Your role in sesshin
It may seem obvious, but it 's important to remember that without participants there is no sesshin. It's not like a performance put on by one group of people for another, in which things can carry on whether or not the audience decides to duck out before the last act. Sesshin is nothing other than the people carrying it out, and there are no hosts and guests; there is only one community functioning together. There is no separation between the practice and the practitioners, and deeply seeing that interconnection and total functioning is one of the most important points of participation.
One of the realizations expressed most often by sesshin participants is that their practice here is only made possible by the efforts and contributions of the entire group. Your presence is important to everyone, and we plan on your attendance at all sesshin activities. If you aren’t around to carry out your work assignment, someone will need to cover for you. If you skip meals, we will have bought and prepared too much food. We realize that it may be necessary to take unscheduled breaks in order to take care of yourself, but please inform a practice leader as soon as possible if you will be taking significant time out, unable to do your work or missing meals.
Leaving early on the last day is strongly discouraged as it has a significant adverse effect on the sesshin community. It’s important for the group as a whole that participants stay together and finish strong because having the energy and spirit of fellow practitioners is a vital support to everyone’s practice. Please do everything you can to be here for the full duration of your planned stay. If your flight, train or bus departure would require you to leave on the last day before the official close of the sesshin, consider staying for another night, getting some good rest and leaving for home the next day. We recognize that health issues, family emergencies, bad weather, etc. do come up, but your decision to leave early affects more people than just you yourself. Ask for help if you’re struggling rather than casually throwing in the towel and going home. The sesshin peters out with a whimper when participants trickle quietly away before cleanup and close—not to mention that all of the work period tasks fall to the few who remain. No matter whether you're experienced or a beginner, from Bloomington or from out of town, if you're suddenly not here there's a gap in the practice that affects everyone.
One of the realizations expressed most often by sesshin participants is that their practice here is only made possible by the efforts and contributions of the entire group. Your presence is important to everyone, and we plan on your attendance at all sesshin activities. If you aren’t around to carry out your work assignment, someone will need to cover for you. If you skip meals, we will have bought and prepared too much food. We realize that it may be necessary to take unscheduled breaks in order to take care of yourself, but please inform a practice leader as soon as possible if you will be taking significant time out, unable to do your work or missing meals.
Leaving early on the last day is strongly discouraged as it has a significant adverse effect on the sesshin community. It’s important for the group as a whole that participants stay together and finish strong because having the energy and spirit of fellow practitioners is a vital support to everyone’s practice. Please do everything you can to be here for the full duration of your planned stay. If your flight, train or bus departure would require you to leave on the last day before the official close of the sesshin, consider staying for another night, getting some good rest and leaving for home the next day. We recognize that health issues, family emergencies, bad weather, etc. do come up, but your decision to leave early affects more people than just you yourself. Ask for help if you’re struggling rather than casually throwing in the towel and going home. The sesshin peters out with a whimper when participants trickle quietly away before cleanup and close—not to mention that all of the work period tasks fall to the few who remain. No matter whether you're experienced or a beginner, from Bloomington or from out of town, if you're suddenly not here there's a gap in the practice that affects everyone.
