Become a Member

We welcome beginners or those of any experience level in Zen or other schools of meditation. Our teachers represent a wide range of experience, and we will tailor a program that works for you within the framework of your current lifestyle. Anyone with the desire to look within can practice Zen and experience substantial progress within the first few months.

Open Mind Zen is a lay lineage, which means we do not train priests or monks. Lay practice is a unique facet of Zen practice in the West, and one learns to integrate the lessons learned in sitting meditation practice into one’s work and relationships. However, we do offer two empowerments for those wishing to go deeper into their practice: Lay Precepts and Lay Monk Precepts. During these ceremonies, one agrees to certain basic precepts which are similar to those traditionally agreed to by those becoming monastics, but in this case apply to the situations encountered in daily life of work and family.

You can participate in Open Mind Zen as a member or as a student. Members attend when they can and support OMZ through a $75 per month donation. Members normally do not have regular contact with a teacher, but simply wish to meditate with the group. Students support OMZ through a $125 per month donation and agree to the Practice Paths that have been established. They have regular face-to-face meetings with a teacher on koan practice or other practice as is determined through the student/teacher interaction.

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