(Literally: “gather or touch the mind.”) An intensive meditation retreat usually lasting three, five, or seven days. The word “retreat” may be misleading, however, as the effect of a sesshin is often to let more of the world into our lives, instead of escaping from it. Better to say that a sesshin is a silent retreat that involves many periods of zazen and the opportunity to have private interviews with a teacher (see dokusan). Meals are often eaten oryoki style, and periods of samu are generally included.
