- A 90-Day Online Commit to Sit Practice Period
LIVING WIDE AWAKE
When we meditate, we have the opportunity to attune to the freshness of the moment.
There is still time to join!
About Commit to Sit
Sixteen Zen teachers from across the United States and Japan will lead us in an in-depth exploration of Zen practice guided by our study text, Opening the Hand of Thought, Kōshō Uchiyama’s clear and accessible introduction to the practice of Zen Buddhism. The book covers a wide range of topics in a straightforward and down-to-earth manner, including the nature of the self and the relationship between Zen and everyday life. This book, as well as this practice period, offer a valuable opportunity for anyone interested in learning about or deepening their understanding of Zen Buddhism and themselves!
An International Group of Soto Zen Teachers
Led by New York Zen Center’s Guiding Teacher Koshin Paley Ellison with weekly dharma talks from 16 incredible Zen teachers from the US and Japan.

join today
Explore how we can open our hearts to a troubled world.
Develop your meditation practice and connection to community with our Summer Commit to Sit!
This unique practice period includes:
- Weekly dharma talks and Q&A by our teachers, live-streamed Sunday (and some Thursday) evenings at 7:30pm ET and will be available afterward via video recordings.
- Daily email reflections selected from the study text to support our learning.
- Daily community meditation opportunities through our Online & In-Person Zendo (the “One-do”) with participants from around the world, including two additional dharma talks each week.
- Opportunities for discussion with an online forum for reflection with other Commit to Sit practitioners.
- Additional resources (articles & videos) to support you in deepening your practice.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

About the Author
Kōshō Uchiyama Rōshi (1912-1998) was a Japanese Zen priest, author, and abbot of Antaiji monastery in Kyoto, Japan, having previously spent many years as a disciple of the renowned Kōdō Sawaki. Uchiyama Rōshi was known for his clear and direct teaching style, which emphasized the practice of zazen (sitting meditation) as a way of awakening to one’s true nature. Throughout his writing and teaching, he strongly emphasized the importance of integrating Zen practice into daily life. Despite never leaving his home country of Japan, his impact on the spread of Sōtō Zen throughout the world, through his disciples and through his writing, still reverberates strongly to this day.
“The important thing is to find a sane way to live out the reality of life. This is what a true spiritual practice is about: not spirit or mind separated from the body and the world, but a true way of life.”
Kōshō Uchiyama, Opening the Hand of Thought