Auckland Zen Centre

03/03/2025

If you'd like to learn more about Te Tiriti o Waitangi - a free one-day workshop is coming up, organised by 350 Tāmaki Makaurau.

They write:
"As we continue our journey towards climate justice, understanding Te Tiriti o Waitangi is essential to grounding our mahi in Aotearoa’s unique context. That’s why we’re excited to invite you to our upcoming Te Tiriti Training with Tangata Tiriti - Treaty People!

This interactive, full-day workshop will help us explore the historical and contemporary impacts of Te Tiriti and how we can better uphold its principles within our climate activism. It’s a powerful opportunity to learn, reflect, and kōrero about how we can stand in solidarity with tangata whenua.

350 Te Tiriti Training with Treaty People

📅 Date: Saturday, 15th March 2025

⏰ Time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

📍 Location: Cityside, 8 Mount Eden Road, Grafton, Auckland

💸 Cost: Free – but you’re welcome to make a koha. Kai provided!

👉 Register now to secure your spot!

Why now? As we enter a new year, we’re gearing up to build on our campaigning for more affordable transport as part of the Free Fares Campaign. Understanding Te Tiriti is crucial as we continue to call for climate justice solutions that are equitable and inclusive.

If you join us at this training, you’ll be helping to strengthen our collective voice and ensuring our activism is grounded in the values of Te Tiriti. Together, we can create impactful change.

👉 Sign up today – spaces are limited!

https://actionnetwork.org/events/350-te-tiriti-training-with-treaty-people/

https://treatypeople.org/

Tangata Tiriti - Treaty People: an interactive educational programme on the Treaty of Waitangi.

13/02/2025

Book Release Party

An old friend of mine, Kit Miller, former director of the Gandhi Institute in Rochester New York and before that, of Bay NVC, will be visiting New Zealand at the end of February. We're organising the Oceania launch of her book Culture Shift: Nonviolence at Work. The book is about her work at the Gandhi Institute, as well as being a handbook of restorative practices. It is full of Kit's warmth and wisdom. The launch will take place at the Centre, 11:00 a.m. on Sunday 2 March. Kit is kindly donating the proceeds from book sales to the Centre. Please share widely among friends and colleagues who might be interested.

22/09/2024

Each year we pay our respects to Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, chanting the Ten-Verse Kannon (Kanzeon) Sutra 108 times, and pledging donations to Amnesty International. Roshi spoke about Kannon and reads the 25th Chapter of the Lotus Sutra on the powers of Avalokitesvara (Kannon).

Some of us brought our own Kannon figures from home, to sit on the altar.

Later, some of us penned letters for prisoners of conscience.

If you are inspired to take action and write letters on behalf of prisoners of conscience and refugees, you can take action on the Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand page: https://amnesty.org.nz/take-action

20/07/2024

A few more photos from our Matariki weekend events - these are from the day we celebrated our twentieth anniversary, along with invited guests from around Aotearoa and of course, Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede from the USA....

02/07/2024

Our 20th Anniversary celebrations over Matariki weekend were a wonderful mix of celebration and ceremony. This photo was taken after the teacher sanctioning ceremony for Sensei Richard von Sturmer.
Also shown: Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede, who travelled from the USA, and Roshi Amala Wrightson.
Many thanks to everyone, near and far, who contributed time and energy to make these events and celebrations possible.
More photos to come.

12/05/2024

For our Vesak celebrations on this coming Sunday, 19 May, kids are needed to wake up the Sleeping Sage. With the cold start to winter, the Sage may be in deep hibernation and will need a collective effort to wake him up. The morning will unfold as follows:

8:15 Centre open for informal sitting
9:30-9:45 Families arrive
9:50 Talk by Roshi, story of Buddha’s birth, chanting, bathing the baby Buddha, and a Jataka story from the Sleeping Sage (if we can wake him).
10:45 approx. Birthday Cake
11:15 creative activities for children

Bring food to share. Birthday cake, tea and fizzy drinks provided.

13/02/2024

13/11/2023

Thank you to all who helped with the working bee to after the usual Sunday morning sitting. We "curated" the wilderness at the back of the Zen Centre, cutting the grass, removing rubbish and going on a treasure hunt to find those seedlings in need of some encouragement and open space to flourish. With so many helpers, the place was looking fantastic after just an hour of attention.

11/10/2023

Ceremony of Aid

This Sunday we will be having a Ceremony of Aid at Onehunga Zen Centre. It will take place the end of the usual Sunday sitting for the Palestine and Israel war. All donations received will go to the Red Cross or a charity of your choice.

04/10/2023

YOGA CLASSES, TUESDAY 6 - 6.45
Hanya Gallagher, a trained yoga teacher and Zen priest, is in Auckland to mid-December and is offering a weekly yoga class at the Auckland Zen Centre while she is here. The classes are casual- you can drop in for one, or some, or all of them. There is no set fee for the classes but donations to the Centre are appreciated. Mats and cushions are available at the Centre. ALL WELCOME

12/06/2023

Starting tomorrow- an inspiring series of free short webinars on hope and climate action. Roshi has been part of the Religious Diversity Centre Climate Action Group and recommends this series.

RDC Webinar Series 2023 The sessions 1,3 and 4 are moderated by Rod Oram. Session 2 is facilitated by Rabbi Dean Shapiro.More information will be available, soon. Watch the space – and save the dates.For enquiries, please contact us. Please register for the series by clicking this link. For more i...