Schedule

Clear Water Zen Center Schedule

Sunday Morning, Formal Zazen Meditation

The Center is fully open for in-person attendance. If you have been fully vaccinated, you will not need to wear a mask in the Center. If you have not been vaccinated, please wear a mask if you choose to attend. And if you feel more comfortable wearing a mask for any reason, vaccinated or not, please do. Please see our website Updates page for details and any new developments.

Our doors open @ 9:00am, service starts promptly at 9:30am. On first visits, please arrive by 9:15am so that we can show you around.

First Sunday of each month: A first sitting meditation of 35 minutes is followed by a few minutes of walking meditation known as kinhin. We have a chanting program for 35 minutes, followed by kinhin and another 35 minute round of zazen meditation.

Second Sunday of each month: A first round of sitting meditation of 35 minutes is followed by a few minutes of walking meditation known as kinhin and a dharma talk by Jeff George, a senior student of Roshi Lawson Sachter, followed by kinhin and a second 35 minute sitting.

Third Sunday of each month: A first round of sitting meditation of 35 minutes is followed by a few minutes of walking meditation known as kinhin and a dharma talk by Jeff George, a senior student of Roshi Lawson Sachter, followed by kinhin and a second 35 minute sitting.

Fourth Sunday of each month: Three rounds of sitting meditation of 35 minutes each, with kinhin following each sitting. During any sitting, participants may quietly leave their sitting cushion and go to a separate room of the Zen Center for daisan, a private and confidential consultation with Jeff George concerning matters of practice.

On rare fifth Sundays, there are three rounds of sitting meditation of 35 minutes each, with a kinhin following each sitting.

Every Sunday practice session ends at 11:30 and is followed by an informal social gathering with tea, coffee, and snacks, except for the first Sunday of the month, when we have our board meeting.

Monday Evening, Open Meditation

On Mondays the Clear Water Zen Center will be open from 7:00 to 8:00 PM for open meditation. We sit for three 20 minute periods of zazen, with a few minutes of kinhin in between. Everyone is welcome to sit as long as they’d like; 20 minutes, 40 minutes, or the full hour. We are not planning on offering instruction; just another opportunity for experienced members of our sangha to practice together. If you are new and haven’t meditated before, we would encourage you to attend “Beginning Meditation Night” on Wednesday evening first.

Wednesday Evening, Beginning Meditation

Every Wednesday, we offer a Beginning Meditation Class from 6:45 to 8:00 PM. It is a great introduction for those starting out with meditation practice and an opportunity for more experienced practitioners to meditate with their sangha mid-week.
We do two rounds of seated meditation (about 15 minutes each), separated by a round of walking meditation.
Basic meditation instruction is offered at 6:45 PM. We practice a form of meditation known as counting the breath, where you breathe naturally and count each exhalation as it happens, focusing your mind exclusively upon your breath. When you reach the number ten, return to one. If you daydream and forget what number comes next, simply return to one without self-judgment or self-criticism. Visitors are encouraged to show up a bit early to get oriented to the Center and the practice and to wear comfortable, muted, and plain clothing to not visually distract others. The meditation starts at 7:00 PM promptly.
While we are a Zen Buddhist group, we welcome individuals from all faiths (or no faith at all).

Friday Evening, Open Meditation

On Fridays the Clear Water Zen Center will be open from 7:00 to 8:00 PM for open meditation. We sit for three 20 minute periods of zazen, with a few minutes of kinhin in between. Everyone is welcome to sit as long as they’d like; 20 minutes, 40 minutes, or the full hour. We are not planning on offering instruction; just another opportunity for experienced members of our sangha to practice together. If you are new and haven’t meditated before, we would encourage you to attend “Beginning Meditation Night” on Wednesday evening first.

All day Saturday Meditation Retreats (Zazenkai)

The Center is open on some Saturdays for zazenkai; a day long meditative retreat.

Mini Sesshin with Roshi Lawson Sachter

Clear Water Zen Center has three-day intensive meditation several times a year.
Usually, we begin three rounds of sitting on Thursday evening at 6:30 pm with a tea ceremony and finish at 8:30 pm.

Friday and Saturday are all day from 8:30 am until 5:00 pm where we sit in Zazen, have chanting practice, a work period, Teisho (a Dharma talk by a Roshi), Dokusan (individual instruction) along with rest periods and lunch which is provided by the center.

Sunday is our usual program from 9:30 am til 11:30 am, and we finish with a closing circle.

It is a great opportunity to deepen practice for beginners and experienced practitioners. You are welcome to participate in the whole weekend or parts; we just ask that you let us know in advance so we get the food quantities correct.

Book Club

Usually, Book Club is scheduled monthly on the third Thursday evening at 6:30 pm, finishing at 8:30 pm.

Please check our Updates page for info on special events, workshops, and retreats. We encourage everyone to RSVP for all events.

If you would like more information, email us at info@clearwaterzencenter.org or call us at (727) 537-0869 if you have any questions.