
6:00 pm Supper using oryoki
7:30 pm Zazen
8:05 pm Kinhin
8:15 pm Zazen
8:50 pm End of day
Dokusan (private meetings with teachers) held throughout the afternoon and evening
Note: Schedule is approximate and may change
Getting Here
Hokyoji Retreat Center, 2649 County Road 5, Eitzen, MN, USA
Directions
Don’t follow directions from Google to Eitzen.
You may use Google Maps or another mapping app to generate directions from your address to our mailbox, however you do not want to go to Eitzen, MN. This is where our post office is and it is 10 miles Northwest of Hokyoji. You want to go to New Albin, Iowa.
When entering New Albin from the North or South on highway 26, mid-town you will come across the New Albin Community Center with its animated electric sign. Turn at that intersection onto Ross Avenue, away from town, and head northwest past the cemetery on your right. The road will become gravel about half a mile outside of New Albin. After another mile and a half, past the 2nd red barn and across from some white buildings on the right, look on your left for the Hokyoji sign and a smaller sign that says 2649. Turn left onto our gravel road and follow it for a mile back into a clearing where the Hokyoji campus is located.
* Hokyoji is rural and you may not have a good cell signal. We suggest you look at the route ahead of time.
You may use Google Maps or another mapping app to generate directions from your address to our mailbox, however you do not want to go to Eitzen, MN. This is where our post office is and it is 10 miles Northwest of Hokyoji. You want to go to New Albin, Iowa.
When entering New Albin from the North or South on highway 26, mid-town you will come across the New Albin Community Center with its animated electric sign. Turn at that intersection onto Ross Avenue, away from town, and head northwest past the cemetery on your right. The road will become gravel about half a mile outside of New Albin. After another mile and a half, past the 2nd red barn and across from some white buildings on the right, look on your left for the Hokyoji sign and a smaller sign that says 2649. Turn left onto our gravel road and follow it for a mile back into a clearing where the Hokyoji campus is located.
* Hokyoji is rural and you may not have a good cell signal. We suggest you look at the route ahead of time.
Accommodation
Most rooms are singles. There are several rooms that are doubles. Tent camping is available, bring your own tent.
Program Price
Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi
Spa
Sauna
Pool
Towels
Free Parking
Kitchen
Tour Assistance
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
Cafe
Restaurant
Fitness Center
Yoga Studio
Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent
Our zendo is brand new, finished May of this year. Our dormitory and Mauss Hall are also new, finished 5 years ago.
Meals
Menu Types
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Ayurvedic
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
Meals are vegetarian. The cooks make every effort to make special plates for dietary restrictions. Feel free to visit with us ahead of time to make sure we can accomodate you.
What's Included
- All meals included in cost of retreat. Meals are vegetarian.
- Most rooms are private, a few are doubles
- Bring a tent if you prefer, there's a large area for this
- We can pick you up from the Lacrosse Airport if needed
What's Not Included
- Wifi is available with a password. If you prefer to be disconnected from your phone, we are very remote, just don't ask for the password. :)
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