Deepening Shikantaza

A Daylong Online Retreat

Shikantaza is a deep meditation practice that grew out of the Anapanasati (breath awareness) meditation. As taught by Mugen, there is a three-stage process to this meditation. The final stage is “opening to the vastness of the Absolute supported by grace.” We rest our direct Awareness in the spacious, unbounded qualities of the Absolute, the source of all creation and manifestation. Steeping directly, non-conceptually, in the Absolute promotes and invites kenshō, or awakening.

Shikantaza, which is also known as silent illumination meditation, is a practice that became established in China as Buddhism geographically migrated from India and Nepal to China. It is meditating silently while remaining open to the radiance, the illumination, of the Presence of the Absolute. Silent illumination meditation is mostly associated with the Chinese Chan Buddhist or Japanese Zen Buddhist traditions.

The silent illumination practice effectively involves transforming our awareness to a more unconditioned awareness. In reality, these awarenesses are not two. We appear to separate our personal awareness from unconditioned awareness through the application of conceptual convictions.

The benefit of shikantaza is that it assists us in softening the concepts of identification, relaxing perception, and blurring all separation. That is, this meditation begins to gently challenge our beliefs that we are exclusively a separate self whose life success is entirely dependent for survival upon each of our individual actions.

― Stephen Snyder, Liberating the Self: Buddhist Practices for an Authentic Life

In this daylong, we will deeply learn this meditation practice. We will engage the meditation both individually as well as through group guided meditations. There will be ample time for questions or comments among the group.

Suitable for beginning meditators, as well as those in the intermediate and advanced groups.

This event will be recorded. If you are unable to attend live, signing up will give you access to the recording afterwards.

Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi is a senior meditation teacher in the Buddhist Theravada and Zen traditions.  He is the author of Demystifying Awakening, Buddha’s Heart, and co-author of Practicing the Jhanas. He works with students worldwide as well as leading online and in-person retreat in the U.S., the U.K., and Europe.

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