Are you looking for meditation instruction in depth? A warm-hearted, lively Zen community in Sydney in which to practice Zen and study the Dharma with an established teacher in residence?  Are you curious about Zen koan study?  Or wanting to learn how to use your Zen creatively, in every aspect of everyday life?

Then you’ve found the right place.  Welcome to Zen Open Circle, a Zen centre offering Zen training in Sydney since 1999.  

The Way of Zen is about waking up to who you are and what this is, right where you are, in every condition and circumstance of ordinary life.  Our way of practice honours the old Chan or Zen path of awakening, while being thoroughly Australian and contemporary in spirit. We also seek respectful connection to the Aboriginal spirituality indigenous to this continent through short retreats each year in conjunction with Uncle Max Harrison, Yuin elder and educator.

... COME AND MEET US

Since 2001 we’ve offered weekly Friday evening meditation sessions at the Buddhist Library, 90 Church St., Camperdown in the inner city of Sydney that provide lively Zen teaching and training through talks and direct dialogue with our Roshi, Dr Susan Murphy author of Upside Down Zen.

... OUR TEACHER

Zen practice is taken to a deeper level of understanding in our regular Autumn and Spring week-long sesshin or silent retreats held at Gorricks Run retreat centre in the beautiful bushland of the Upper MacDonald River near St Albans, two hours from Sydney. We also offer two shorter weekend retreats a year in a bush zendo at Mittagong in the Southern Highlands.

.. 2009 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Membership of Zen Open Circle is open to all but you don't have to be a member to begin to sit with us. You may come to the Buddhist Library in Camperdown on any sitting night and receive half hour orientation to Zen practice from a teacher or senior student to get you started.  Detailed Zen training opens up from this point, through classes, Zen talks, dialogue with the teacher, and establishing an ongoing regular meditation practice.

.. HOW TO JOIN ZEN OPEN CIRCLE

Click here for Open Secret - Zen Open Circle Newsletter