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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 moved into 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 spirituality. 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 book exploring the indispensable role of the teacher in the process of coming to awakening (mostly as a way to figure out what he's supposed to be doing). SHODHIN GEIMAN

OUR LINEAGE Practice at the Chicago Zen Center has from the very beginning been built upon a strong teaching tradition. Philip Kapleau, the Center's founding teacher, is widely recognized as one of the major contributors to the establishment of an American Zen in the Harada-Yasutani tradition. His Three Pillars of Zen continues to serve as a sure guide for anyone interested in getting to know something of Zen from the inside out. At its founding in 1974, the Chicago Zen Center was an affiliate of the Rochester Zen Center, where Kapleau was abbot. When Kapleau passed on the abbotship of the RZC to his Dharma heir, Bodhin Kjolhede, responsibility for the CZC was passed on as well. Both Kapleau and Kjolhede would travel to the Midwest (Chicago or Madison, WI) at least twice a year for short sesshins, and CZC members often made the trip to Rochester to attend longer sesshins there. Their dedication to the Chicago sangha helped the Center to grow, and by 1996 the CZC was large and established enough to warrant its own resident teacher. Sevan Ross, who had trained extensively in Rochester, moved to Chicago that year and was made its first autonomous teacher in 1997. At the same time, the CZC became financially and administratively independent of Rochester, but the CZC continues to maintain Dharma ties with RZC and the other sanghas throughout the world that have their roots in the Kapleau teaching tradition. After almost a decade and a half of tireless service, Ross decided the time was right for a new teaching generation to guide the Center. Yusan Graham was sanctioned as a teacher in 2009, ordained a priest in 2010, and installed as the new abbot that same year. Under his leadership the sangha stabilized and grew both in numbers and in the spirit of dedicated practice. In 2021 Yusan sanctioned Shodhin Geiman, a priest of the Center since 2010, as a teacher in his own right. In 2023 Yusan retired as abbot and designated Shodhin as his successor. Philip Kapleau Bodhin Kjolhede Sevan Ross Yusan Graham Shodhin Geiman

BOARD OF TRUSTEES The Board of Trustees of the Chicago Zen Center is tasked with setting administrative policy and overseeing the financial and legal affairs of the Center. The Board is composed of five members, four elected by the sangha and one appointed by the Board. A member of the Board, whether elected or appointed, may serve no more than two consecutive two-year terms before being required to sit out a year before possibly being reelected or reappointed. To serve on the Board, one must be a non-ordained member of the Center in good standing. The members of the Board of Trustees and the dates their terms expire are: Andrew Kasprzycki, Chair (04/2026-2) Ellen McClure (04/2027-1) Mary Reynolds (04/2026-2) Hugh Thomas (04/2027-2) Travis White-Schwoch (10/2027–1) Pictured left to right: Mary Reynolds, Ellen McClure, Travis White-Schwoch, Andrew Kasprzycki. Not pictured: Hugh Thomas CORPORATE OFFICERS The Center has four corporate officers as stipulated by the Bylaws. Officers are elected by the Board of Trustees annually, and their duties are outlined in the Bylaws and relevant parts of Illinois law. The Center's current officers are: President: Ven. Shodhin Geiman Vice-President: Hugh Thomas Secretary: Alex Shelley Treasurer: Nat Krause GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE The Center's Bylaws and Ethical Guidelines call for the establishment of a Grievance Committee. The Grievance Committee is tasked with fielding ethical complaints that may arise against any of the Center's administrators, officers or other leaders. A Center member may approach any of the Grievance Committee members to initiate the inquiry process. The current Grievance Committee members are: Wayne Guzy Mary Jeanne Larrabee Mary Reynolds In case one of the members is unable to serve or is the subject of the complaint, the Board will designate an alternate.

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, Feb 3, 7:00pm Spring Ango Sun, Feb 22–Sat, Apr 4 4-Day Sesshin Weds, Feb 25, 7:30pm—Sun, Mar 1, noonish Registrations Due Fri, Feb 20 Center Closed Tues, Feb 24 for set-up Center Closed Mon, Mar 2 Intro to Practice Tues, Mar 3, 7:00pm Intro to Practice Tues, Apr 7, 7:00pm Temple Night/Jukai Fri, May 1, 7:00pm Vesak Celebration & Potluck Sun, May 3, 10:00am Intro to Practice Tues, May 5, 7:00pm 4-Day Sesshin Weds, May 20, 7:30pm—Sun, May 24, noonish Registrations Due Fri, May 15 Center Closed Tues, May 19 for set-up Center Closed Mon, May 25 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

YOUR FIRST VISIT We welcome everyone who would like to get to know more about Zen practice in general and our Center in particular. Anyone may take part in any of our scheduled sittings, though because of the nature of the practice (one cannot just be a spectator) we ask that you plan for your first visit. The first option is to attend one of our Intro Nights, held on the 1st Tuesday of most months (see below). If you cannot make that, or if you want to get started before the next scheduled Intro Night, we ask that you arrive a full half hour (30-40 mins) before the start of any listed sitting to get oriented before formal rounds begin. Though it is not necessary, an email alerting us that you will be coming is helpful on this end (contact@chicagozen.org ). INTRODUCTION TO ZEN Held on the 1st Tuesday of most months, our "Intro Nights" offer a chance for persons with little or no experience of meditation to get a feel for practice here at the Center. These are led by one of the Center's ordained members, and they provide an overview of the practice, help getting established in a workable sitting posture, and time for questions before participating a round of zazen (two 25-minute periods of sitting with 5 minutes walking meditation in between) with Center regulars. Intro Nights begin promptly at 7:00pm . There is no charge, and no registration is required. After your first visit you are free to take part in all scheduled sittings, ceremonies, and the like. On Sundays and weekday evenings there is always someone in the front room 30 minutes before the start time; don't hesitate to ask any questions about the practice structure or procedures that are not yet clear. Anything related to your personal practice should, however, only be brought up in dokusan.

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) 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) THURSDAY 7:30 pm - 9:25 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)

OUR PRACTICE OUR PRACTICE The key elements of practice at the Chicago Zen Center are that stock of training tools come down from the time of the Buddha and refined over centuries. Philip Kapleau called them the "three pillars" of Zen: zazen, dokusan, and teisho. All are important, for each strengthens the others. We engage in them because they have proven themselves effective in uprooting the cause of our sorrow: the pervasive and relentless attachment to self. Through them, our spirit of aspiration is guided skillfully to the realization of the liberating promise of the Dharma. The practice life of the Center is therefore rather straightforward. We do not offer classes, host guest speakers, arrange excursions, engage in activism, or otherwise embellish the core practice. What we do offer is a unique setting to get down to the business of dedicated spiritual work for those who are eager to do it, along with appropriate support and guidance through it all. Here, we roll up our sleeves and squarely face the matter at hand, though always with a warm smile and an easy laugh—a kind of straight-up, Midwestern Zen, if you will. ZAZEN Zen gets its name as the "meditation only" school of Buddhism, and zazen, or seated meditation, is our primary—though by no means our only—practice. Zazen differs from other forms of meditation in that it calls for energy, determination, and courage as it opens us up both to the depth of our delusions and to the prospect of genuine insight. As Philip Kapleau put it, "The uniqueness of zazen lies in this: that the mind is freed from bondage to all thought-forms, visions, objects, and imaginings, however sacred or elevating, and brought to a state of absolute emptiness, from which it alone may one day perceive its own true nature." In this, all of the other components of the Eightfold Path—particularly moral uprightness and an aspiration to insight—come squarely to bear on the quality of one's zazen. While practicing zazen we maintain stillness through all the aches and pains, the emotional ups and downs, and the oscillations between enthusiasm and boredom that arise along the way. Only by so doing can we begin to see that we are not defined by what we experience or how we happen to feel. While one can certainly practice zazen at home, doing zazen with others in the zendo helps keep us on task without the usual distractions of everyday life and offers us an opportunity to bolster one another though the highs and lows of practice. DOKUSAN Because Zen practice is so much more than just "meditation," dokusan is offered at every scheduled sitting, and everyone—new or established, member or not—may make use of those opportunities. Dokusan is a private, one-on-one meeting with a teacher to take up matters related to practice. For the beginner, dokusan helps one establish practice by receiving pointers on one's zazen and addressing any issues, concerns, or mind states that arise in conjunction with it. For many, it is through dokusan that they begin to glimpse the mind of awakening and orient their zazen accordingly. For those with an established practice, dokusan helps focus the aspirational mind, and, depending on the student, koan work may be taken up as a way to hone and deepen one's insight by cutting through the lingering bonds of attachment, aversion, and ignorance. Daisan is similar to dokusan. Offered by a senior student, it takes up all matters of practice except koan work and the confirmation of insight. TEISHO Teisho is a living presentation of the Buddhadharma delivered by a teacher. Its primary purpose is not to impart information, provide instruction, or even edify, but simply to give voice to the Dharma today. Through the words of teisho, we find a framework for our practice and get a hint of where that practice can lead. While material may be drawn from recent articles or scholarship, the koan collections, the sutras, or everyday life, in the end, what is offered is the teacher's grasp of the truth for the possible benefit of those hearing it. Teisho is offered most every Sunday and every day during sesshin. Occasionally, a dharma talk, generally given by a senior student of the Center, is offered instead . KOAN WORK Zen doesn’t purport to dispense the truth; the truth is the birthright of each of us, embodied in our living experience. The teacher can do little more than use whatever means are at hand to direct the student’s attention to this self-revealing reality. As generation after generation of teachers found creative ways to nudge students toward a realization of the inner truth, records of these improvised teachings were passed forward in the form of “koans." These brief texts are widely used in Zen training as a prod to move the student beyond conceptualization, beyond the confines of ego-attachment, and toward a direct experience of the same living truth that those ancient masters were thrusting before their students. For those who are ready and willing to undertake an uncompromising inquiry into our true nature, koan work is an unparalleled vehicle. Our temple is heir to a long tradition of rigorous koan training, carefully preserved in all of its vitality. Once a student has developed a degree of stable, focused attention, koan work may be taken up as a way to harness that attention in a dynamic way.

CHANTING While the bulk of our common practice is carried out in silence, chanting is an integral part of the total practice package. Far from a departure from the stillness of the zendo, it is that stillness now maintained with the use of the voice. In this respect, it is simply another form of zazen. The words are not as important as our ability to throw ourselves completely into the chant, surrendering the ego in the rhythm of the instruments and the blend of our voices. We are helped in this regard by the fact that there are only a few chants that we do, and the chant lineup remains rather invariant week to week, year in and year out: Sunday Chanting Service The Three Treasures Prajna Paramita Hridaya (Heart of Perfect Wisdom) Kannon Sutra Shosai Myokichijo Dharani Return of Merit Sesshin Morning Chanting Service The Three Treasures Affirming Faith in Mind (Xin Xin Ming) Full Ancestral Line Sesshin Afternoon Chanting Service The Three Treasures Prajna Paramita Hridaya (Heart of Perfect Wisdom) Kannon Sutra Daihishin Dharani Return of Merit The Four Vows There are chant books available in the Buddha Hall, so there is no need to memorize the chants ahead of time. If you'd like to look at them on your own, download this pdf of the chant book.

ANGO From the earliest days of the Dharma, periods of intensified practice were built into the annual schedule. In ancient times, these coincided with the rainy season, when roads were impassible and the monastics were stuck together for several months anyway. Later, in Zen circles, these were reformatted as two 90-day periods a year known as ango , or peaceful abiding, when time on the mat was increased and other practices that helped cultivate and hone insight were taken on. No one can deny that there is a connection between the time and effort we put into our practice and the depth and extent of our insight. Of course, there is a danger in treating that connection as it it were equivalent to adding more quarters to the gum ball machine and expecting to get more gum balls as a result. (It just doesn't work like that , as anyone who has practiced for any length of time will tell you.) Still, undertaken with right understanding and right aspiration there is value in upping our game from time to time in order to fuel our effort, expose our egos to some much needed further abrasion, and bolster our determination going forward. And while we certainly are able to deepen our practice on our own, undertaking such intensification knowing there are others doing the same can only help fortify that bond we share as plain practitioners of the path set forth by the Buddha. Here at the CZC we schedule two ango periods a year, six weeks each, one in late winter/early spring and one in the fall. They are intended as opportunities to take dead aim at the grounds of ego-delusion by engaging more concertedly in the Center's practice offerings. What might one undertake during such a period? Here are some suggestions: • If you are in town and never (or rarely) come on a Sunday (missing out on chanting and teisho), you might commit to some particular number of Sundays to take part in the full range of practice. • If you are in town and do not come during the week (when there is just some solid sitting, especially on Thursdays when the practice block is longer), you might consider committing to some particular number of weeknights or mornings. • If you have been attending sittings with any frequency but have not availed yourself of dokusan much (or at all), you could commit to making dokusan a more integral part of your practice. • If you live out of town and are not in the koan collections, you might commit to some particular number of zoom dokusans. • If you live out of town and are in the koan collections, you might consider committing to one or two zoom dokusans a week. • If you feel that tending to the temple might strengthen your dedication to your personal and our collective practice, you could commit to some hours of volunteer work around the place. • If you'd like to hone your understanding of the Dharma you could commit to reading a key text from the tradition and arranging to discuss it with the teacher at times scheduled outside of dokusan. (This option is limited to those who have an established—i.e., more than a year or two—practice already; reading and discussion are not substitutes for, but rather a means for deepening and sharpening of, what one has come to know for oneself.) • Finally, if you have never attended sesshin (or haven't attended in quite a while, or have not yet attended a sesshin from start to finish) you could sign on for the sesshin that falls during the ango period. Whatever your commitment, make it known to the teacher before ango begins using this form . No one but you and the teacher will know what you are up to (thereby guarding against the temptation, however subtle, for comparing your practice with others). Don't bite off more than you can reasonably chew, but don't be shy about gently pushing some limits, either. Above all, be unflinchingly h onest about both your intentions and your practice. If you find your commitment flagging, get yourself back on track or else inform the teacher that you are tapping out. Upcoming ango periods will be announced with an email and indicated on the home page and the CZC calendar as they approach. TEMPLE NIGHT & JUKAI

OUR PEOPLE The Chicago Zen Center was founded in 1974 by a small group of people 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, not any political orientation, social theory, or statistically measurable identity markers. Here, at least, we practice simply as human beings in pursuit of the Way. If you have any questions, contact the Center: contact@chicagozen.org .

MEMBERS All are welcome to practice here, but membership in the Chicago Zen Center opens up opportunities for practice that go beyond mere attendance that help to sustain the CZC as a thriving, dynamic center. While the ordained of the Center make a particular commitment to the Dharma and those who practice here, it can truly be said that the life of the Center rests on the eager dedication, service, and support of its everyday members. Even if one is unable to frequent the Center with any regularity, membership is a vote of confidence in the CZC as an effective home of the Dharma. As your confidence in the Center grows, you are invited to help sustain this temple with your membership. The subheadings contain information on extra offerings available to the Center's members. To become a member, refer to the "Support & Membership" page .

GROUP VISITS The Chicago Zen Center is more than happy to welcome interested school and other groups. A teacher or professor or leader may wish to bring the whole group at once; in other cases, individuals may be required to visit the center on their own time as part of an individual paper or project. The Center is able to accommodate both kinds of visit. A group visit to the Center will generally take place in the morning or early afternoon and involve a short talk on Zen and this temple, a tour of the building including a description of the various procedures that take place, and an introduction to the sounds of the Center (bells, drum, mokugyo, kesu, etc.). After that, the group proceeds to the zendo, where everyone receives basic meditation instruction and posture demonstrations. A short (usually 20 minute) period of zazen followed by questions wraps up the visit. If you are a teacher, professor, or group leader, and you would like to bring the group all at once for an introduction to the Center and Zen practice, email the center at least six weeks in advance of the tentative date to schedule your visit. There is no charge for such visits, although a donation to the Center is wholly appropriate. GROUP VISITS INDIVIDUAL VISITS FOR CLASS A group visit allows a large number of people the easiest exposure to practice at the Center, but it takes place outside of normal practice times. To experience practice in the company of sangha members, students or group participants might be asked to attend a sitting individually or by twos or threes. Anyone taking part in such a visit will be expected to participate in the formal rounds of meditation without fidgeting or distraction. If you are a teacher, professor, or group leader, and you would like your students or participants to come individually or in very small groupings, email the Center at least one month ahead of time to determine the advisability of such visits for your particular students or participants. Again, while there is no charge for such visits, a small donation to the Center is wholly appropriate. INVITE A SPEAKER If your school, community group, or religious institution would like to have a representative of the Center address your group on Buddhism, Zen, interreligious dialogue, or any of our particular practices, contact the Center to see about availabilty.