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Awaken to Your True Nature: A Zen Retreat

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Awaken to Your True Nature: A Zen Retreat

February 18 - 21, 2027

Nice, France

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Hosted By

Bart Weetjens

347 followers

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3 nights, 4 days

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30 person retreat

Highlights

  • Formal Zen retreat (sesshin) in the Soto Zen Buddhist tradition

  • Unique location: quiet space in the heart of the busy city center of Nice, on mediterranean coast, at 15 minutes walk from the beach

  • Dharma talks and teachings during Zazen

  • (short) ceremonies with heart sutra chanting

  • circle of trust group talks

  • Mindful meals in silence

  • Mondo: Q&A with the teacher, in group in the dojo

  • Possibility of Dokusan: Q&A with the teacher, privately 1-on-1

  • Daily meditative group walk through Nice and coastline

Details

This retreat emphasises on the Buddha's awakening practice of silent meditation, seated, walking, standing and laying down. In a friendly and caring atmosphere, with a group of maximum 30 people, we practice zazen (seated meditation), kin hin (walking meditation), ceremonial sutra chanting, mindful meals, simple handwork (like cutting vegetables, cooking, dishwashing, cleaning) and receive teachings from the Zen Buddhist tradition.

Location

Nice, France

Avenue Jean Médecin is one of the main thoroughfares in central Nice, running through the heart of the city and connecting the historic center with the main train station and surrounding neighborhoods. The avenue is lined with shops, cafés, department stores, and restaurants, with convenient access to trams and other public transport. Its central location makes it easy to explore nearby attractions such as Place Masséna, the Old Town, and the Promenade des Anglais, while still offering a lively urban atmosphere close to the Mediterranean coast.

Venue

Gyobutsuji

★ Reviews

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Temple Zen de Nice Gyobutsuji functions as an immersive, urban Soto Zen retreat venue situated directly in downtown Nice, France. Led by Master Roland Yuno Rech, this city-center dojo transitions from a daily meditation center into a rigorous training ground during multi-day sesshins (meditation intensives), where participants practice noble silence, engage in hours of traditional zazen (seated meditation), and participate in mindful communal work. Rather than offering upscale hospitality, the venue provides a rustic, authentic, and highly affordable monastic experience, featuring shared vegetarian meals and minimalist, communal floor-lodging for dedicated practitioners looking to find deep spiritual stillness within an urban environment.

Yoga Studio

Yoga Studio

Accommodation

Dormitory

8-person shared room

$240 USD / person

Retreat Access without Accommodation

For those who prefer to handle their own lodging arrangements

$200 USD total

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There is a limited capacity to stay overnight in the temple, that is in dormitory in the practice hall. Matrasses and sanitary available.

Meals

Meals provided

Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

Diets catered

Vegetarian

Food is fresh, healthy, and vegetarian with a maximum possible bio ingredients. In the morning we formally eat Guen mai, traditional rice soup with vegetables and gomasio, after which there is an informal simple breakfast with bread, jam, honey, coffee and tea provided. At noon, there is a 3-courses meal (starter, main dish, desert) In the evening, there is a 2-course meal (main dish, desert)

Schedule

This is a classic formal zen retreat. The emphasis is on zazen (sitting meditation), the awakening practice of the Buddha. There are three sittings daily, morning, noon, and evening, which are typically twice a 35 minutes sitting with 10 minutes kin hin (walking meditation) in between. In the afternoon there is also either a silent walk outside, or a Dharma talk. On the last day, Sunday, there will be an monk's ordination ceremony. No prior experience required.

Testimonials

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Participating in Sesshin with Bart Weetjens is an invitation to encounter Zen not simply as a practice, but as a way of meeting life more fully. Bart brings a rare combination of depth, humility, warmth, and clarity to his teaching. Rather than imposing answers, he creates the conditions in which something more meaningful can emerge—insight, curiosity, and a renewed capacity to see ourselves and our lives differently. What struck me most was Bart’s ability to hold the space with both gentleness and rigor. His teaching is deeply grounded in Zen while remaining profoundly human and relevant to contemporary life. Through meditation, inquiry, silence, and community, he creates an environment in which habitual ways of thinking can loosen and new possibilities become visible. Bart is a gifted teacher whose presence and guidance can open genuine pathways toward transformation.

John G., USA

My first sesshin with Bart was an opportunity to experience Zen practice for the first time. I approached it with curiosity and an open mind, unsure of what the experience would be like. What first stood out to me was Bart’s ability to guide a diverse community, including both people new to Zen practice and those with many years of experience. His instruction was thoughtful and accessible without diminishing the depth or integrity of the tradition. As a lineage carrier, Bart brings an unmistakable depth of practice, yet he communicates that depth without creating distance. He created an atmosphere that was disciplined without feeling rigid, with warmth and a genuine sense of care alongside the structure and intensity of sesshin. I experienced the retreat as both demanding and supportive, and left feeling grateful, with a deeper appreciation for the practice, and looking forward to practicing with him again.

Camila F., Colombia

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Host

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Bart Weetjens

Antwerp, Belgium

Bart is a Zen Buddhist monk in the Soto tradition, Deshimaru lineage. Bart holds a masters degree in product design. With a focus on appropriate technologies, he founded the organisation APOPO, that t...

3 languages

English, Français, and Nederlands

Teaching for 2 years

Joined Insight Timer in Oct 2023

What's Included

Accommodation - only the first 10 who sign up on Insight Timer with request for accommodation will be granted

Food and drinks

Teachings

Sitting pillows to borrow, if you don't have your own

Access to the library with books about Zen and Buddhism in general (mainly in French)

Not Included

Accommodation not guaranteed - first 10 who sign up on Insight Timer with request for accommodation will be granted

Flights and transportation

FAQs

Guest requirements

  • No experience with zen meditation required

  • Black or dark coloured, sober and loose clothing covering all body, apart from head, hands, and feet.

  • Oryoki set (or eating bowl, spoon, napkin, and dishtowel)

  • Personal necessities, sleeping bag, and towel if you stay overnight in temple.

  • Contributing your energy to make the retreat harmonious for all participants. That includes commitment to samu (simple handwork, like e.g. cutting vegetables for the meals, and keeping the place neat and tidy

Cancellation policy

The remaining balance for the retreat is due 30 days prior to the start date. If this balance is paid earlier than these 30 days, you are eligible to cancel and receive a full refund of this remaining balance, provided you do so at least 30 days before the retreat begins.

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