Zen Center of Los Angeles

08/27/2026

Summer Recess: the Zen Center will be closed August 31 through Labor Day, September 7.

We reopen Tuesday, September 8, with our regular weekly schedule, beginning with evening zazen at 7:00 PM.

A recess is not a pause in practice. It's a change in where the practice happens. For one week there is no schedule to keep, no bell to sit for, no drive to Koreatown. The cushion is wherever you set it down — the bedroom floor, a park bench, the ten minutes before the house wakes up. Zen has always held that the temple is a training ground, not the destination. This is the week we find out what we've actually trained.

We do have one last thing before the doors close. On Monday, August 31 — the first morning of recess — Hokyu is leading a beach retreat at El Matador in Malibu, 7:00 AM to noon. Walking meditation on the shore, zazen by the caves, poetry and drawing. Email [email protected] if you'd like to come.

Then, for a week, quiet.

We'll see you on the evening of September 8. Rest well, and keep sitting.

08/20/2026

Beach Retreat — Monday, August 31, 7:00 AM to noon

We live in Los Angeles. Unless you're on the Westside (and even still), how often do you actually get to the ocean? And when you do, do you think of it as a place to practice?

On the last morning of August, we're going to do just that.

Wait, what?

A half-day morning retreat at El Matador Beach in Malibu — the one with the giant rock formations and the caves that throw shade across the sand. We'll meet at the Zen Center at 7:00 AM and carpool out. If it's easier, meet us there.

What happens when we get there?

Walking meditation along the shore, with the tide doing what tides do. Zazen — seated meditation — by the shelter of the caves, hopefully. And we'll spend part of the morning writing and drawing what we actually see —its own kind of attention practice.

Pack your own lunch and a full canteen. The Zen Center will bring snacks.

Who is this for?

Everyone. If you've never sat zazen, the beach is a forgiving place to start — the ocean does a lot of the work. If you have a long practice, sitting on sand next to that much moving water is not the same as sitting in the Zendo, and it's worth finding out how.

Where do I sign up?

There's no formal registration. A $10 suggested donation is appreciated and there's a link below.

Email [email protected] so we know roughly how many to expect — it helps with carpools and snacks.

More details will go out as the day gets closer.

One practical note: this is the morning the Zen Center begins its summer recess. Think of it as how we close the season — outside, together, facing the water.

Clear your calendar for this one.

08/11/2026

Beginner's Sesshin — a two-day silent meditation retreat, August 20–22

New to silent retreats, or just looking to return to basics? You’re in the right place.

What is a sesshin?

A sesshin is an intensive meditation retreat. For two days we set down the usual noise — phones, errands, small talk, the running commentary — and give our whole attention to sitting. Roshi Kipp Ryodo Hawley leads this one, and it's designed specifically for people new to the form.

What actually happens?

Periods of zazen (seated meditation), about thirty minutes at a stretch, alternating with kinhin (slow walking meditation, indoors and out in the garden). Dharma talks. Chanting service morning and evening. Samu — work practice, which here means sweeping the Jizo Garden or cleaning a room, treated with the same attention as sitting. Meals taken together in silence. And a private, face-to-face meeting with Roshi Ryodo, where you can ask him anything about your practice.

The retreat is held in Great Silence. No talking, no social greetings, eyes lowered. That sounds severe if you've never done it. In practice, most people find it a relief. You stop performing. You get to be a body in a room with other bodies, doing one simple thing.

You will be given instruction in everything: how to sit, how to walk, how to eat, when to bow. Nobody expects you to arrive knowing.

Who is this for?

Anyone who has completed our introduction to meditation course or has done a similar experience elsewhere.. If you have never meditated a full day in your life, you are welcome here.

And if you've been coming to ZCLA on Saturday mornings, or dropping in for a sit when the week allows, this is the next thing. An hour of zazen settles. Two days of zazen allows us to settle much more deeply and begin to see what's possible in our meditation.

The practical part:

Thursday, August 20 (5pm check in) through Saturday, August 22 at 5pm.
In person at ZCLA in Koreatown, or on Zoom from wherever you are.

Fees: $60/day or $120 full-time. (Members $40/day or $80 full-time.)

In-person registration closes this Thursday, August 13. In-person spots and housing are limited—register early to reserve your cushion. Zoom registration stays open until Thursday, August 20 at 9:00 AM.

Meals are vegetarian; vegan and gluten-free are available on request.

Sliding scale & financial support available via the Dharma Training Fund on our website.

Questions of any kind can be answered here or at [email protected].

Register at the link below. We hope to sit with you soon.

08/05/2026

Each year, to commemorate the tragic WWII atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Zen Center of Los Angeles holds a memorial service and a prayer for peace. This year, with several “hot” wars currently playing out in different corners of the world, our prayers will extend out to those on all sides of these conflicts who are embroiled in greed, anger and delusion, or suffering the impacts of this beginning-less karma.

May all aggressions come to a conclusion, and may all beings live in peace, free from fear and enmity.

Please join us this Saturday, August 8th.

8:30am - Hiroshima and Nagasaki chanting circle

9am - 10:40am - Zazen and Day of Reflection, led by Jack Kuykendal

Snack break

11am to 12:30 - Precept council

07/21/2026

"Here there is aim, but no target. So we just sit in the midst of this contradiction."

New Podcast Episode: Zazen Is Not Meditation, by Sensei Dharma-Joy Reichert.

We tend to file zazen (seated meditation) alongside every other technique for feeling calmer or thinking more clearly. Sensei Dharma-Joy gently takes that apart. Zazen, he says, is not contemplating, not problem-solving, not meditating on anything, because the moment we make the practice about getting somewhere, we've split ourselves off from where we already are.

"We're just letting go," he says. "And in letting go, we can just be completely present, and that's what we call being free. To really reconnect with our natural original freedom."

He brings in Dogen Zenji, Keizan Zenji, Kodo Sawaki Roshi, and Reverend Issho Fujita. He points, in particular, to Keizan's Zazen Yōjinki, an important and often overlooked manual on how to sit, written by one of the two founders of the Soto school.

Music for the episode is by Leopold Genzan Hackman.

It's a talk about doing less, not more. If you've ever wondered what actually happens when we sit or feel like you are doing it "wrong”, this one is for you.

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify (link in the comments).

And we're curious: what do you reach for when you sit down to practice? What are you quietly trying to get? Tell us below.

— Zen Center of Los Angeles · Great Dragon Mountain / Buddha Essence Temple · Koreatown

07/11/2026

We're still sitting with the afternoon Daian — Chris Fields — read from his book, Leave Yourself Alone: Zen and the Art of Acting.

It began with acting: the idea that getting out of your own way on stage is close cousin to what we do on the cushion. Then the conversation wandered — to physics, to teaching, to nursing, to every kind of ordinary work in the room — until it wasn't really about acting at all. It was about how any of us meets our life without gripping it.

Members and guests, questions and reflections, a lot of laughter. A good, lively afternoon.

Were you there? What stayed with you? Share below.

— Zen Center of Los Angeles · Koreatown

07/09/2026

Summer Sesshin — a 6-day silent meditation retreat Sunday, July 19 (evening) – Saturday, July 25 In-person at ZCLA + on Zoom Led by Sensei Katherine Senshin Griffith & Sensei Darla Myoho Fjeld

Every other month or so we set aside a stretch of days to practice together without interruption. Sesshin — "to gather the mind" — is an intensive retreat devoted to samadhi, the settled, unified attention that grows when we stop rushing and simply sit.

What is this?
A six-day silent retreat. Throughout, we observe Great Silence — no casual conversation, no devices — so the whole community can settle into practice together. You can join in person at the temple or from home on Zoom.

What happens if I come?
The days are given to practice: long periods of seated meditation (zazen), walking meditation (kinhin), dharma talks, chanting and service, mindful work practice (samu), and shared meals. There is also time for face-to-face meetings with Sensei Senshin and Sensei Myoho. A daily schedule keeps the container steady, so you always know what comes next.

Who is this for?
Everyone — seasoned practitioners deepening their samadhi, and those sitting their first retreat alike. Part-time participation is welcome. If you're newer to practice and unsure, that's welcome too. ZCLA's policy is to turn no one away for lack of funds; if cost is a concern, you can request support from the Dharma Training Fund.

A note on meals: food is vegetarian and may contain eggs and dairy. Vegan and gluten-free options are available on request.

What do I do next?
Register at the link in comments below. · In-person participation is limited — the registration deadline is Sunday, July 12. Please register early to hold a seat in the Zendo. · Zoom participants — register by Sunday, July 19 at 9 a.m. (Members $40/day or $240 full; non-members $60/day or $360 full.)

Questions, or want to request the Dharma Training Fund? Contact [email protected].

06/24/2026

ZCLA Head Teacher Katherine Senshin Griffith was recently featured (for the second time!) on the wonderful etymological podcast, "Fifty Words for Snow." She helped parse the Sanskrit word Virya, which often gets translated as "energy" or "zeal." Senshin prefers the term "diligent enthusiasm," but tells the co-hosts that it's best not to be fundamental about translations and to let it remain alive. "Diligence implies the concentration we need and the perseverance, but it also has that quality of urgent desire," she says. "And 'a passionate interest with effort' doesn't seem to have passionate interest in it. And zeal just has energy behind it."
We found it to be a fascinating conversation. Check it out. You can also find an article on Psychology Today, written by Maggie Rowe, one of the "50 Words" co-hosts, where Senshin's ideas are quoted.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/bodhisattva-wannabe/202605/the-pendulum-of-striving

Fifty Words For Snow · Episode

06/12/2026

Next Saturday, 6/20 at 11am, we're excited to host Rev. Monen Ishikawa from Japan for a special presentation on baika music. Baika, which you can hear a sample of in this youtube clip (see first comment below), is a somber, heartfelt musical tradition distinctive to Sōtō Zen. Rev. Monen will discuss the history of this tradition and offer a demonstration. We welcome all to come experience baika in person or to join us online.

See our events page for links and more info:
https://zcla.org/calendars/upcoming-events/

Rev. Monen Ishikawa is an accomplished Sōtō Zen teacher who completed foundational monastic training at Eiheiji, one of the school’s principal head temples, from March 1988 to March 1991. Over a distinguished career, they were appointed as a Certified Itto Kyoshi Sōtō Zen teacher in October 1993, later advancing to a Certified Seikyoshi teacher in 2018. Highly specialized in the musical Buddhist practice of Baika-ryu, Rev. Ishikawa has served as a Baika-ryu Specialty Teacher since 2015 and achieved the rank of Baika-ryu First-Class Instructor (Ikkyu Shihan) in 2023.

06/04/2026

The Dharma Training Fund allows us to meet practitioners where they are, support scholarships, and sustain the practice opportunities that nourish our community.

If the Dharma has touched your life, please consider helping make it available to others.

Widening the Circle of the Way.