Zen Buddhist Meditation Center
Everyone welcome
***ANNOUNCING***
| Become a Resident at ASZC |
| Click for information on our Residency Program |
Our weekly schedule in a nutshell:
SUNRISE MEDITATION: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 6:00-7:05 am. Join us any time.
MON 7:30 - 9:00 PM: Book Discussion Group
TUE 7:30 - 9:00 PM: Skype conference
WED 7:30 - 9:00 PM: Introduction to Zen Meditation
SUN 9:00 AM - NOON: Soto Zen Service
Please find more details following the link
STUDENTS: If you are visiting for a class (e.g. Comparative Religion), please come to our 7:30p Wednesday Workshop: "Introduction to Zen Meditation." You may also attend Sunday morning, but will have less time for Q&A. Please DO NOT drop by unannounced at any other time.
This ensures that there is someone who can answer your questions and you will not disturb the residents.
Upcoming Events
| Eighth Annual STO Precepts |
| Retreat & Conference |
| Deepening Sangha Harmony |
| Tuesday, July 10 - Sunday, July 15 |
| Atlanta Soto Zen Center |
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| The Precepts Retreat and Annual Conference is a time for our diverse and widespread sangha to come together to deepen harmony in our community and rededicate ourselves to Zen Practice. During our 6-day meditation retreat, through daily dharma talks, we will study how the Bodhisattva Precepts and the Paramitas build and sustain harmony within the individual and in our local and world communities. The week will conclude with a Jukai Tokudo Ceremony (Receiving the Precepts). |
| The retreat will incorporate the STO Annual Conference on July 13. The annual meeting of the Silent Thunder Order Board of Directors this year will focus on discussing and approving a strategic plan covering 2018-2023. The plan will be a central feature showing how we will move forward in sharing the Dharma. |
| Click the REGISTRATION LINK for more information and to register. |
| For additional information contact Zenku at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
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| Just Sit Saturday is an opportunity to enhance your daily practice and improve your meditation skills for longer retreats offered during the year. We will focus on just sitting zazen, broken into morning and afternoon sessions: |
| MORNING SESSIONS |
| 9AM to NOON (six sessions - 25 min sitting + 5 min walking) |
| LUNCH: NOON to 12:55PM Bring a brown bag for lunch or enjoy the free lunch (included with the $30 fee). |
| AFTERNOON SESSIONS |
| 1:00 PM to 3:25 PM (five sessions - 25 min sitting + 5 min walking) |
At this event, we will not have zazen instruction for first timers. We request - if you are inexperienced in meditation - that you attend the “Introduction to Zen Meditation” class held at the Atlanta Soto Zen Center on Wednesday nights @ 7:30 PM before attending this event. |
COST |
| $20 for morning only or afternoon only sessions. |
| $30 for both morning and afternoon sessions (Includes free lunch). |
| Registration Link |
| Note: If you choose not to register/pay online, fee can be placed in the Dana Donation box at the Zendo |
Monday Book Discussion Group
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"Opening the Hand of Thought"
by Kosho Uchiyama Roshi
Starting April 2, 2018
Every Monday
7:30 - 9:00 pm
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| The first 25 minutes is zazen followed by an informal discussion that ends at 9:00 PM | ||
| Detailed Reading Schedule | ||
| COMMUNITY OUTREACH |
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| • Newcomers | — Instruction/Orientation/Workshop Wed 7:30 pm |
| • Atlanta Region | — Dialog with interfaith groups, schools, public |
| • Training Center | — Formal training of Priests and Disciples of STO |
REGULAR PRACTICE PROGRAM |
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| • Buddha Practice | — Daily sitting meditation sessions (zazen) |
| • Dharma Study | — Regular dialogs & discussion forums |
| • Sangha Service | — Weekly sutra services & social events |
CALENDAR RETREATS |
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| • Zazenkai | — Monthly Friday—Saturday retreat |
| • Sesshin | — Annual; Precepts; Buddha’s Elightenment Day |
| • Hossen | — 5th Sunday Dharma Combat (4/year) |
| • Ango | — 30- & 90-day practice period (student residency) |
SPECIAL EVENTS |
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| • 4th Friday Forum | — Sangha dinner & discussion; guest speakers |
| • Guest Teachers | — Visiting Zen teachers, authors & educators |
| • Holidays | — Buddhist Holidays; Founder’s Day; New Year |
| • Practice Path | — Initiation (Jukai); Discipleship (Zaike Tokudo) |
The Atlanta Soto Zen Center, founded in 1977, is one of the larger non-residential Zen centers in the country, offering a full schedule of morning and evening zazen, zen meditation and protocol instructions for beginners, monthly all-day sittings (zazenkai) and occasional week-long retreats (sesshin).
Please come join us in our beautiful location on Zonolite Place and look for opportunities to begin or deepen your Zen practice.
Please come join us in our beautiful location on Zonolite Place and look for opportunities to begin or deepen your Zen practice.
We also have a network of affiliated centers and sitting groups throughout the country and Atlanta suburbs. For locations, please see the Silent Thunder Order affiliates page.
We are pleased to announce the publication of the first and second volumes of teaching archives of our lineage founder, Rev. Soyu Matsuoka-roshi (click here to purchase).
Silence/Thunder calligraphy by Rev. Dr. Soyu Matsuoka-roshi