Coming for an Introduction
Introductions to our zazen practice are held weekly at all locations for the london zen groups.
Everybody is welcome to attend
please be on time as introductions start promptly at 7pm,
5pm at Warren Street
The introduction is not meant to be a 'course' on buddhism, on meditation, or even on zen. It is simply an introduction to our practice of zazen, and to the various forms and etiquette we use. Once you have attended an introduction, you are welcome to come and practice with us, or indeed with any affiliated group, whenever you like.
Introductions take aproximately 20 minutes and afterwards there will be a period of zazen that will be about an hour long, with a 5 or 10 minute interval of Kinhin (slow, concentrated walking) in the middle.
After zazen, we will chant a few short sutras, you will be given a sheet with the words so you can join in.
There is no need to book a space, or contact us to attend an introduction.
All our introductions as well as all our periods of zazen, are entirely drop-in.
If for some reason we need to cancel an introduction or zazen, a notice will likely be posted on this website, on the front page under "announcements", but will most certainly be announced via our mailing list - which you can join here.
The South London group does not meet on bank holiday mondays.
The Warren Street group STARTS meeting on 31st August, 2010
What to wear
As you will be sitting on a cushion (called a zafu) on the floor, please wear loose fitting clothing. Also, it is customary for us to wear dark or subdued colours and to dress modestly to avoid distracting other practitioners.
Cost
To help us pay for the cost of hiring the room (and other expenses), we ask a small fee for attending introductions and zazen as follows:
Per sitting:
- Recommended - £5
- Concessions - £3
Monthly - (allowing you to attend as often as you like, at both of our London sitting groups):
- Recommended for Ordained Persons - £25
- Recommended - £20
- Concessions - £15
We never want lack of money to be a barrier to practice. If it's an issue for you, please speak to the person in charge.