Monastic Training Weeks 2026
Entering the Craft of Transformative Practice (3 Parts)
This period is a training field for practitioners whose practice has already taken root. It is intended for those who no longer seek experiences, but embodiment.
Together, we will be immersing ourselves for nine weeks into temple life: The training and aspiration is to fold each moment, each task, and each breath into practice — lived together, refined together, enacted together.
What this is
Immersion into the Living Teachings of Zen
The Monastic Training Weeks at Crestone Mountain Zen Center are an intensive immersion into the living teachings and practices of Zen. It is a time of gathering and expanding the mind.
You will be part of a sincerely practicing community, supported by the dramatically wild and beautiful landscape of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
We wake up before dawn, sit in silence, listen to the Dharma, and work and provide for the temple together. We will be cultivating the mind of meditation for it to percolate the different activities of the day. Much of the day is in silence.
You will be trained within the Dharma Sangha curriculum, which integrates insights from modern psychology and science with the timeless wisdom of an evolving Zen tradition.
During this time, topics will be evolved together in a way that attends to each person's process. The teaching includes the Five Foundational Qualities — Openness, Acceptance, Resonance, Stillness, and Integrity — and the more subtle dynamics of meditation and mindfulness practice.
Zen practice is not separated from the questions of our lives — sitting, working, speaking, resting — all become one field of shared practice.
"Everything depends on what we notice and how we notice." — Tatsudo Nicole Baden Roshi
Who is this for
A Field for Mature Practitioners
This training is designed for experienced practitioners — people with a mature daily practice, who wish to enter the discipline, simplicity, and shared rhythm of monastic life.
You may be a lay practitioner, a priest-in-training, or a long-term student — what matters is that your practice has grown beyond curiosity. You will live full-time in a shared rhythm. You will be asked to participate in the responsibility of caring for the temple. And we need you to be able to commit to the full nine weeks.
If you meet these criteria, please ask for a personal meeting with our Practice Leader, Laurie Nusbaum.
Spaces are limited; we encourage early contact.
What's Included
Accommodation
Vegetarian meals
Daily zazen, dharma talks, work practice
Massage
Private dharma dialogue
Daily Rhythm
Monastic Day
The monastic day at Crestone is an offer, not an obligation. Drop into as many or as few of these moments as serves you. The center holds the rhythm so you don't have to.
The Structure
Opening Sesshin 2026
A five-day intensive retreat to enter the silence and the shared field.
Monastic Training Period 2026
Nine consecutive five-day training weeks.
Daily rhythm includes:
- Wake-up at 4:00 a.m.
- Zazen, service, and meals in silence
- Morning work practice
- Afternoon Dharma lecture or seminar, with periods of meditation
- Temple care, body work, and evening meditation
Participants share all aspects of community life: cooking, cleaning, office work, grounds, and maintenance.
Closing Sesshin 2026
A seven-day Sesshin: a form to allow the process of your practice to settle.
Integration and Departure 2026
Five days dedicated to integration, closure, and transitioning into your daily life.
Teachers
Tatsudo Nicole Baden Roshi is a Dharma Successor of Zentatsu Baker Roshi in the Dharma Sangha Soto Zen Lineage. She has been practicing Zen since 2001 and received Dharma Transmission in 2017. She ...
Zentatsu Richard Baker is the Founder and Head Teacher of the Dharma Sangha centers in the United States and Europe. In the United States he lives at the Crestone Mountain Zen Center in Colorado; and ...
Testimonials
FAQ
None. The retreat is designed as an open door. If you've never used a telescope or sat in zazen, we'll show you how. If you're a seasoned stargazer or long-time practitioner, the container will hold you too.
The center operates mostly in functional speech – we speak when needed for work or questions. In general we start our meals in silence, and then move on to a conversation part. Throughout the day, there are also opportunities when you're welcome to chat and talk with others if you'd like.
Meditation on a chair is always available. Most of the center is accessible; some of the hiking is not. Tell us in advance what you need.
The nearest airport is Alamosa (ALS), one hour away. The nearest bus stop is in Moffat, 30 minutes away. We can arrange pickup for a fee. Parking is free and safe at our property.
Chair meditation is always available, and we adapt forms to bodies as needed. Tell us in advance what you need.
No. Part of the container is that we don't chat. Everything important can happen in dokusan.
In the meditation hall (zendo), we wear dark clothing that covers at least the shoulders and knees. In general, we recommend loose-fitting clothing that is not too tight or even constricting.
Closing Notes
If something here speaks to you, write to Laurie. A conversation is the first step — not a registration form. We meet each practitioner individually before confirming a place, so the fit is right on both sides.
Spaces are limited. If you are considering joining, please reach out early.
Opening Sesshin (Feb 7–13, 2026): $571
Monastic Training Weeks (Feb 7 – Apr 14, 2026, full program): $2,319 – $4,639 sliding scale
Closing Sesshin (Apr 1–8, 2026): $721
We ask for an all-inclusive contribution covering lodging, meals, sesshins, and teaching during the full training period.
The sliding scale of $2,319 – $4,639 reflects actual costs and allows those with more resources to support others.
Work exchange options are possible by committing to returning during the Summer Guest Season, as is payment in installments. Please discuss with Laurie.