Various Dates
7 pm -9 pm

In this 2-hour workshop, you receive all the tools you need to get started on your personal journey in Zen practice.

Instruction will be given in zazen meditation, basic Buddhist philosophy, developing a home practice, as well as practicing as part of a community.

There will be plenty of time for questions and conversation!

Hybrid: In-person and Zoom

Sunday, June 7 - Saturday, August 15

By donation: $5 - $700 
No one turned away for lack of funds

With Keika San Juan and Sosan Flynn

Practice period gives us the opportunity to concentrate our Sangha energy on practicing together. This practice period, we'll focus on "Entering the Cave: Bringing Resolve, Courage, and Sincerity to Our Collective Practice."  A class will meet Thursday evenings. If you can't attend the class, a recording will be available. 

The practice period will open with a short ceremony on Sunday, June 7, and close with a formal Shuso Hossenshiki ceremony for Keika on Saturday, August 15 at 7:00 p.m.

It will also include two tea and discussion opportunities with the shuso, or “head monk”, Keika Karín Aguilar-San Juan. Tea Gatherings: Wednesday, August 5 and Wednesday, August 12 at 7:30 p.m.

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Summer Practice Period Class: Enter the Cave: How to Bring Resolve, Courage, and Sincerity to Our Collective Practice

Wednesday evenings, June 10 - July 22, 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

With Keika Karín San Juan and Sosan Flynn

Inspired by Huike’s pivotal encounter with Bodhidharma in ancient China, this class explores Zen Buddhism as a collective practice that develops resolve, courage and sincerity in the face of urgent and intense realities. Five themes or “research questions” will shape our study: What is Zen? What is practice? What is study? What is mind? What is action?

We will draw inspiration from a variety of materials - short readings, poems, videos, and images - to inspire individual reflection and small group exchange regarding our experience of the path and practice of Zen. Mini-lectures by Sosan and Keika will be amplified by guest speakers along with offering incense, bowing, chanting, gentle tai-chi movement, and free-writing

In-person only

Saturday, July 25, 2 p.m. through Saturday, August 1, 3 p.m. (see partial participation options, below)

By donation:
$5 - $1,120, Entire Week
$5 - 360, Sangha Days retreat
$5 - 800, Sesshin

No one tuned away for lack of funds

Registration ends 7/13. If you’re interested in registering after that time, please contact rin@cloudsinwater.org

With Guiding Teacher Rev. Sosan Theresa Flynn

Join us for a residential Soto Zen experience at Hokyoji Zen Practice Community in the beautiful driftless region of Southeastern Minnesota (about 3 hours from the Twin Cities).

The retreat will consist of two components. You are invited to attend one or both:

1. Sangha Days Retreat: 2 pm, Saturday, July 25 through 2 pm, Monday, July 27. 

2. Sesshin (traditional Zen retreat): 3 pm, Monday, July 27 through 3 pm, Saturday, August 1.

The Sangha Days Retreat is a basic Zen retreat coupled with time for training in service positions and ceremonies. There will also be time allowed for sewing (for those sewing rakusu or okesa). Both the Sangha Days Retreat and Sesshin will include periods of sitting and walking meditation, Dharma talks by Sosan, traditional oryoki meals, Zen chanting liturgy, temple care (mindful cleaning), body practice, and rest breaks. Click here for a Link to the proposed schedule.

The Sesshin will provide more opportunity for zazen (sitting meditation), with ten 30-minute periods of zazen per day. The Dharma talks during this retreat will explore teachings from Asvaghosa's "Awakening of Faith" regarding how a person can participate in the life of the infinite while still participating in the practice of helping suffering beings in the relative world.

Book Study of john a. powell's The Power of Bridging: how to build a world where we all belong.

Hybrid: In-person and Zoom

Every other Tuesday, September 8 - October 20, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. 

By donation: $5 - $280
No one tuned away for lack of funds

Online registration ends 9/8/26. If you wish to sign up after that date, contact sosan@cloudsinwater.org

 With Sosan Theresa Flynn

"We can overcome the illusion of separateness by honoring our differences, transcending the notion that difference divides us, and instead co-create a world where everyone belongs." - john a. powell, director of the Othering & Belonging Institute and professor of law, African American studies and ethnic studies at UC Berkeley. 

In the study of Buddhism, we learn that everyone and everything is interconnected; we are never separate. From this wisdom, we can act as Bodhisattvas - beings who are committed to the liberation of all beings - and build a better world. In his beautiful book, john powell outlines our human tendency to make separations through seeing people not only as different, but as less deserving. He then shares strategies for shifting to bridging the gaps that divide us, and building true belonging. In this study group, we'll learn from professor powell, and bring our Buddhist perspective to this topic. Each chapter of the book includes reflection questions which we'll use for journaling and discussion.

The first nine people to register for this class will receive a free copy of the book (provided through a grant from the Bush Foundation).

Hybrid: In-person and Zoom

Thursday evenings, Sep 24 - Oct 22, 2026, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

By donation: $5 - $350
No one tuned away for lack of funds

Online registration ends 9/22/26. If you wish to sign up after that date, contact myoshin@cloudsinwater.org.

With Sosan, MyoOn, Koji, Taizan, and Myoshin

What is your deepest wish, your inner spiritual calling? In this class, we'll explore some of the fundamental practices of Zen Buddhism that support our spiritual practice. You’ll learn the meaning behind some of the daily chants and rituals, including the Four Bodhisattva Vows, the Three Refuges, the Verse of Formless Atonement, and the Three Pure Precepts. We will also discuss the importance of lineage in Zen, and the meaning of robes and rakasu. The text for the class wlil be Living by Vow: A Practical Introduction to Eight Essential Zen Chants and Texts by Shohaku Okumura.

This class is offered every two years as part of preparation for students formally receiving the precepts, but is open to everyone!

In-Person only

September 11 - 12, 2026

Starts at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, runs from 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. on Saturday.

By donation: $5 - $75
No one turned away for lack of funds

Online registration ends 9/9/26. If you wish to sign up after that date, contact sosan@cloudsinwater.org.

With Sosan Flynn

Sesshin, which means “collecting the heart/mind,” provides a rare chance to step into a sanctuary of stillness, to close the door for a little while on the cacophony, and to appreciate the freedom and spaciousness of life in the present. Whether you are a beginner or experienced practitioner, we hope you will consider joining this wonderful practice.

A typical sesshin includes multiple periods of sitting and walking meditation, one or more dharma talks, traditional oryoki meals, zen chanting liturgy, temple care (mindful cleaning), body practice, rest breaks, and the opportunity to meet one-on-one with the teacher. We refrain from unnecessary speech and settle into silence.

While some instruction is given during the sesshin, if you are a first-timer, we recommend that you attend a Getting Started in Zen session first, and reach out to one of our teachers before registering.