Zen Studies Society

Online: Introduction to Zen Meditation
2025-10-01 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-10-08 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Online
Join us on Zoom every Wednesday evening for Introduction to Zen Meditation. We begin with instruction on meditation posture and technique, followed by a brief period of guided meditation and an opportunity for questions.
A quiet atmosphere with minimal distractions is essential to our practice. Please set any electronic device to silent mode and wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Anyone who attends this introduction is then welcome to join us at New York Zendo for other practice events.
Please register by sending an email to lauren@laurenann.net by the Friday before the class you would like to attend.
You are also welcome to join our in-person Introduction to Zen Meditation at New York Zendo on Thursday evenings. ZSS Health Protocols apply for this in-person event.

NYZ: Evening Zazen
2025-10-01 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-10-08 19:00 - 21:00 | New York Zendo, 223 E 67th St, New York, NY, 10065
On Wednesday evenings, New York Zendo is open for zazen from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 pm.
A quiet atmosphere with minimal distractions is essential to our practice. Please do not wear scented cosmetics, and set any electronic device to silent mode. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Refer to Zendo Etiquette for more details.
Newcomers to the temple are kindly requested to attend one Introduction to Zen Meditation class, held on Thursday evenings, before joining the community for other practice events.
A $10 donation (payable online) is requested from non-members. Please consider becoming a Supporting Member of the Zen Studies Society. Registration is not required. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

NYZ: Morning Zazen
2025-10-02 06:45 - 07:45, 2025-10-06 06:45 - 07:45, 2025-10-07 06:45 - 07:45, 2025-10-08 06:45 - 07:45, 2025-10-09 06:45 - 07:45 | New York Zendo, 223 E 67th St, New York, NY, 10065
New York Zendo is open for morning zazen Monday through Thursday from 6:45 to 7:45 a.m. Doors open at 6:30 a.m.
A quiet atmosphere with minimal distractions is essential to our practice. Please do not wear scented cosmetics, and set any electronic device to silent mode. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Refer to Zendo Etiquette for more details.
Newcomers to the temple are kindly requested to attend one Introduction to Zen Meditation class, held on Thursday evenings, before joining the community for other practice events.
A $10 donation (payable online) is requested from non-members. Please consider becoming a Supporting Member of the Zen Studies Society. Registration is not required. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
This event is also offered online.

Online: Morning Zazen
2025-10-02 06:45 - 07:45, 2025-10-06 06:45 - 07:45, 2025-10-07 06:45 - 07:45, 2025-10-08 06:45 - 07:45, 2025-10-09 06:45 - 07:45 | Online
Join us online for zazen Monday through Thursday from 6:45 to 7:45 a.m. The Zoom meeting room will open at approximately 6:30 a.m. Short morning service begins at 6:45 a.m. Zazen begins at 7 a.m. and continues until 7:40 a.m.

We will use our sutra book. A quiet atmosphere with minimal distractions is essential to our practice. Please set any electronic device to silent mode and wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Feel free to come and go at whatever time your schedule allows.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 824 2548 5117
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Registration is not required.

NYZ: Introduction to Zen Meditation
2025-10-02 18:45 - 21:00, 2025-10-09 18:45 - 21:00 | New York Zendo, 223 E 67th St, New York, NY, 10065
If you are new to Rinzai Zen Buddhism, New York Zendo Shobo-ji offers city dwellers the opportunity to experience traditional Zen practice and find an oasis of deep stillness in the heart of Manhattan.
Every Thursday evening, the Introduction to Zen Meditation class covers the basics of zazen (seated meditation): posture, breathing, and concentration. Beginners will also learn the form used at New York Zendo Shobo-ji including bowing, chanting, and kinhin (walking meditation). Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and instruction begins promptly at 6:45 p.m.
A quiet atmosphere with minimal distractions is essential to our practice. Please do not wear scented cosmetics, and set any electronic device to silent mode. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Refer to Zendo Etiquette for more details. No prior experience is necessary. This class is a pre-requisite for attending zazen at New York Zendo.
The fee for this class is $10, please register here. If you have questions, please email office@newyorkzendo.org or call 212-861-3333 before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

You are also welcome to join our online Introduction to Zen Meditation.

NYZ: Kotodama Calligraphy - The Spirit of Words
2025-10-03 16:00 - 18:30 | New York Zendo, 223 E 67th St, New York, NY, 10065
Learn about the spirit of words and receive your own personal Kotodama calligraphy from Japanese calligrapher, Yoshikatsu Nishiyama.
Kotodama (言魂) is a Japanese spiritual concept referring to the mystical power believed to reside in words – the idea that spoken or written words have spiritual energy that can influence reality.
There are words that resonate with who you are right now.
There are words that guide you toward where you are meant to be.
Such words have the power to shape your life.
In dialogue with you, Yoshi brings out your hidden energy and transforms it into a unique piece of Kotodama Art, a one-of-a-kind calligraphy born just for you. You find more detail about the process in this video.
Each participant receives one Kotodama art work during a 2-hour small group session.
Over the past 21 years, Kotodama Shoka, Yoshikatsu Nishiyama has inspired more than 90,000 people with his works. Now, alongside his appearance at Carnegie Hall, he brings his art to New York. He looks forward to creating these special pieces for everyone he meets here.
The fee for this session is $55, please register using this link. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

NYZ: Eight Basic Strokes - Calligraphy & Tea Workshop Series
2025-10-03 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-10-10 18:30 - 20:30 | New York Zendo, 223 E 67th St, New York, NY, 10065
Fridays | September 26th – October 17th, 2025 | 6:30 – 8:30pm
自
Self – What is Self?
Join Ines Sun at New York Zendo for a four-week exploration of the foundation of Chinese calligraphy, the eight basic strokes. The foundation of the Eight Strokes is based on how Madam Wei (Weifuren, 272–349 AD) taught the 7-year old Wang Xizhi (303–361 AD), a young boy who later became the most renowned calligrapher in Chinese history. His style continues to be emulated to this day.
Each session begins with a welcome tea in the garden and a reading of the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching), and is followed by time for focused practice, allowing students to deepen their understanding through direct experience. Come join us as we build community, making friends with ourselves and others through this meditative practice. No prior experience is necessary, all are welcome to these sweet and special Friday nights!
Ines Sun began studying calligraphy as a child and later deepened her practice through painting. She weaves together her training in tea ceremony and calligraphy in her installation Heaven Earth Tea Hut (天地茶屋), an intimate, silent performance where she invites a participant to engage in calligraphy and tea ceremony together.
The schedule will be as follows:

Friday, September 26th
Friday, October 3rd
Friday, October 10th
Friday, October 17th

To keep the rhythm going, there will also be sutra copying in October and November.
The fee for this course is $40 for a single class or $150 for the full 4-week series. All materials provided. To make a payment and register, please use Venmo: Ines Sun @pencilnyc or Zelle: inesthsun@gmail.com. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

NYZ: Open AA 11th Step Meeting
2025-10-04 11:00 - 12:45 | New York Zendo, 223 E 67th St, New York, NY, 10065
We welcome you to “Acceptance,” an open AA 11th Step meditation meeting at New York Zendo.
Doors open at 10:30 a.m. Meditation begins promptly at 11 a.m. and lasts 30 minutes. If this is your first time attending this meeting, please arrive early to receive a short orientation. Both cushions and chairs are provided.
Please arrive on time, there will be no entry during the meditation period to avoid disruptions. Doors re-open at 11:30 a.m., and an open AA meeting begins at 11:45 a.m. on the second floor.
Registration is not required. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

DBZ: Golden Wind Sesshin
2025-10-04 16:00 - 2025-10-11 14:00 | Dai Bosatsu Zendo, 223 Beecher Lake Road, Livingston Manor, NY, 12758
A monk asked Ummon, “What will happen when the leaves fall and the trees become bare?”
Ummon said, “Golden wind!”
Join us for a week of silence at Golden Wind Sesshin led by Chigan Roshi. As autumn paints the trees brilliant gold and the wind turns cool and crisp, experience the beauty on Dai Bosatsu Mountain as you clear and refresh your heart and mind. For more details and the typical sesshin schedule, please visit the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Sesshin page.
The fee for this sesshin is $550 for nonmembers and $475 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If this will be your first sesshin, or you have any questions, please email office@daibosatsu.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
If you are able to support students in financial difficulty, please consider making an additional donation. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may apply for a reduced rate here.

Online: Sunday Morning Service and Zazen
2025-10-05 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-12 10:00 - 12:00 | Online
Join us online for Sunday Morning Service and zazen. Choka (morning service) will begin at 10 a.m., followed by kinhin (walking meditation), and zazen. A Dharma Talk will be given on the first Sunday of each month.
A quiet atmosphere with minimal distractions is essential to our practice. Please set any electronic device to silent mode and wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.
The Zoom meeting room will open at approximately 9:30am.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 824 2548 5117
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Registration is not required.

NYZ: Sunday Morning Service and Zazen
2025-10-05 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-10-12 10:00 - 13:00 | New York Zendo, 223 E 67th St, New York, NY, 10065
On Sundays, we hold choka (morning service) at 10 a.m., followed by kinhin (walking meditation) and zazen. A Dharma Talk will be given on the first Sunday of each month. After zazen, there will be 30 minutes of nittensoji (temple cleaning), followed by tea and informal discussion. Doors open at 9:30 a.m.
A quiet atmosphere with minimal distractions is essential to our practice. Please do not wear scented cosmetics, and set any electronic device to silent mode. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Refer to Zendo Etiquette for more details.
Newcomers to the temple are kindly requested to attend one Introduction to Zen Meditation class, held on Thursday evenings, before joining the community for other practice events.
A $10 donation (payable online) is requested from non-members. Please consider becoming a Supporting Member of the Zen Studies Society. Registration is not required. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
This event is also offered online.

NYZ: Suizen Intensive
2025-10-05 14:00 - 19:00 | New York Zendo, 223 E 67th St, New York, NY, 10065
Suizen, or “blowing Zen”, refers to the spiritual practice of playing the shakuhachi flute during zazen. The honkyoku repertoire of the shakuhachi – which was developed specifically for Zen practice – has particular technical and aesthetic features that allow it to resist being heard as “music.” Therefore, it tends not to distract the meditating mind in the way that other music might. Compared to other shakuhachi repertoires, honkyoku pieces feature fewer notes with a focus on ornamentation and timbral effects.
There is a famous saying from the world of suizen: ichion jobutsu, meaning “enlightenment in a single note.” Come join us for an afternoon of immersion in this one mysterious note.
Our program will include six forty-minute periods of suizen, with kinhin (walking meditation) in between. Participants must have completed an Introduction to Zen Meditation class before registering.
Solo shakuhachi will be played by Karaku Marco Burmester, who has been studying shakuhachi in New York City and Kyoto since 2006. Karaku has a long-time connection to Dai Bosatsu Zendo as a student of Ronnie Nyogetsu Reishin Seldin, who held workshops at DBZ for many years. He has recently been awarded his shakuhachi teaching certificate and is looking forward to sharing his practice of suizen with the Zen Studies Society Sangha.
The fee for this event is $40 for nonmembers and $30 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. If you have any questions, please email office@newyorkzendo.org before registering. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

NYZ: Zazen and Dokusan
2025-10-06 19:00 - 21:00 | New York Zendo, 223 E 67th St, New York, NY, 10065
On most Monday evenings, Hokuto Osho offers online dokusan to students who participate in the in-person zazen session. The format will follow the form of in-person dokusan as closely as possible. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., formal activities begin promptly at 7 p.m. There will be han, lineage chanting, and two periods of zazen with dokusan.
A quiet atmosphere with minimal distractions is essential to our practice. Please do not wear scented cosmetics, and set any electronic device to silent mode. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Refer to Zendo Etiquette for more details.
Newcomers to the temple are kindly requested to attend one Introduction to Zen Meditation class, held on Thursday evenings, before joining the community for other practice events.
A $10 donation (payable online) is requested from non-members. Please consider becoming a Supporting Member of the Zen Studies Society. Registration is not required. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

NYZ: Zazen and Tai Chi
2025-10-07 19:00 - 21:00 | New York Zendo, 223 E 67th St, New York, NY, 10065
On Tuesday evenings, New York Zendo is open for zazen and tai chi from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 pm. This program includes 40 minutes of zazen followed by a tai chi class on the second floor.
A quiet atmosphere with minimal distractions is essential to our practice. Please do not wear scented cosmetics, and set any electronic device to silent mode. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Refer to Zendo Etiquette for more details.
Newcomers to the temple are kindly requested to attend one Introduction to Zen Meditation class, held on Thursday evenings, before joining the community for other practice events.
A $10 donation (payable online) is requested from non-members. Please consider becoming a Supporting Member of the Zen Studies Society. Registration is not required. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

Online: Engaged Buddhism Racial Solidarity Sangha
2025-10-08 19:00 - 20:30 | Online
Second Wednesday of each Month | 7:00 – 8:30 pm EST
Facilitated by Seiho Morris and Jasmine Syedullah
The Racial Solidarity Sangha is open to practitioners of all ethnicities, races, and nationalities who may or may not already be part of the ZSS Sangha.
Seiho Morris is creator of a revised expression of the Twelve Step model for healing culture bias, racism, and otherism. Jasmine Syedullah is a co-author of Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love, and Liberation.
This monthly practice space is to study, examine, and work with the shared koan of cultural bias, racism, and otherism we experience individually and collectively. The purpose of this group is to recognize, open, honor, hold space, and allow for conversational dialog to foster a sense of belonging.
We gather for 30 minutes of zazen, followed by a conversation to explore cultural bias, racism, and otherism within the sangha and wider communities. As an element of this practice, we’ll utilize a Twelve Step model framework, specifically developed to encompass addressing the experience of persons who are “non-white.”
Learn more about Engaged Buddhism at the Zen Studies Society.
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NYZ: Seiza Quiet-sitting & Dharma Talk on Shin Buddhism
2025-10-11 15:00 - 17:00 | New York Zendo, 223 E 67th St, New York, NY, 10065
Join us for seiza meditation at New York Zendo Shobo-ji, led by Miki Nakura. Seiza (quiet sitting) was established in Japan more than 110 years ago by Okada Torajiro Sensei. The sitting form is the traditional Japanese kneeling position, but seiza can also be practiced sitting in a chair.
In seiza, we learn how to find the most physically balanced posture, in accordance with gravity, following correct breathing and allowing the full flow of energy into the lower belly (also known as the hara or tan t’ien region). Through this practice we can naturally experience total serenity of the body-mind. D.T. Suzuki encouraged American Zen students, including Ruth Fuller Sasaki, to practice seiza before and during their zazen training.
A quiet atmosphere with minimal distractions is essential to our practice. Please do not wear scented cosmetics, and set any electronic device to silent mode. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.
About the instructor: Miki Nakura, a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist minister based in New York, started practicing seiza 30 years ago under the guidance of his teachers in Japan. He has been devoting himself to sharing seiza with students since 2004.
Everyone is welcome! Note that this event is offered in-person only. Registration is not required. ZSS Health Protocols apply.
