Zen Open Circle - Sydney - Meditation, Zen Meditation and Meditation Retreats
 
 
 
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Zen Open Circle is a lively and very Australian Zen community that is open to every sincere enquirer, without exception.


What is Zen? What is ‘Zazen’?

Our practice is seated meditation (‘zazen’) in shared silence, together with walking meditation, some sutras and bows, talks and conversation with our Zen teacher. Zen invites us to wake up from the small dream of the self by paying steady, loving, open attention to the present moment. More about Zen meditation and how we practice.


Weekly Meditation

Weekly group meditation takes place every Friday from 6-8pm at Sangha Lodge, 20 Victoria Street, Lewisham. Easy parking, and only 50m from Lewisham Station. All are welcome including newcomers, but people needing more detailed orientation are encouraged to come to the next available Full-day Sit (see below) to meet with the teacher. Get map and more detail.


One-Day Sits with the Teacher

We also meet on the first Sunday of most months this year, for a One-Day Sit with the teacher, from 10.30am-3.30pm, at our old home, The Buddhist Library, 90 Church Street, Camperdown. Join us for a full retreat day of practice and teaching, plus a chance to share food and catch up. Newcomers welcome – orientation provided. Get map and more detail.


Our Teacher

Susan Murphy Roshi is our founding and resident Zen teacher, as well as being teacher for the Melbourne Zen Group (mzg.org.au). She is a joint lineage holder in the traditions of Diamond Sangha stemming from the late Robert Aitken, and Pacific Zen Institute, stemming from John Tarrant. Our line of Zen includes both Soto (‘just sitting’) and Rinzai (koan introspection) streams of practice. More about Susan Murphy Roshi.

2013 Sesshin Dates
Autumn:  Not available this year:
(See MZG Autumn sesshin April 6-13)

Spring:  Saturday October 5-Saturday October 12
Find out more about Sesshin



Dates for Your Diary

Sesshins and Retreats in 2013 with Susan Murphy Roshi

Autumn Sesshin with Melbourne Zen Group
April 6-13, Casa Pallotti, Upper Yarra Valley, Victoria

Winter Writing and Meditation Retreat

Cloud Mountain, Woodhill, via Berry NSW, dates tbc

Spring Seven Day Sesshin
October 5-12, Kodoji, Upper Macdonald River via St Albans, NSW


Do you wish to stay in touch with ZOC news and events? Email Keith McGuckin (k.mcguckin@bigpond.com) with your name from your preferred email address simply using the subject line 'Include Me In'. Our old Google Groups list has stopped working adequately and is no longer in use.

Gorricks Run Zen Meditation Retreat
 

Zen Open Circle runs several different types of events. Firstly, on Friday nights from 6-8pm we sit as a group without the teacher at our new 2013 venue: Sangha Lodge, at 20 Victoria Street, Lewisham, Sydney. Further information on these weekly Friday night sits is available here.

Secondly, on one day in most months we meet for an extended One Day Sit with our teacher at our old venue, the Buddhist Library in Camperdown, Sydney. More information on those regular One Day Sits is available here.

We also have several other regular events, such as a Sutra Study class, and extended Sesshins (retreats) which typically run for a week several times a year. For more information on the Sutra Study class contact Keith McGuckin. Information on the extended retreats is available here.

May
Saturday May 4th (9.30-11.30am): Sutra Study II Sunday May 5th (1-6pm): One-Day Sit (Buddhist Library)

June
Saturday 1st (9:30-11.30am): Sutra Study III Sunday 2nd (10.30am-3.30pm) One-Day Sit (Buddhist Library)

July
Writing, Art & Meditation Weekend Retreat @ Cloud Mountain (Details to be confirmed)

August
Saturday 3rd (9.30-11.30am): Sutra Study I Sunday 4th (10.30am-3.30pm): One-Day Sit (Buddhist Library)

August/September
Saturday 31st (9.30-11.30am): Sutra Study II Sunday 1st (10.30am-3.30pm): One-Day Sit (Buddhist Library)

October
12th-19th Spring Sesshin at Gorricks Run

November
Saturday 2nd (9.30-11.30am): Sutra Study III Sunday 3rd (10.30am-3.30pm): One-Day Sit (Buddhist Library)

December
Saturday 7th (9.30-11.30am): Sutra Study IV Sunday 8th (timing TBC): End of Year Rohatsu Sit

 

 

 

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