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Welcome!We welcome all who want to learn more about Zen Buddhist meditation. Our vibrant community is committed to Zen practice and teachings, and offers daily sitting meditation, weekly classes and lectures, and monthly intensive meditation retreats. Our Center is located on the eastern shore of Lake Calhoun in south Minneapolis. People from all over the region come to here to listen to talks by teachers, attend classes and workshops, participate in retreats, attend services, and, most importantly, to do sitting meditation (zazen). Are you new to Meditation, Zen Buddhism, or the Center?A good place to begin would be Introduction to Zen Meditation on Sunday mornings, or the Tuesday Night Gathering. Each session includes meditation instruction and teaching on how meditation and Zen relate to daily life. For Introduction to Zen Meditation join us any Sunday and then return the next three Sundays to complete the four-week cycle. (For those months that have a fifth Sunday, a fifth talk is offered. It is considered an "optional" part of the cycle.) The four parts are not sequential, so you may attend them in any order. You are welcome to attend as many sessions as you like, but attend all four for the best overview. These classes are open to all with no pre-registration necessary. Admission is first come, first served, and the class often fills. We advise that you come a few minutes early. Those who can't attend the Introduction generally stay and enjoy the Sunday talk instead. Donations are gratefully accepted. The class meets every Sunday from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Participants are welcome to stay for tea and social hour at 11:00. Tuesday Night Gathering is a weekly opportunity to come together for meditation and Zen teaching. Newcomers and experienced practitioners alike are invited and encouraged to participate. This gathering is designed to provide a regular weekly cornerstone for your practice. Each session includes guided meditation, a brief dharma talk, silent meditation, and an opportunity for questions and discussion. Tuesday Night Gatherings take place every Tuesday 7:15 – 8:30 p.m. If you are visiting MZMC to fulfill a class requirement, we suggest attending our Sunday morning lecture at 10 a.m. You may also contact our office to set up a visit. Sunday MorningsSunday mornings are a good time to become familiar with the MZMC community. Sunday Morning Schedule The Sunday talks provide continued learning about Zen Buddhism and offer you a chance to know the teachers more fully. You are invited to join us for any part of the morning schedule. We hope to see you then! 9:10 Sitting Meditation Click here to listen to Sunday Talks online 
Subscribe to our Sunday Talks podcast using iTunes. 
To subscribe to our Sunday Talks podcast with another service, use this rss feed:http://mnzencenter.org/audio/rss.xml June EventsDharma Family Sundays Shuso Ceremony for Wanda Isle: All are welcome! Tim and Wanda are co-leading the June sesshin (see below for details); it concludes with Wanda's shuso ceremony at 4 pm on Sunday. Retreat participants are invited to stay, and all others are welcome to join in this ceremony, a community favorite! The ceremony is a recognition and celebration of Wanda's many years of dedication to the dharma and marks her transition to senior student. Wanda will answers questions from the audience regarding a koan chosen by Guiding Teacher Tim Burkett. June Weekend Sesshin and Shuso Ceremony (Sunday, 4 pm) At this formal meditation retreat, we follow the forms and rituals used in the Soto Zen tradition for centuries. The sesshin includes zazen, kinhin (walking meditation), liturgy, dharma talks, formal vegetarian meals using oryoki, dokusan (one-to-one meetings with the teacher), and work practice. All participants should attend the orientation on Friday, June 14. Tim and Wanda are co-leading this retreat; it concludes with Wanda's shuso ceremony at 4 p.m. on Sunday. This ceremony is a recognition and celebration of Wanda's many years of dedication to the dharma and marks her transition to senior student. Wanda will answers questions from the audience regarding a koan chosen by Guiding Teacher Tim Burkett. All are welcome to attend the ceremony! Member Thank-you Evening, Summer Solstice Thank you members for your volunteer work and generous support of the Zen Center! The membership committee will sponsor a night of music, food, and fun. We'll celebrate summer solstice together in honor of our members, whose work and commitment keep the Center running smoothly. Book Reading: Getting to Ellen: A Memoir about Love, Honesty and Gender Change Please join us on June 28 at 7:00 p.m. when member Ellen (Ellie) Krug will read from her recently published book, Getting to Ellen: A Memoir about Love, Honesty and Gender Change. In particular, Ellie will share how Buddhism was pivotal to her gaining the self-acceptance she needed to transition from male to female. A general discussion will follow the reading. Ellie's book will be available for purchase; she will donate all profits to the MZMC. This is sure to be an interesting event, and a great way to begin Pride Weekend! Volunteer with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity! Minnesota Zen Meditation Center will continue its partnership with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity this June. Volunteers are needed to help landscape two St. Paul homes in their final phase of construction on Saturday, June 29. Master Gardeners from the University of Minnesota will be on-hand to provide supervision and leadership. You will receive a note confirming your participation within one week of registration. Please specify the location you prefer. Thank you! July EventsMZMC Youth Group MZMC is pleased to offer a group for preteens and teens, ages 11 and up, to explore Buddhism in a fun and supportive environment. It will meet the first Sunday of each month from 11:30 - 12:45. The direction of the group will be determined by the youth themselves, but some possibilities include meditation instruction, discussions about how Buddhism applies in various "real life" situations, art and writing projects, field trips, talks on Buddhism, and a look at Buddhist chanting and ritual. The group will be coordinated by Ted O'Toole, with assistance from priests and sangha members. For more information email us info@mnzencenter.org One-Day Retreat One-Day Retreats (formerly called Mindfulness Days) are conducted in a contemporary context, without the formal elements involved in sesshin. They include walking and sitting meditation, a dharma talk, one-to-one meetings with the teacher, a vegetarian buffet lunch, and work practice. Meditators at all levels of experience are invited. Zen Poetry: How is the inexpressible expressed? Many of the greatest expressions of Zen wisdom have come in the form of poetry, often focusing on encouragement for practice and appreciation of nature. Many great teachers of our past have used poetry as one of their principal means of revealing their way and their wisdom. This class will allow you to wade into one of the world's great bodies of spiritual literature. Hatha Yoga for Zazen Come explore how Yoga asana practice can assist seated meditation. We will examine our posture with an emphasis on the relationship of the spine to key joints of the body including hips, knees, and shoulders. We will also explore the breath and its connection to posture as well as its effect on the central nervous system. This workshop will include a full slow-paced vinyasa yoga session along with seated and walking meditation. Please bring a yoga mat. |
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Our mission is to help people experience a deep and quiet joy – a joy that arises whenever we are fully engaged in the work or play of this moment. |  |