Zen Alive! Sunday Program

Weekly Sunday Morning Program - 10am to Noon

Join us for our weekly Sunday morning program with meditation, Zen chanting, and a Dharma talk with discussion by Red Cedar Zen and, once a month, visiting speakers. Whether you are an old hand at this or you are just Zen-curious and know nothing about Zen practice, please come! 

About Zen Alive!

We'll have a guest speaker program once a month (on the last Sunday). You can also expect to see Shudo Chris giving her wonderful talks at least once a month, as well as Nomon Tim and other Practice Leaders. We will also be taking up some rich reading materials from prominent teachers such as Shohaku Okumura and “Living by Vow”—wonderful deep commentaries on our chants.

We always ask questions. What is real and what is delusion? Living an examined life can be a pain in the neck. And then, there is the point where Zen practice, community, and our everyday lives meet. Life encountered directly! Before we have time to slap the good or bad label on it, we see it all: beautiful sunrises, bad service, political news, global warming, our fast-paced digital life, love, time with friends, sickness and aging and death... all happening at the same time. Issa said it so well in his haiku: 

The world of dew
Is the world of dew.
And yet, and yet—

—Kobayashi Issa (1763 - 1828)

We will explore this intersection of life, this world, and stories of awakening on Sundays during Zen Alive! Local and guest Zen Buddhist teachers will explore awakening, enlightenment, and practice-realization. 

And, as we said in the beginning: "Living an examined life in some ways is a pain in the neck." Maybe we think everything should be different from how it is, and at other times we believe everything should stay forever exactly like this! And yet, and yet... it changes. Always. Please come to help us explore this theme through the practice of sitting meditation (zazen), walking meditation (kinhin), dharma talk, and  conversation.

The event will be online in our virtual zendo.

This event free of charge; however, if you are so moved, donations are gratefully accepted by the teachers and the Red Cedar Zen Community to cover ongoing expenses (make a donation here).

To receive reminders and notices about guest speakers and other Sunday program news please REGISTER for Zen Alive!