Jikô An is a Zen Meditation Centre located in the Alpujarras, Sierra Nevada (at about 4,500 feet), which was founded by Japanese Zen Master Hôgen Yamahata. Surrounded by silent and spacious mountains, the Mediterranean sea in the distance, it is an ideal place to relax and discover the profundity of our spiritual dimension.

Maximum 20 places.

JIKOAN Dossier

“ZEN IS SAID TO BE THE ESSENCE OF BUDDHISM; IT GREW UP IN INDIA, WAS IN FULL BLOOM IN CHINA AND BORE FRUIT IN JAPAN. ZEN IS THE PRACTICE BORN OUT OF THE EXPERIENCE OF THE BUDDHA SAKYAMUNI WHO AWAKENED TO THE ULTIMATE REALITY OF LIFE (NO-SELF). AS SUCH, IT DOESN'T BELONG TO A PARTICULAR RELIGIOUS SECT. WE FIND ZEN EVEN IN CHRISTIANITY OR IN HINDUISM, IN THE LETTERS OF SAINT PAUL FOR INSTANCE OR IN THE BIOGRAPHY OF RAMAKRISHNA. PLEASE, DON'T DRAW ANY CONCLUSION FROM MY BEING A BUDDHIST MONK; INSTEAD, DISCOVER AND REALIZE YOUR GROUNDING OF ZEN PRACTICE THROUGH THIS DAILY LIFE ENCOUNTER OF HERE-NOW.
(.....)

HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO NOTICE YOUR BREATHING WHEN YOU ARE QUARRELING OR FIGHTING WITH SOMEONE? IT IS SHORT, SHALLOW AND VERY IRREGULAR. EACH TIME OUR EGO INTENTION OR EFFORT INTERFERES, OUR RHYTHM BECOMES UNEVEN AND IN DISHARMONY WITH THE COSMIC RHYTHM. BY OUR BREATHING, WE CAN BE FREE FROM OUR KNOTS OF EGO INTENTION OR EGOFUL EFFORT.

THEREFORE, WE REALLY NEED TO COMPLETE THIS ONE OUT BREATH. FOR ABSOLUTE ENLIGHTENMENT, THIS ONE OUT BREATH IS ENOUGH. PLEASE, TRY IT! WE HAVE COUNTLESS OPPORTUNITIES OF ENLIGHTENMENT CONTINUOUSLY, BUT WE ARE ALWAYS NEGLECTING THIS BREATH. JUST THIS ONE, NOTHING ELSE! INEVITABLY REAL ENLIGHTENMENT COMES TO YOU; REAL ENLIGHTENMENT IS NOTHING BUT THIS! WHATEVER WE DO, WE SHOULD DO IT IN THE SAME WAY. WE CALL THIS THE WAY OF MINDFULNESS.
(.....)

OUR MOST URGENT TASK IS TO COME BACK AND BE AT HOME IN THIS FINAL PEACE OF EMPTINESS. WE ARE DIGGING OUR OWN WELL TO GET TO THE DEEPEST NO-MIND CORE OF THE EARTH. THERE, THERE IS NO INDIVIDUAL BORDER OR BOUNDARY ANY MORE, NOR ANY SEPARATION AT ALL, NO EGO-FIGHTING, NO DELUDED IDEA AT ALL – JUST THE PUREST WATER SPRINGING UP AND MOISTENING THE DESERT OF THE HUMAN WORLD.”

Extract from FALLING LEAVES, A SHOOTING SPROUT from Hôgen Yamahata.

The Miracle of Dana

Dana is a Sanskrit word meaning generosity, to give. At its highest level, it is to open oneself unconditionally, in the ten directions, to surrender oneself to life completely.

Jikô An was constituted and is growing in this spirit of Dana. Arisen from a dream of our master Hôgen, it materialized in the Alpujarras in the south of Spain thanks to the generosity of many friends from many countries.

To give without expecting anything in exchange – This principle keeps manifesting through the ceaseless work of our master, the dedication of the residents, teachers and all those who want to participate in the project.

How is JikôAn economically sustainable with such low suggested prices? In fact only because all the activities are non lucrative... The teachers do not receive any fixed income: their travel and stay expenses are covered (7€/day/person) and they only depend on the donation box filled by the participants. The residents who maintain the centre and organize the activities do not receive any other income from the Community than boarding, medicine and a monthly stipend of 150€. Thus, the suggested prices cover the centre maintenance and a gradual improvement of the accomodations.

For Jikô An to be possible, you can contribute in each course during one hour daily helping the functioning of the place:... washing up dishes, working in the kitchen or garden, chopping wood... All these useful and necessary tasks are a wonderful way to practice meditation in action, that is, to cultivate minddfulness, a loving presence in all that is done, maintaining Noble Silence. Noble Silence is not a prohibition to talk but rather a skillful means to cut off our compulsive habits that lead us astray from peace. All together, thanks to our practice, we do create the atmosphere of luminous quietness of the place.

Throughout the year, we organize periods of Ango during which we dedicate ourselves to practice formal meditation (Zen and Yoga) and Samu (Working meditation), sharing the life and daily tasks of the centre, team work in a serene surrounding. If you have any special skill that you would like to offer, please let us know.

From Heart to Heart.

Shingan

How to come to Jikô An

Jikô An is located in the Sierra above the village of Yegen (6 kms by dirt track). If you come by air, the closest international airports are Almeria and Malaga. By road, it is accessible from Granada (2h30) or Almeria (2h00).

There is a local bus service (Alsina Graells), twice a day from Granada to Yegen (line Granada-Ugijar - 8.30 AM and 6.00 PM). We can come and pick you up in Yegen if you confirm your time of arrival in advance.

If you enjoy the quietness and wild beauty of the place,
If you see the importance of such centres like Jikô An in offering the possibility to all to come back to the spring of one’s true nature,
If you want to help Hôgen in the realization of his work,
If you want to collaborate with the growth and improvement of his retreat centre,
We invite you to become a Member of the Open Way Zen Buddhist Community.

The Open Way Zen Buddhist Community (Comunidad Budista Zen del Camino Abierto) is a non profit making religious entity registered in the Justice Ministry in Madrid, Spain with the nº 277-SG and in the Ministry of Finances with the CIF-G-18351858.

To be a Member of the Open Way Zen Buddhist Community doesnot imply being a buddhist nor zen; Beyond all labels, it is to recognize the wealth of the Open Way, the miracle of the meeting Here-Now, the direct experience of our true nature.

As a Member, you can take part in the yearly General Assembly with right of vote as fixed in the Statutes of the Community, and help with its development.

Functionning without profit aims, we intent to cover the maintenance and organization expenses and suggest the minimal prices of stay.

In the same spirit, we advocate for a free donation for the activities and have a donation (dana) box at your disposition to help the teachers to keep sharing their practices.

May Jikô An be a real Open Way Centre, a meeting point for all those who are in the quest of Truth.

The actual membership fee is of 13 Euros pr month (or 156 Euros per year).

It is possible to do a bank transference every mont, 3 months, 6 months or yearly to the Community account.

Also possible to make exceptional donations, without any commitment, for a specific project of the centre in general.

We keep to your disposal a copy of the Statutes of the Community.