Coming for an Introduction
Please plan on attending an introduction the first time you come they are held twice weekly.
Everybody is welcome to attend
It’s very important to be on time as introductions start promptly at the posted time
Introductions are: 5:50pm on Mondays, 6:50pm on Thursdays, and (starting 23 March 2024) 4:20pm on Saturdays.
The introduction is not meant to be a ‘course’ on Buddhism, on meditation, or even on Zen. It is simply an introduction to our practice of Zazen, and to the various forms and etiquette we use. Once you have attended an introduction, you are welcome to come and practice with us, or indeed with any affiliated group, whenever you like.
Introductions take approximately 20 minutes.
Coming to Zazen
Zazen is quiet, attentive, wholehearted sitting – it is a formless meditation; without mantras, counting, levels, or visualisation. We sit still, in the correct posture, letting our thoughts pass, without grasping or rejecting.
The Program:
Our periods of zazen are normally about an hour long, with a 5 to 10 minute interval of Kinhin (slow, concentrated walking) in the middle. Morning schedules are a little different, and often we sit straight through the hour, with a short interval in the middle to stretch and change legs.
After Zazen, we will chant a few short sutras, you will be given a sheet with the words so you can join in. We chant our sutras in sino-japanese you can see a copy of our regular chants and a translation here. Our morning sittings often have a little more ceremonial aspects afterwards, including prostrations.
If for some reason we need to cancel introductions or Zazen at a scheduled time, a notice will likely be posted on this website, on the front page under “announcements”, but will most certainly be announced via our mailing list – which you can join here.
What to wear
As you will be sitting on a cushion (called a zafu) on the floor, please wear loose fitting clothing. Also, it is customary for us to wear dark or subdued colours and to dress modestly to avoid distracting other practitioners.
Donations
Please help us pay for our expenses (rent, gas & electric, rates, internet, etc. etc. )! When you join us, we humbly request a donation for your participation.
You are, of course, free to give according to your circumstances – more or less according to what you can afford.
Remember, we never want lack of money to be a barrier to practice.
| Suggested Per sitting: | Suggested Monthly: |
|---|---|
| £6 | Contributing on a monthly basis may be easier for you. We have a reciprocity agreement with Southeast London and donating monthly at either group, covers you for both. – £30 is the suggested monthly contribution, which you may adjust, of course, according to your means and how often you plan on attending. If you would like to donate monthly by standing order, please ask Hōsei Lana (lana@berrington.ca)for the bank details |