Zen Studies Society

NYZ: Dharma Talk with Hokuto Osho

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This Sunday, please join us for zazen and a Dharma Talk given by Hokuto Osho, senior teacher at the Zen Studies Society. After the second period of zazen, there will be 30 minutes of nittensoji (temple cleaning) followed by informal lunch. Doors open at 9:30 a.m.

Hokuto Daniel Diffin Osho has been associated with Zen Studies Society since 1978. He was ordained in 1980, and became a student of Shinge Roshi in 2010. Hokuto Osho was named a Dharma teacher of Zen Studies Society in 2015 and received inka shomei, or Dharma transmission, in 2022. A medical doctor specializing in vascular and interventional radiology, Hokuto Osho has a background in Christian contemplative thought, and a lifelong interest in poetics.

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: Suizen Intensive

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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: Suizen Intensive

by

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: The Space Between – An Ikebana Workshop

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In ikebana, as in Zen, space is not empty, it’s alive and essential. This workshop invites participants to slow down and listen to the quiet intervals between flowers, branches, and moments. In this class, we’ll explore how ikebana arrangements emerge not just from form, but from the space that holds it. The workshop will begin with a live demonstration, and then participants will create their own arrangement with guidance and feedback.

About the Instructor: Kristina Bajunaishvili has studied Sogetsu ikebana since 2015. She approaches ikebana as her primary creative practice, a way to explore space, form, and feeling through flowers and unexpected materials.

The fee for this in-person workshop is $70 for nonmembers and $55 for Zen Studies Society (ZSS) members. Register early as the maximum number of participants is 12. Note that the member price is for ZSS members only – please consider becoming a Supporting Member. No prior ikebana experience is necessary. Materials will be provided (all plants locally grown and sourced). ZSS Health Protocols apply.

NYZ: Noh Chanting Workshop Series

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Experience the Voice of Noh: UTAI

A 5-part workshop series from August 24th to December 7th, 2025

Noh, the Japanese classical performing art established nearly 700 years ago, is understood today as an art form to watch, but it was originally intended to be experienced. Through Noh chanting (utai) and Noh dance (mai), participants engaged with the profound meaning behind the words, and cultivated harmony between mind and body.

This summer, the Noh Society invites beginners to participate in a 5-part workshop series where you will experience utai, the vocal expression of Noh, through breath, voice, and movement.

The first session will explore Takasago, a masterpiece of Noh about pine trees that celebrates harmony, peace, and eternity. Participants will learn to ground their bodies, breathe deeply from the core, awaken the senses, and explore the unique vocal power of utai.

The second session, Center and Go Beyond, we will continue to explore we’ll explore Takasago, and participants will learn to center their body, and experience fundamental elements of Noh movement, including the formal stance (kamae), sliding steps (suriashi), and stylized dance movements (kata).

In the third session we’ll continue to explore Takasago in addition to Hagoromo, a graceful tale of a celestial maiden. The session will also include Yuya, a Noh dance through which participants can experience centering the body in motion.

In the fourth session, Put Your Heart into Words, we’ll continue to explore Takasago and Hagoromo while diving deeper into the fundamental elements of Noh movement, stylized dance movements (kata), and the Noh dance, Yuya.

In the fifth and final session, Through Noh, A Gaze Within, participants will mindfully practice the movements of Noh dance from the Takasago, and reflect upon the past year.

The series will be held at New York Zendo, a perfect setting to reconnect with yourself, clear your mind, and awaken your awareness through the power of voice. Expect a meditative, energizing experience that engages your whole body and will enable you to step into fall with renewed focus and fresh energy.

About the instructor: Mayo Miwa (三輪万葉) is a New York City-based Noh performer and instructor. She earned her Noh major from Tokyo University of the Arts and trained at the Kanze School. As Vice President of the Noh Society, she actively facilitates educational programs with Japanese actors and teaches at various US institutions. She is dedicated to sharing Noh’s timeless art, exploring how it can inspire the mind and body, and how it may continue to evolve in today’s world.

The fee for one session is $20. Please register using this link. Instruction will be in Japanese & English. No prior experience is necessary. 

  • Session One | Sunday, August 24th, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  • Session Two | Sunday, September 21st, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  • Session Three | Sunday, October 12th, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. 
  • Session Four | Saturday, November 15th  2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  • Session Five | Sunday, December 7th, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

*Please note that the November session has been moved from the 2nd to the 15th

Online: Engaged Buddhism Racial Solidarity Sangha

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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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Locations

Dai Bosatsu Zendo
223 Beecher Lake Road
Livingston Manor, NY 12758

New York Zendo
223 East 67th Street
New York, NY 10065


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Contact Us

Dai Bosatsu Zendo
office@daibosatsu.org
(845) 439-4566

New York Zendo
office@newyorkzendo.org
(212) 861-3333