Chicago Zen Center is a Zen Buddhist temple in the Rochester (Kapleau) lineage offering the full range of Zen training and practice. Chicago Zen Center The doors of the Chicago Zen Center are open to all who wish to know and live the Dharma of the Buddha in an atmosphere of sincerity and trust. We welcome all who wish to join us in this great undertaking. COMING UP Intro to Practice Tues, Oct 6, 7:00pm 4-Day Sesshin Weds, Oct 14, 7:30pm–Sun, Oct 18, noonish Registrations due Fri, Oct 9 Center Closed Tues, Oct 13 for set-up Center Closed Mon, Oct 19 Fall Sangha Meeting Sunday, Oct 25, 9:00am Informal sitting starting at 8:00am Intro to Practice Tues, Nov 3, 7:00pm Temple Night / Jukai Fri, Nov 20, 7:00pm Ceremony of Gratitude Sun, Nov 22, 10:00am Intro to Practice Tues, Dec 1, 7:00pm 4-Day Rohatsu Sesshin Weds Dec 9, 7:30pm—Sun Dec 13, noonish Applications due Weds, Nov 25 Center Closed Tues, Dec 8 for set-up Center Closed Mon, Dec 14 STARTING PRACTICE SESSHIN SUPPORT & MEMBERSHIP Receive CZC Email Notifications First name Last name Email I want to subscribe to your mailing list. Submit Thanks for submitting! Chicago Zen Center 2029 Ridge Ave Evanston, IL 60201 contact@chicagozen.org

ORDAINING As one's practice deepens, one may come to be grateful for those who have carried it to this moment, and one might begin to sense an urgency to pay it forward by living as a vessel of the Dharma for those who will follow. In such a case, one might find oneself thinking about ordaining as a priest. In our lineage priesthood ordination is relatively rare, for it is relatively rare to find a person with the depth of practice and insight, the soundness of character, and the strength of commitment to undertake it. Still, they are to be found, and our tradition has continued because we have been fortunate to have men and women who have stepped up to do what they can to pass it on. Ordination in our lineage is entirely distinct from sanctioning as a teacher. It is a publicly professed entry into a life of selfless service to the Three Treasures out of a wellspring of compassion for all still subject to dukkha. If you begin to feel a tug in the direction of ordaining, consult the description of the ordination process outlined here .

SESSHIN We are fortunate to have an ample building that makes it possible to accommodate up to 24 people for frequent live-in, multi-day retreats known as sesshin. There is no question but that sesshin is the highest expression of Zen training and a vehicle second to none for developing a focused, concentrated practice and honing the mind of awakening. Most anyone who has established their practice at the Center may take part in sesshin, and we warmly welcome practitioners from other Dharma centers, regardless of practice tradition. We offer sesshin five times a year, ranging in length from four to six days. The next scheduled sesshins are Oct 14, 7:30pm–Oct 18, 2026, noonish [deadline Oct 9] Dec 9, 7:30pm–Dec 13, 2026, noonish (Rohatsu) [deadline Nov 25] Feb 24, 7:30pm–Feb 28, 2027, noonish [deadline Feb 10] May 26, 7:30pm–May 30, 2027, noonish [deadline May 12] July 19, 7:30pm–July 25, 2027, noonish [deadline Jul 5] All participants live at the center, take part in daily cleaning and cooking activities, and spend upwards of ten hours a day in formal zazen (there is no Zoom option). The day is broken up by meals, a work period, a calisthenics period, and three rest periods. Two chanting services are held, and teisho is offered daily. Dokusan is offered three times in the course of a normal sesshin day. While full-time attendance is optimal, work and family commitments may make such attendance difficult, so it is possible to attend sesshin part- or short-time. Part-time attendance means that one will need to excuse oneself from some part of the sesshin day. Short-time attendance means that one will attend complete sesshin days, but not all of the days of sesshin, e.g. Friday-Sunday rather than a full Wednesday-Sunday. If one is coming part- or short-time, please make every effort to plan your arrivals/departures so they fall between two blocks in the sesshin schedule. But because sesshin is not just a bunch of rounds of zazen but is instead a full practice involving all the components of the sesshin day, no one will be accepted for sesshin if they only wish to attend isolated blocks. Simply put, if your intentions for sesshin attendance do not involve being on hand for any meals, work periods, or chanting services, then it is not sesshin that you are looking for. Consult with or email Nenshin, our Head of Zendo (nenshinnamowicz@gmail.com ) if you have any questions. For more specific details about sesshin proper, consult our Sesshin Guidelines . For the run of the sesshin day, consult the Sesshin Schedule . To apply for sesshin: APPLICATION

GALLERY

HEAD OF ZENDO NENSHIN NAMOWICZ As an 18-year old Nenshin first stumbled into the CZC in 1999 after finding the Center's address stamped in the back of a copy of Three Pillars of Zen. He quickly took his youthful enthusiasm to residential training at the Rochester Zen Center and, later, to Bukkoku-ji monastery in Japan. Af ter several years in Los Angeles pursuing a career in the architectural arts, he returned to his hometown of Chicago to start a family. He currently works as a part-time landlord, part-time grocer, and full-time father of two. Nenshin took over as Head of Zendo in 2023, and he has been the mastermind and muscle behind many of the Center's recent renovations. He ordained as a priest in September 2026.

A TYPICAL WEEK SUNDAY 8:00 am - 10:00 am One 50 minute* round of zazen (with dokusan), followed by chanting and teisho. Bagels, tea, coffee, etc. (optional) afterwards MONDAY 5:45 am - 6:35 am One 50 minute* round of zazen (with dokusan, including Zoom dokusan) TUESDAY 7:30 pm - 8:55 pm Three 25 minute rounds of zazen (with dokusan) with 5 minutes kinhin in between WEDNESDAY 5:45 am - 6:35 am One 50 minute* round of zazen (with dokusan) 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Zoom dokusan THURSDAY 7:30 pm - 9:20 pm Two 50 minute* rounds of zazen (with dokusan) with 10 minutes kinhin in between FRIDAY 5:45 am - 6:35 am One 50 minute* round of zazen (with dokusan) * There is a posture change at the halfway mark (25 mins)

ZENDO JOBS Drum Play the taiko drum at the start of sesshin and before teisho. Han Strike the wood block that signals the beginning of the rounds of zazen and announces teisho or chanting. Greeter Welcome new visitors and give them a brief orientation to practice, if needed. Lead Chanter Conduct the chanting services and assist at other ceremonies such as Jukai. Mokugyo Keep time during chanting on the mokugyo. Offices Offer incense at the Center's altars, chanting and ringing a small handbell between them, before morning sittings. Timer Ring the big bell, strike the clappers, and keep time with the inkin bell during formal rounds. When there is no monitor, the timer also announces and rings down the dokusan line. As an essentially lay, non-residential sangha, we have to rely on each other's readiness to step up and commit to the work of making formal practice a reality. Not only is this a way to keep the temple functioning, it also provides yet another occasion for one to learn to step out of the way and let things just as they are unfold. One place to begin is demonstrating a willingness to train at the various instruments and jobs that sustain our common practice. Some of the instruments and jobs almost anyone can be trained to play or do. Others require particular skill sets. Talk with the Abbot or the Head of Zendo if you'd like to take a stab at training up at any of these:

WORK While the residents are charged with general upkeep, larger projects that require many hands at once do crop up from time to time. On such occasions, members are encouraged to give of their time and energy to the extent to which they are able. SANGHA WORK DAYS Projects that require many hands and some hours of dedicated effort may be scheduled periodically on a weekend day or two. Check the calendar for any upcoming work days. VOLUNTEERING There are always more jobs to do than there is time to do them. If you have a couple of hours of your time you'd like to spend on upkeep, maintenance, or gardening, contact the Abbot or Head of Zendo to see what needs doing.

SENSEI & ABBOT Shodhin started practicing at the Center in 1996 while he was still living in Valparaiso, IN. A series of events meant moving closer and closer to the Center until, upon ordaining in 2010, he took up residence at the Center, where he now lives with his partner, Michael. He was sanctioned as a teacher of the Dharma by Yusan Graham in 2021 and became abbot of the CZC in 2023. Shodhin has written on aspects of the Dharma and on points of interface between Buddhist and Christian contemplative practice. His book, Alone in a World of Wounds: A Dharmic Response to the Ills of Sentient Beings , was published in 2022. Another, Obstacles to Stillness: Thoughts, Hindrances, and Self-Surrender in Evagrius and the Buddha , came out in 2023. He is currently working on a third book, Midwifing the Deathless, exploring the peculiar role of the teacher in the process of one's coming to awakening. SHODHIN GEIMAN

OUR PEOPLE The Chicago Zen Center was founded in 1974 by a small group of folks who were interested in practicing Zen as taught by Philip Kapleau in the Harada-Yasutani tradition. Since then it has grown into a complete practice center, under the guidance of established teachers, offering the full spectrum of Zen training and practice opportunities: daily sittings (all with dokusan), weekly teishos, a regular schedule of sesshin retreats, and a full complement of Buddhist celebrations and devotional services. The men and women who practice here come from every walk of life across all age ranges, from late adolescents through octogenarians (small children, for whom zazen would be a rather bizarre kind of time out, are more than welcome at our special ceremonies throughout the year). What unites us all is our diligent pursuit of the Dharma. Leaving our self-definitions to the side, here we practice simply as human beings in pursuit of the Way. If you have any questions, contact the Center: contact@chicagozen.org .

SUPPORT & MEMBERSHIP We are able to offer the Dharma to all only because of the generous support of so many. If you find it important to you that a place such as this is able to do the work it does, you might be moved to contribute financially to its support. Electronic contributions may be sent via the Donate button below (PayPal) or via Zelle using czc.business.mgr@gmail.com as the recipient (preferred). If your employer matches your charitable donations, our business manager can help you with the necessary filing information. At the end of each calendar year, the Center sends out contribution statements for you to use when filing your taxes. CONTRIBUTIONS Our temple is a community resource, and we offer the Dharma freely to anyone sincerely looking for support on their path to awakening. In keeping with the long Buddhist tradition, there is no charge for anything the Center has to offer. The only exception is sesshin, since it involves expenses connected with food and lodging, but even sesshin fees may be underwritten by resources from the Abbot's Fund in cases where one is unable to afford them on one's own. MEMBERSHIP When the Chicago Zen Center begins to feel like an integral part of your spiritual work, you might consider becoming a sustaining member. Dues are modest ($50/month or $600/year for regular individual membership; $75/month or $900/year for regular couples membership; $10/month or $120/year for students or those who are underemployed). They can be paid in cash at the Center, by check through the mail or at the Center, or electronically via the Donate button above (PayPal) or through Zelle to czc.business.mgr@gmail.com (preferred). Membership dues count towards your charitable donations for tax purposes. Be sure to fill out the Membership Form below so we have an accurate census and your contact information should we need it. Membership Form PLANNED GIVING One way to ensure the continued teaching presence of the Center is to include the Center in your estate planning. Even modest endowments can go some distance to help secure the building and programming of the Center into the future. For information on our tax identification number and the like, please consult the Center's business manager (czc.business.mgr@gmail.com ).

THE WIDER SANGHA The Chicago Zen Center is part of an extended family of centers that trace their teaching tradition back to Philip Kapleau and the Rochester Zen Center. While these centers and groups are for the most part self-governing, independent sanghas, they all share a common spirit of practice and aspiration that characterized Kapleau's teaching. The CZC has been pleased to host some of their teachers and sangha members from time to time, and members of any of these centers may attend CZC sesshins at the member rate. Auckland Zen Centre, (Ven. Amala Wrightson, Roshi) Berlin Zen Group , Germany (Robert Goldmann, Sensei) Casa Zen , Mexico City Casa Zen de Costa Rica, Heredia, Santo Domingo, Costa Rica (Ven. Bodhi Murillo, Sensei) Cloud Water Zen Centre , Glasgow (Karl Kaliski, Sensei) Helsinki Zen Center (Ven. Sangen Salo, Sensei) Madison Zen Center (Rick Smith, Sensei) Montreal Zen Center Mountain Gate New Mexico (Ven. Mitra Bishop, Roshi) Rochester Zen Center (John Pulleyn, Sensei, Ven. Dhara Kowal, Sensei, Ven. Jissai Prince-Cherry, Sensei) Roma Zen Center (Ven Amala Wrightson, Roshi) Toronto Zen Centre (Ven. Taigen Henderson, Roshi) Vermont Zen Center (Ven. Sunyana Graef, Roshi) Windhorse Zen Community North Carolina (Ven. Sunya Kjolhede, Roshi; Ven. Lawson Sachter, Roshi) Zen Center of Denver (Karin Ryuku Kempe, Sensei; Peggy Metta Sheehan, Sensei) Zenbuddhistiska samfundet Sweden (Ven. Sante Poromaa, Roshi; Ven. Kanja Odland, Roshi)