Location: Upaya Zen Center · Santa Fe, NM
Instructors: Roshi Joan Halifax, PhD; Sensei Kaz Tanahashi; Dr. Steven Heine, PhD; Sensei Genzan Quennell; Matthew Kozan Palevsky
July Zen Circle is a time of retreat, learning, art practice, meditation practice, and the rare opportunity to fully participate with Upaya’s resident community in their daily schedule to taste the beauty and joy of monastery life. Within the Circle are two special weekend programs on calligraphy and the Dogen Seminar with Sensei Kazuaki Tanahashi and an extraordinary faculty. Roshi Joan Halifax is the steward for this July Zen Circle.
The schedule includes meditation practice three times a day, work practice (samu), councils, ensos, seminars, interviews with Guiding Teachers, dharma talks, and weekend programs on calligraphy and Dogen.
Monday and Tuesday are personal practice days, when practitioners and residents take meals on their own and can hike, study, do laundry, or take quiet time to reflect. Participants are asked to sit zazen (meditate) at least once daily on Mondays and Tuesdays but are welcome to attend all zazen periods.
Please note: Because this special program is designed for full participation, if the schedule does not serve you for any reason, we will re-register you as a Guest Practitioner or Personal Practice Guest, and the fee will be adjusted accordingly. Please see our Ways to be at Upaya page for details.
The Zen Circle in-person weekend programs of Calligraphy and Dogen Seminar can also be registered for separately via the links below:
7/25–7/27 – CALLIGRAPHY (In Person July 2025)
8/01–8/03 – DOGEN SEMINAR (In Person 2025)
Dogen Seminar is also offered online. Register for the online program here.
Schedule:
This program will begin on Thursday, July 24, 2025, at 7:45 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) and will conclude with lunch on Sunday, August 3, 2025, around 1:00 p.m. MDT. Use this Time Converter to determine your local start time.
We ask attendees to arrive between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 24 to check in and join us for meditation at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. (included in the program price).
A Note About Food:
The food at Upaya is vegetarian and mostly organic, and there are always vegan and gluten-free options. If your dietary sensitivities fall outside of vegan and gluten-free, we do not have the resources to accommodate them. Thank you for your understanding.
Please review our current cancellation policy and health protocols for in-person programs.
Maximum Participants 25
Program Fee (Members) $972
Program Fee (Non-Members) $1,080
Includes dormitory lodging. A $100 deposit will secure your place in the program. Upgrades available. Dana to teachers.
Registration for this event includes meals as well as dormitory lodging for all 10 nights. You have the option of upgrading or extending your lodging if you like.
Upgrading to a double (2 guests per room) will add $500 to your total.
Upgrading to a single (private room) will add $1,000 to your total.