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Living Wide Awake: A 90-Day Commit To Sit Practice Period
May 31st – August 28th, 2023
Led by New York Zen Center’s Guiding Teacher: Koshin Paley Ellison Sensei
with weekly dharma talks from Zen teachers Chodo Robert Campbell, Ben Connelly, Norman Fischer, Dai En Friedman, Issho Fujita, Konjin Godwin, Gesshin Greenwood, Diane Musho Hamilton, Genyu Kojima, Shinzan Palma, Ilia Shinko Perez, Ryoki Sato, Yuko Yamada, and Gyokei Yokoyama.
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.
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.
“This CTS has meant connection with others, a haven for expressing my thoughts, a resource of deep learning, exposure to experienced teachers and a consistent and dependable routine for learning.”
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.
Join us, our 16 wonderful teachers, and our broader community as we practice to strip away the negative filters that block connection and appreciation!
