Our Guest Student Program offers short-term opportunities for people to experience living in a Zen practice place. Guest Students practice through daily zazen, study, work, close contact with a teacher and intimate association with fellow practitioners. The opportunity to live and practice together is rare and demands a great deal of patience, effort, concentration, mindfulness, and ethical awareness. It offers a way of life that deepens one’s ability to be present for one’s life and to develop the compassion to live for the benefit of all beings, in a way that no other practice can.

Student Retreat Program requires filling an application. Initially a short stay is generally approved. Guest students are expected to participate completely in schedule. Generally the maximum length of stay is 6 months.

For those who come for a practice period and/or multiple weeks (2 or more) sesshins will be included in the cost of the stay, but special guest workshops charged separately. As of April, 2008 the cost is $18/day, room and board included.

Guest students must be unencumbered during the term of residency by outside affairs (financial, familial, romantic, etc.) to the extent that they can participate in all Zen Center activities, will need to spend little time away from the center and can settle naturally into the practice life of the center.

Stays are temporary. We will review how the experience is working. These discussions will take place at the end of the first week, and weekly thereafter. A guest student must have a place to return at the end of the guest residency.

Our primary expectation is that students: follow the schedule and forms, help with house keeping. Meals are a combination of “self” cooking and meals that are prepared for the group. Food is provided.

The terms and conditions of residential practice at AZC are described in the "Standards for Guest Students.". Please read this thoroughly before considering applying to be a Guest Student..