Minnesota Zen Meditation Center

Daily meditation

Silent sitting, in person and on Zoom. The schedule is open to everyone by donation, and you are welcome for all of it or any part.

Join the sitting on Zoom Jump to today Check the calendar for retreat days

This week

All times are Central. Please be on your cushion five minutes before the first sitting. Every sitting here is also on Zoom.

Monday

Morning

  1. Be on cushion
  2. Sitting meditation
  3. Walking meditation
  4. Sitting meditation
  5. Service
  6. Work practice, until 8:00

Evening

  1. Be on cushion
  2. Sitting meditation
  3. Walking meditation
  4. Sitting meditation, until 7:00

Tuesday

Morning

  1. Be on cushion
  2. Sitting meditation
  3. Walking meditation
  4. Sitting meditation
  5. Service
  6. Work practice, until 8:00

Evening

  1. Be on cushion
  2. Meditation
  3. Tuesday talk and discussion, until 8:15
  4. Introduction to Zen Meditation, until 8:30. It has its own Zoom link.

Wednesday

Morning

  1. Be on cushion
  2. Sitting meditation
  3. Walking meditation
  4. Sitting meditation
  5. Service
  6. Work practice, until 8:00

Evening

  1. Be on cushion
  2. Sitting meditation
  3. Walking meditation
  4. Sitting meditation, until 7:00

Thursday

  1. Be on cushion
  2. Sitting meditation
  3. Walking meditation
  4. Sitting meditation
  5. Service
  6. Work practice, until 8:00

Friday

There are no sittings on Friday.

Saturday

  1. Be on cushion
  2. Sitting meditation
  3. Walking meditation
  4. Sitting meditation
  5. Service, until 10:30

Sunday

  1. Be on cushion
  2. Meditation
  3. Sunday talk
  4. Introduction to Zen Meditation, until 11:00. It has its own Zoom link.
  5. Tea and social time, except during retreats

Join on Zoom

One Zoom room carries every sitting, service and talk on this page. Come for all of it or any part.

Join the daily sitting on Zoom

Use this link for weekday mornings, Monday and Wednesday evenings, Tuesday evening meditation and talk, Saturday morning, and Sunday meditation and talk.

Introduction to Zen Meditation

The introductory class meets in its own Zoom room, Sunday at 10:00 am and Tuesday at 7:30 pm.

Join the introductory class on Zoom

Classes, retreats and affinity groups each have their own link. You’ll find them on the Zoom links for all programs page.

Retreat days and holidays

Daily meditation is suspended when retreats are in progress. The Sunday morning schedule is the exception: meditation, the talk, and the Introduction to Zen Meditation class take place as usual during retreats.

Check the calendar for retreat days and closures before you come.

Chants

The weekday morning and Saturday schedules include a chanting service. You can follow along from home or bring the text with you.

What is zazen?

Zazen, or “seated Zen”, is traditional Zen Buddhist meditation, and it is the main kind of meditation you’ll find here. It is practiced in silence, with no guidance offered.

There is no particular object to focus on. Instead, you stay as much as you can in the present moment, aware of what passes through your mind and what is around you. It’s simple but profound, taking only a few minutes to learn but a lifetime to master.

It often helps to meet and work with a teacher when practicing this way. If you are new to Zen or to the center, you may want to come to the Introduction to Zen Meditation class before joining these sittings.

New to sitting?

The Introduction to Zen Meditation class meets Sunday morning and Tuesday evening, in person and on Zoom.

Start with the intro class