June 27, 2022
For many years, we’ve held an annual work retreat in honor of Ralph Chapin, who donated his country estate to the Center back in 1996. The goal of the retreat is to work together on upkeep of the buildings and grounds – and at the same time intensify our meditation practice and enjoy the beauty…
June 25, 2022
Trying to get your Zen practice going, but aren’t quite there yet? Or your practice is going, but it isn’t as regular as you’d like it to be? Still wondering about certain zendo protocols? Or do you have some posture questions? Then the Finding Your Seat (FYS) program is for you! FYS meets most Saturdays…
June 20, 2022
About every couple of weeks after the Sunday morning sitting at 11:15 a.m., a group of Sangha members meets for an hour on Zoom to provide support for each other while dealing with issues of life, death, and illness. Participants affectionately refer to the group as ZLD. At ZLD meetings, we share, we listen, we…
June 16, 2022
The Zen Center is excited to announce that this summer we will be hosting a weekend summer camp to engage youth in interactive learning experiences that inform – and create a safe space for thinking about – race, racism, and anti-racism within the context of Buddhist teaching. The camp will be held at Chapin Mill…
June 15, 2022
Workshops at the Center: A Practical Introduction to Zen Throughout the year the Rochester Zen Center offers both in-person and online introductory meditation workshops taught either by Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede (pronounced “coal-heed”) or by Sensei John Pulleyn (pronounced “puh-leen“) along with their senior students. Because getting started in Zen practice isn’t as simple as attending…
June 5, 2022
DepreshZen meets on Zoom one Saturday each month at 3-4 p.m. Eastern. We are a support and advocacy group for Sangha members with depression and anxiety disorders. DepreshZen is a safe space to talk openly and educate ourselves and others about living with these conditions from the perspective of Zen practitioners. As the group’s playful…
June 1, 2022
On Sunday, July 10, we’ll hold our next extended sitting. Daily sittings are great, but an extended sitting is a chance to wade further into the waters of zazen. You’ll get a break from stress, a taste of a sesshin day, and maybe even a new perspective on your mind and life. Besides the usual…
May 25, 2022
Teisho, (pronounced “TAY-show”), is a formal (though largely extemporaneous) commentary given at Rochester Zen Center by either Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede or Sensei John Pulleyn while facing the altar. In sesshin it is usually on a koan or other Zen text, whereas outside sesshin it may be on a non-Zen article or book. A teisho is…
May 22, 2022
Please join us the weekend of May 27 – May 29 for a celebration of the Buddha’s birthday. In 2020, when the pandemic began, our celebration of the Buddha’s birth was cancelled for the first time in the Center’s history, while 2021’s celebration was a downsized version. This year, we hope to return to our…
May 20, 2022
Summer is here, and the potluck picnic at Chapin Mill, our retreat center outside of Batavia, is coming soon! This year’s picnic is set for Saturday, July 16. Come and enjoy Sangha, great food, games, and 125 acres of woods, ponds, foxes, turtles, and much more. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with members –…