**PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED FOR ALL SUNDAY VISITORS. NO DROP-IN SUNDAY VISITORS PLEASE!**
Register ahead of your arrival on our PROGRAMS webpage
Each month, we offer programs for new visitors. Beginning Instruction is offered on alternate Sunday mornings and on one Wednesday evening each month. We also offer a weekend Introduction to Zen Training Retreat as well as various other weekend retreats and residential programs.
For returning visitors who have had beginning instruction, you may visit us for morning and evening zazen by following our health and safety protocol for all visitors; for work practice please email registrar@dharma.net at least 24 hours before coming to inform the work supervisor, and please follow the health and safety protocols whenever you visit the Monastery!
Sunday Morning Program
The Sunday Program is open to the public by registration and offered every week of the year. If it’s your first visit, you will receive beginning instruction in Zen meditation, an orientation to the Monastery, and have the opportunity to meet monastics, residents and lay practitioners. You can also visit for a retreat or receive Beginning Instruction on Sundays in person or online, see the Programs Page for more.
Sunday Schedule
- 9-9:30am: Chanting and Bowing Service
- 9:30-11am: Beginning Instruction in zazen (Zen meditation) (**NOTE: Register ahead of time, no drop ins please**)
- 11-noon: Formal Discourse
- noon-1pm: Lunch and clean-up
- Please arrive by 8:45am, and plan to stay for the whole morning.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing and dress modestly (no shorts, short skirts or sleeveless shirts, please).
- Suggested donation: $5
- Frequently on the weekends we also offer our Zen Kids/Tweens/Teens programs, so please check that page for schedules.
Once you’ve received beginning instruction and an orientation the Monastery, you’re welcome to join us during the Monastery’s regular weekly schedule of morning and evening zazen (except during sesshin weeks). See above for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Monastery open to the public?
The Monastery is open to anyone, however it is a cloistered environment, and we ask that visitors respect the monastic training schedule. Please plan your visit during our Sunday Morning Program or Wednesday Evening Meditation, both open to first-time visitors. Once you’ve received beginning instruction and an orientation the Monastery, you’re welcome to join us during the Monastery’s regular weekly schedule of morning and evening zazen (except during sesshin weeks). You must register ahead on the Program Page for Sundays; see above for more information about our covid protocols.
What should I wear?
Please wear loose-fitting clothing, dark or muted in color. Dress modestly, by keeping your shoulders and knees covered.
Please do not wear scented lotions, perfumes, cologne or other fragrances, and consider letting go of adornments such as decorative jewelry.
What is zazen and how is it different from other forms of meditation?
Zazen is seated meditation and is the heart of Zen practice. During zazen, we assume a specific posture and use the breath as the focus of our awareness. Zazen is done in perfect stillness. Although it is relatively simple to learn, the practice deepens and matures over a lifetime.
If I visit the Monastery, do I have to participate in zazen?
Yes. Zazen is an important part of all of our formal programs, including our retreats. When you come to the Monastery, you are expected to fully participate in zazen with the rest of the community.
I experience a great deal of discomfort when I use a cushion—are there any other options for meditation?
Yes, you can use either a seiza (kneeling) bench or a chair. During meditation instruction, you’ll receive instruction on how to take the zazen posture in these positions.
I would like to visit the Monastery grounds, but do not wish to participate in your formal programs. Is this possible?
Please call the training office if you are planning to visit. The grounds are not open to the public.
I have a large group of people interested in visiting the Monastery. What should I do?
Please call the training office for details. Depending on your group, we may be able to accommodate you during our Wednesday evening or Sunday morning programs.
Does the Monastery offer workshops and retreats?
Yes. See our Retreats.
I would like to attend a retreat at the Monastery. What can I expect?
Please see our section on Coming to a Retreat.
I am interested in exploring Zen practice and training more deeply. What do you suggest?
Our Introduction to Zen Training Retreat, offered each month, is an excellent way to explore Zen training as it happens at the Monastery.
Does the Monastery offer a Youth Program?
Yes. Read about our Zen Kids/Tweens/Teens Programs.
