Louisville Zen Center
Zen has long been a tradition rooted in mentorship. To address potential confusions or challenges in meditation, practitioners have traditionally sought guidance from seasoned instructors. This support comes in various forms, including group sessions, individual instruction, and Zen talks. Below, you'll find an overview of the different types of instruction available at the Louisville Zen Center. For dates and details for each type of instruction, please visit the Louisville Zen Center home page and calendar.
This workshop is designed for those new to Zen meditation, seeking a refresher, or interested in practicing within the Rochester Zen Center lineage. It covers essential topics such as meditation posture, types and use of meditation equipment, breathing, concentration, walking meditation, and more.
In-person workshops begin at 5:30 PM. We take a brief break around 6:20 PM, followed by practice from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. After a simple, 10-minute cleanup, we wrap up with tea and final questions until about 8:00 PM. We suggest a donation of $20, payable by cash, check, or PayPal. To sign up, please email us.
If you're interested in online workshops, we recommend checking out sessions hosted by our mother temple, the Rochester Zen Center. You can find information, current schedules, and registration details on their website here.
Group Instruction
After attending the Introduction to Zen Meditation workshop (or an equivalent program), you are invited to participate in group instruction which is a question-and-answer forum.
One advantage of group instruction is that it does not involve group discussions. Instead, the focus is on one-on-one interactions between the questioner and the instructor, with other participants listening quietly. This format allows you to gain insights from others' questions and answers without the pressure to actively participate in a group discussion.
Private Instruction
Daisan, or Private Instruction, is a personalized one-on-one session with a senior student/instructor. In these sessions, you'll receive guidance on posture, breathing, and key elements of Zen practice. Additionally, there may be opportunities for more conversational discussions, allowing you to explore personal issues related to your practice, time permitting.
Ven. Jissai Prince-Cherry provides Daisan monthly during Louisville Zen Center's Thursday evening sitting, available both online and in-person. Louisville Zen Center members and Rochester Zen Center members can also schedule individual instruction sessions with her, typically held on Wednesdays. Additionally, she offers Private Instruction open to everyone during Rochester Zen Center's online-only sitting on Friday nights (email receptionist@rzc.org for Zoom access).
Dharma Talks and Teisho are instructional presentations that delve into various aspects of Buddhist and Zen teachings, as well as the application of Zen meditation in daily life. These talks are delivered during formal sitting periods, with listeners facing outward.
Dharma Talks are delivered by senior students/instructors and may include a question-and-answer session afterward. In contrast, Teisho are given by fully sanctioned teachers and do not feature a Q&A session.
Encouragement Talks are short Dharma Talks, usually lasting about 10 minutes or less, delivered during a formal sitting period with listeners facing the wall. These talks do not include a question-and-answer session.