Starting and Renewing Your Meditation Practice

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Give yourself a great start to the new year! Whether you're brand new to meditation or would like to reinvigorate your practice, the Zen Center of Syracuse offers foundational teachings in person and online. Discover how supportive it is to sit together in a community guided by a well-known Zen Master and senior practitioners.

Deep Presence Course (in-person or via Zoom), Jan. 30-Feb 27

How often are we really present for what is happening in any one moment? Distractibility interferes with our ability to listen, to focus, to respond, and to feel fully alive. Deep Presence is a course in the cultivation of attention without tension, and is taught by Shinge Sherry Chayat Roshi on five consecutive Tuesday evenings from 6 to 7:30 p.m. starting January 30. With warmth and humor, she will share simple meditation techniques, including breathing, posture, and basic principles of awareness. She will also lead a guided discussion that can help participants develop new insights and appropriate responses. The course will be offered in person at the Zen Center, with the option to participate via Zoom. Shinge Roshi has taught Deep Presence for several decades and people have said they’ve been profoundly changed by their experiences in the course. Click here for Deep Presence details and registration.

Thursday Evening In-Person Meditation, newcomer orientation, 6 to 8 p.m.

Every Thursday evening (except during sesshin, our meditation retreats), the Zen Center offers instruction for first-time visitors and anyone relatively new to Zen meditation at 6 p.m. in the Forman House (the front building at 266 West Seneca Turnpike). If you are coming for the first time, please let us know in advance by emailing admin@hoenji.org. Arrive at the front door by 5:50 p.m. On the first Thursday of the month, following two meditation periods in the Carriage House Zendo (behind the Forman House), we get together for tea and discussion, led by Shinge Roshi or a senior practitioner.

For all our in-person offerings: To help keep everyone safe, if you have any symptoms of illness, please stay home and join us on Zoom. Even if you feel well, we encourage you to wear a KN-95 mask.

Online only--Wednesday Evening Introduction to Zen Meditation via Zoom, 7 to 8:30 p.m. ET

This offering on Zoom is led by Dharma Teachers from the Zen Center and begins with instruction in meditation posture and technique, followed by a brief period of guided meditation. The next period of meditation is silent. Our last half hour is devoted to questions and answers, as well as discussion regarding the practice. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. No prior meditation experience is necessary and there is no cost to participate. This is a weekly drop-in class, so you may join once or return any time, with no need to pre-register.

Join Wednesday Intro to Zen Meditation Meeting
Meeting ID: 830 5980 9854
Password: intro2zen