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 Sensei John Pulleyn (pronounced “puh-leen“) or Sensei Donna Kowal, along with senior students.
Because getting started in Zen practice isn’t as simple as attending a new church on Sunday, the workshops are aimed at providing a useful introduction to Zen Buddhism – demystifying the religion, and giving basic instruction on how to practice zazen (Zen meditation). It’s a unique opportunity to learn first-hand from seasoned practitioners at one of the country’s largest and oldest Zen centers.
The Center offers workshops on the occasional Saturday, sometimes full-day and in-person and sometimes half-day and online via Zoom. In-person and Zoom workshop participants are invited to attend the next morning’s (Sunday) sitting, which includes a chanting service as well as a teisho (Dharma talk) given by one of our teachers.
In-person Workshops (Jul. 15*, & Sep. 16, 2023)
- Run from 9:30 a.m. to around 4:00 p.m. A vegetarian lunch is served.
- Most take place at the Zen Center’s city center near downtown Rochester; * indicates workshops at Chapin Mill, our country retreat facility.
- For a detailed description, see In-Person Workshops at the Center.
- To register for an in-person workshop, fill out the in-person application form and send payment through PayPal.
Online Workshops (Jun. 24, Aug. 12, & Oct. 14, 2023)
- Begin at 10 a.m. and finish around 2:30 p.m. Eastern.
- For these online workshops, we suggest a donation of $10 – $30. However, if any amount would be a hardship, you can omit the donation and still attend.
- To register for an online workshop, fill out the online application form.
Questions
If you have questions, please give us a call at (585) 473-9180 or email receptionist@rzc.org.