Getting Started

Each of our Zen Garland Order centers offers an Introduction to Zen Practice. This is scheduled at various times and in differing formats – a brief explanation of meditation and the zendo (training hall) etiquette, a half-day or full-day class, or a weekend workshop.

Additionally you can access a 14-video lecture course by Roshi Genki called: Introduction to the Zen Garland Way-The Ever Intimate of Zen Practice. To take this course follow this link:

Introduction to The Zen Garland Way – The Ever Intimate of Zen Practice

To register for an Introduction to Zen Practice, please sign up online or call the center in your area where you wish to attend.

Some of the topics we cover in our Introduction to Zen Practice:

• The Body, Breath and Mind in Basic Zen Meditation
• We show you meditation positions on chair, bench, and floor mat-and-cushion, helping you find which suits you best.
• We teach you the basic abdominal breathing style for meditation.
• We present some anatomy from Chinese medicine and help you learn to rest your attention in the kikai point an inch below your navel
• Zendo Etiquette
• Key terms in Buddhism and Zen
• A brief history of Buddhism and the development of Zen
• The Zen Path through the metaphors of the Ox Herding Pictures
• The services of the local center
• The mission, lineage history and structure of The Zen Garland Order