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Weekend retreat with Zoketsu Norman Fischer


  • UBC Asian Centre 1871 West Mall Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z2 Canada (map)

This non-residential silent retreat is suitable for both beginners and experienced students.  It will include periods of zazen (sitting meditation), kinhin (walking meditation), chanting, and talks by the teacher. There will also be opportunities for individual (dokusan) meetings with the teacher. MRZC guiding teachers Myoshin Kate McCandless and Shinmon Michael Newton will also be available to offer dokusan, and group practice discussion.

Norman Fischer is a Zen priest, a husband, a father, and a poet: a teacher with wide-ranging interests and passions. During almost 30 years at San Francisco Zen Center, he served in many positions. Norman retired as the abbot of Zen Center in 2000 to take his teaching out into the world.  He continues his involvement with the Zen Center as a senior Dharma teacher.  Norman believes in the possibility of "engaged renunciation": living a fully committed religious life that does not exclude family, work, and a passionate interest in the world.  He is founder of the Everyday Zen Foundation (www.everydayzen.org) and author of Taking Our Places, Sailing Home, Training in Compassion, When You Greet Me I Bow and The World Could be Otherwise.

See links for MRZC Chant Book and Retreat Schedule:

Mountain Rain Chantbook PDF

Chants and page numbers PDF

Retreat schedule PDF


Venue University of BC Asian Centre - 1871 West Mall, Vancouver, BC

Accessibility: UBC bus loop is about a 15 minute walk to Asian Centre. Click HERE for map.

The closest parkade is the Fraser River lot. See HERE for more options.While we are not putting together ride-share, we do encourage self-organized carpooling or biking together!

The Asian Centre is a sunken building surrounded by gravel paths and gardens. To get there in a wheelchair, take the concrete path from the West Mall (behind the Institute of Asian Research). Enter the Asian Centre through the heavy double doors. There are no accessible washrooms in the Asian Centre. The closest accessible washroom is in the C. K. Choi building.


The in-person retreat is full. Do consider joining us over Zoom in the cloud zendo. Donations appreciated.

2025 Zoketsu Norman Fischer (ONLINE)

Join us over Zoom HERE

Meeting ID: 821 8639 1549 ||| Passcode: 566594


Lay Entrustment Ceremony for Jikai Vicki Turay

Sunday, June 2

3:00-4:00 PM

Lay entrustment is a ceremony expressing the confidence of the teachers in a long-time practitioner, and authorizes them as a lay teacher. Jikai Vicki has been practicing with Mountain Rain Zen from before the beginning, and served as shuso for the 2013 practice period. Everyone is welcome to this joyous occasion. You can join us over Zoom using the same link as above.

A simple reception will follow. Refreshment contributions are welcome—sweet or savoury finger food.


Over the weekend we will be chanting both a Well-being and a Memorial Service. Please use the form below to dedicate a name.

Earlier Event: May 30
Collective Liberation