2025 Big Summer Sit
From Jan 5 to Feb 16
|Summer Dojo
This is a sangha-led initiative to maintain and deepen our practice through the summer holiday period We pledge to sit for at least 10-15m each day from January 5 - February 16, supported by four online sessions on Sundays 4 - 5pm. Please read note below regarding online access to this event.
time & place
From Jan 5 to Feb 16
Summer Dojo
About
Join us for a summer of zazen, dharma talks and online discussion from Jan 5 – Feb 16.
The Big Summer Sit flows on naturally from our regular Quiet Sits, then back into them for the remainder of 2025.
The Big Summer Sit traditionally opens in early January, soon after New Year. This annual offer of community practice falls right in that hazy time of summer that’s also infused by a fresh draft of new year energy. Perhaps a timely resolution to refresh your meditation practice and to deepen it?
To sign on to the Big Summer Sit is to make a firm and public undertaking to sit at least 10-15 minutes of Zen meditation (zazen) every day, come what may, for six weeks of Summer. First or second thing in the morning is an excellent time, but if the whole day mysteriously vanishes under your sandy feet, then it is the final fifteen minutes or more before you finally settle to sleep.
Across the six weeks you will have the moral support and warm company of others who are making the same pledge with each other and themselves – and of meeting up online on four occasions for supportive Dharma and Zen practice discussion every second Sunday afternoon, with our highly-skilled Head of Practice, Deborah Chadwick.
Plus the opportunity to stay on and ask questions about practice. Online Access to Big Summer Sit
The Zen Open Circle website has a section called Yarning Circles, which is a type of online forum open to our site members where we share practice experiences, ask questions and receive support and encouragement. We also use these forums to manage the hosting of our various online events. When you have registered for the Big Summer Sit you will receive a confirmation email with a link to the Big Summer Sit Yarning Circle. It's in this Yarning Circle where you will find the link for the Summer Dojo, the Zoom room where we meet online to sit together, and where you can also receive reminders about upcoming events within the Big Summer Sit. When you first click on this link to join the Yarning Circle, you will see a login screen. If you have not previously done so, you will need to create a free website account at this point to continue. You can do this by clicking the "Sign Up Here" link on the login page. Once signed up you will be able to access the Yarning Circle, which you can reach either via the link emailed to you or by clicking the menu item "2. Sit" under the Big Summer Sit drop-down in the main website menu. If you have any trouble navigating the website or getting setup for the Big Summer Sit please reach out to us on gassho@zenopencircle.org.au.