Introduction to Zen workshop                                                                                                                                                                                                   

An introductory workshop is the best way for new people to become familiar with Zen practice and the approach in our centre.

During this half day workshop we cover the fundamentals and basics of Zen teaching and practice. This will include a brief outline of basic Zen Buddhist principles, a review of posture for meditation practice and finding a comfortable way to sit (cushion, bench or chair) and a chance to try out zazen (Zen meditation).

We’ll also have time for some Q and A along the way. The session will leave everyone with a good, basic sense of what Zen practice is about and then people can take it from there!

The next Introductory Workshop will be on:

Saturday 16th November

(Face to face in the Zen Centre)

'Zen and Everyday Life' course                                                                                                                                                                                              

‘Zen and Everyday Life’ deals with the issue of how we can more effectively integrate Buddhist meditation into our daily lives. It focuses on how Zen practice can help us to face and respond to the many challenges we encounter every day and how Zen relates to, and can inform, the rest of our life.

The three sessions are:

Session 1: Identifying and changing old habits

Session 2: Dealing with change and distractions

If you're interested and would like to find out more, get in touch!               

Next course starts in:

November 2024

Sessions run between 6.30 - 8.00pm

Introduction to Zen Buddhism                                                                                                                                                                                                      

This three week course provides a chance to learn more about Zen Buddhism. It offers more opportunity for input, sitting practice, questions and feedback than our regular introduction workshop. Each session include zazen (Zen meditation), teaching on specific aspects of Zen practice and time for questions and guidance.

Attendance to these sessions is available both online (using zoom) and face to face at the Zen centre. the three sessions are:

Session 1: Basics of Zen teaching and practice and getting a practice established

Session 2: The challenges of Zen practice and integrating practice into daily life

Session 3: Different types of Zen practice and how they work

Get in touch if you're interested in finding out more.

Next course starts on:

TBC

Sessions run between 6.15 - 8.00pm

'Zen koans, meditation practice and daily life' course                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Koans are a form of meditation practice and training used in the Zen tradition. Koans are stories, dialogues and sayings which point beyond the thinking, rational mind to something more essential to the mind. Koan work has been used for centuries as both a meditation technique for accessing this Mind, as well as a way of providing insights and understanding which can help us with the challenges of daily life.

This three week course aims to offer a little more information about this method of meditation, which is unique to Zen and an opportunity to become more familiar with this unique style of Zen practice. The aim is to show how the koan tradition works as a type of zazen (meditation practice) and how koans can be worked on as a form of zazen.

Each week we discuss a koan from the Zen tradition and provide some time for Q and A.

Attendance to these sessions is available both online (using zoom) and face to face at the Zen centre. Each week some supplementary material and background reading will be provided.

If you're interested and would like to find out more, get in touch!               

Next course starts on:

TBC

Sessions run between 6.15 - 8.00pm