Zen Peacemakers West Coast
Feeding the Hungry Ghosts > 2115 Charlotte St > at Los Angeles County Hospital > Dec 20, 2025 > 4-7PM > Winter Solstice
Bearing Witness Event in San Diego >>>> February 14, 2026 > exact location TBD
Bearing Witness to Life on the Streets
September 3 – 7, 2026 : REGISTER HERE
This retreat gives you the opportunity to bear witness to life on the streets of Los Angeles. Each day we will walk through the city, eat at soup kitchens, sit, walk, rest, practice council, chant, ride the bus, and practice asking for what we need. At the end of the day we will sleep near a temple, church or Dharma center. “When we go to bear witness to life on the streets, we’re offering ourselves. Not blankets, not food, not clothes, just ourselves.” ~Bernie Glassman, Bearing Witness
Prism Zen Circle
Prism Zen Circle is a nomadic sitting group, cofounded and stewarded by many. Meeting monthly at different locations in Los Angeles to sit meditation, share dharma, and take social action.
A prism reveals the different colors of light that are already present. Like a prism, this Zen circle intends to support future Zen leaders and teachers, to facilitate spaces for many types of people to find connection and wake up. Contact here for event details and be on our mailing list.
- Soft Opening > Atwater Village > Sun, Sept 28, 2025 > 9AM -12PM
- Zen & the 11th Step > AT Center > 1773 Griffith Park BL 90026 > every Sat (5-6pm)
- Long Beach Meditation > Sun, Oct26 > 3-4:30PM
- Feeding the Hungry Spirits at LA County Hospital > Sat, Dec 20 > 4-7PM
- Meditation in Griffith Park – Crystal Springs Picnic Area > Sat, Jan 31, 2026 > 9-11:30AM
- 1-day Meditation Retreat > East LA > Fri, Feb 27, 2026 > 6am – 8pm
Taking Refuge: Zen Peacemaker Precept Course
Amid global wars, domination of nature, and ongoing human centricity, this is a chance to stop, reflect, and make a vow that sets your direction. How are you living an undivided life? How to create pathways that move us closer together? Taking refuge is a way to deepen and realize the Zen Peacemaker Rule, available to all who complete the ZPO formation, with an opportunity to receive the precepts thru a Buddhist Jukai ceremony, with a rakusu, at the end.
This is a co-lead course by three Zen Peacemaker Order (ZPO) Preceptors, Participants will hear teachings on the precepts, contemplation on precepts, written reflections, verbal expression of the precepts thru dyad/triad and group work, and ritual practices. Click link below for more information about the Zen Peacemaker Order (ZPO).
Woman’s Leadership in Buddhism Program 2024
supported by a Frederick P. Lenz Foundation grant on behalf of University of the West and Zen Center of Los Angeles
Engaged Buddhism, Engaged Compassion, Engaged Zen
Taught @ Harvard School of Divinity, University of the West, & Breadloaf Mountain Zen Center
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
What is Buddhist ministry? How does your Buddhist practice engage with the world? How do you maintain work-life balance? How has Buddhism shaped and responded to social and cultural change? This course is an adventure into sharing spiritual practice within meditation, study, contemplation, ritual, and daily activities. Together we explore aspects of learning, stewardship, perspective taking, conflict-resolution, stretching your window of tolerance, and having fun!
Participants learn about the history and context of engaged Buddhism within a few traditions, study teachings of compassionate action in Buddhist scriptures and contemporary texts, and experience engaged Zen through a weekly class, contemplative practices, and a temple visit. We consider how meditation and embodied ethics relate to taking action, flexibility, interdependence, justice, and global change. The aim of this course is to create a container for participants to experience being a compassionate presence in the world. It can be taught as an in-person intensive retreat of a 10-12-week zoom course.
Death Doula
It is really difficult to talk about death and dying, and even more difficult to face that dying is happening. If you are dying, I can help you and your family create a container for conversations around the dying process, as well as navigate, articulate, and advocate for your particular needs around death, dying, and change. More about End of Life Services and Transition Rituals here.
Jitsujo 