A retreat offers an opportunity for you to deepen your awareness of this precious life, and to experience the support of other sincere practitioners within the structure of a traditional Zen retreat atmosphere.
Retreats are held in silence at 12035 Mountcrest Rd SE, Huntsville, AL. Practice periods include 30 minute sitting periods interspersed with 15 minute walking periods.
In-person attendees should be symptom-free and up-to-date on COVID vaccinations.
Retreat Dates for 2024
| Retreat Dates | Retreat Description | Register By |
| Feb 24 | 1-Day Retreat | Completed |
| Mar 28-31 | 3-Day Single Flower Sangha Retreat | Sat. 3/30 closed (full) |
| Jun 22 | 1-Day Retreat | Wed, Jun 19 |
| Oct 10-13 | 3-Day Single Flower Sangha Retreat | Fri, Oct 4 |
| Dec 7-8 | 1-Day Buddha’s Enlightenment Retreat* (extended sitting) | Mon, Dec 2 |
1-Day Retreats
Retreats specified as “1-Day Retreats” start promptly on Saturday at 9am and close on Saturday at 5:30pm (in-person only).
Lunch is provided.
3-Day Retreats
Retreats specified as “3-Day Retreats” open at 7:00pm on Thursday, and close at Noon on Sunday (in-person only).
Meals are provided Friday breakfast through Sunday lunch. The practice schedule is as follows:
7pm to 9pm on Thursday
6am to 9pm on Friday and Saturday
6am to Noon on Sunday
You may download the daily schedule here.
“Weekend” Retreats
Retreats specified as “Weekend Retreats” open at 7:00pm on Friday evening, and close at 5:30pm on Sunday. They consist of Main Practice Periods on Saturday and Sunday (in-person only), and Optional Extended Practice Periods (in-person or virtual).
You may download the daily schedule here.
Main Practice Period
A main practice period starts promptly at 9am and closes at 5:30pm. Lunch is provided.
Participation during this period is in-person only. There is no virtual option.
Extended Practice Periods
Extended practice periods expand the retreat schedule to approximate the traditional 3-day retreat experience. These periods are offered as optional for “Weekend” Retreats (not 3-Day retreats). This is intended to encourage participation by providing flexibility for those whose schedules preclude commitment for the entire weekend. Optional periods may be attended either in person or virtually via Google Meet. A virtual event invitation will be sent to registrants by separate email the week prior to the retreat. You must register by email in advance to receive any optional period invitations.
Donations
We are all encouraged to practice Dana Paramita (perfection of generosity). Offering periodic retreats would not be possible without the generous support of friends. Retreat donations offset actual GMZC expenses and visiting teacher travel expenses. 100% of all donations (Dana) are used for expenses and visiting teacher support. Zero profit is gained by GMZC and the local community. This is seen as a matter of spiritual integrity.
Suggested donations are $20 for 1-Day retreats, and $50 per day or partial day for “Weekend” (Sat, Sun) or “3-Day” (Fri, Sat, Sun). It is a long-standing tradition to offer additional Dana as a gift to the visiting teacher(s). You will not be turned away due to finances; your attendance is what is most valued. There are always opportunities to help in the kitchen or in preparing for the retreat.
Registration
If you would like to participate in a retreat, please email Gary at greenmountainzenhsv@gmail.com by the “Register By” date specified below. Please include details of your desired arrival, departure, and meals to assist our meal planning.
Please note that in-person attendance is space-limited to the first 12 people who register. If a retreat fills up, new registration requests will be added to a stand-by list in the order received.
Past Retreat Dates (2023)
| Retreat Dates | Retreat Description | Register By |
| March 3-5 | Weekend Retreat | completed |
| May 5-7 | Weekend Retreat | completed |
| Aug 19 | Sat-Only Retreat | completed |
| Oct 12-15 | Single Flower Sangha Retreat | completed |
| Dec 8-10 | Weekend Retreat | completed |