5-Day Big Heart Retreat with Genpo Roshi · Big Island of Hawaii

5-Day Big Heart Retreat

Big Island of Hawaii

March 23 - 27 (Retreat Dates) 

Opening Dinner, March 22

Farewell Breakfast (optional), March 28

This five-day Big Heart Retreat is an intimate, in-person gathering held in Genpo Roshi’s private home near Manini Beach on the Big Island of Hawai‘i. With ocean and volcanic earth as its backdrop, the retreat offers a rare container for deep inner inquiry, presence, and authentic connection.

Genpo Roshi is internationally recognized for his ability to guide people into direct, embodied realization. Drawing on decades of Zen training and the Big Mind and Big Heart processes, his teaching invites your own innate wisdom to reveal itself—naturally and without force.

This retreat is experiential rather than instructional. Days will include periods of zazen (sitting meditation), silence, guided inquiry, group dialogue, rest, and time for integration. The rhythm of the retreat is spacious and responsive to the group, rather than tightly scheduled.

Participation is intentionally limited to a maximum of 10 people, creating a deeply personal and confidential environment. The small group format allows for genuine connection, individualized attention, and a sense of shared exploration.

Big Heart refers to the capacity to meet everything—joy and grief, clarity and confusion, strength and vulnerability—without closing. There is nothing to achieve and nothing to fix. Rather than offering answers, this retreat supports a deepened trust in your own inner knowing.

Participants are responsible for their own accommodations, meals, and transportation. Lodging is recommended near Manini Beach / Kealakekua Bay, close to Roshi’s home and ocean access. If you are new to the area or unsure where to stay, assistance is available—please contact Chet Cannon before registering.

This retreat is offered as both a container for practice and a meaningful way to support the ongoing work and mission of Kanzeon Big Mind Zen.

Before You Register

This retreat may be a good fit for you if:

• You are open to deep self-inquiry and emotional honesty

• You value a small, intimate group setting

• You are comfortable with periods of silence and unstructured time

• You feel drawn to embodied exploration rather than conceptual teaching

This retreat may not be a good fit if:

• You are seeking clinical therapy or psychological treatment

• You prefer highly structured schedules or lecture-based learning

• You are currently experiencing acute psychological crisis or instability

Important considerations:

• This retreat can be emotionally powerful. Participants may encounter strong feelings or vulnerable material. You are always responsible for your own pacing and care.

• The retreat takes place in a private home. Respect for shared spaces, quiet hours, and the container of the group is essential.

• The setting includes uneven ground and outdoor areas; participants should be comfortable managing their own mobility and daily needs.

• Confidentiality is a core agreement. Personal sharing within the group is not discussed outside the retreat.

If you have questions about fit, logistics, accommodations, or travel, or if you are unsure whether this retreat is right for you, please contact Chet Cannon before registering. We are happy to support you in discerning whether this offering aligns with where you are in your life and practice.

Sample Daily Structure

• Morning zazen / quiet sitting
• Group inquiry and Big Heart process
• Breaks for rest and reflection
• Optional ocean time
• Evening sharing or dialogue