Loveland Zen

We practice Zen in Cincinnati and Loveland, OH. For our weekly meditation schedule, visit: www.lovelandzen.org

We are a group of Zen practitioners from Greater Cincinnati. We meet for meditation on Monday evenings at Grailville in Loveland, OH. We practice in the tradition of Bodhi Sangha, the Zen school founded by Zen master Ama Samy. We bridge diverse spiritual traditions and strive to create a welcoming environment for people of all races, sexual orientations and genders, and for people with disabilities. For our weekly schedule, visit: www.lovelandzen.org/calendar

08/01/2026

"Going into retreat gives the opportunity for the [inner] food to cook... You have to put all the ingredients into a pot and stew it up. And you have to have a constant heat. If you keep turning the heat on and off, it is never going to be done. The retreat is like living in a pressure-cooker. Everything gets cooked much quicker. That is why it is recommended."
--Tenzin Palmo

06/25/2026

We just talked with Ama Samy last Saturday. Though he turned 90 a month ago, we could tell he is very much looking forward to his US visit in September. Currently, more than 20 participants have signed up for the Weekend Retreat, and 13 have registered for the Four-Day Retreat (Labor Day Monday through Friday, Sept. 11). We would like to encourage you to sign up for the Four-day Retreat and therefore decided to discount the price back to the Early Bird rate for that retreat. In addition to the discount, there is the opportunity to apply for a scholarship, which we hope will help minimize the financial barriers to attending the retreat. We think this year's retreats will be a precious opportunity to learn from a renowned Zen master, reconnect with spiritual friends, and hopefully find some new ones too. For more details, please visit https://lovelandzen.org/retreats/.
-olaf and nicky

04/05/2026

i thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing breathing any–lifted from the no
of all nothing–human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

e.e. cummings
1894-1962

03/15/2026

Join us at Grailville for a special Holy Week event “Illuminating Holy Week through Imagery” presented by artist Emil Robinson.

Emil will illuminate Holy Week through the lens of visual art. In particular the emotional language of paintings both old and new, and their ability to speak to our uncertain times. The presentation will include time for questions, comments, and short discussion.

Held on Sunday, March 29 from 3–4 PM in the Oratory at Grailville. Presented by Women of Grailville and The Grail, and free and open to the public.

Questions, contact Bonnie at [email protected] or 513 600-6459.

02/13/2026

I took these two pictures on an evening walk in Perumalmalai, India, where I am currently staying at Kanzeon Zendo. I was contemplating this short quote from David Burns' Ten Days to Self-Esteem:
"Many perfectionists believe that they must earn love and approval by being outstanding. An alternative philosophy would be that our vulnerabilities and flaws—and not our successes and strengths—ultimately make us lovable and human. People can be admired or resented—but never loved—for their successes and achievements."
I think we all want to love and be loved, but it is easy to miss the mark and end up being merely admired or hated.
-olaf

01/26/2026

Time and again
you too
must long for
your old nest
deep in the mountain
~Ryōkan

Snowed in these past days in Loveland, I found this poem by the Zen poet Ryōkan and experience it as an invitation.

Early Bird rate is available until January 31. Join our community for meditation retreats with Fr. Ama Samy, September 4-7 and September 7-11, 2026, at Loretto Retreat Center in KY.

For more details, see https://lovelandzen.org/retreats

With gratitude to our Sangha member Meath Conlon in Australia for the beautiful artwork. -Nicky

Address

920 O'Bannonville Road
Loveland, OH
45140

Website

http://www.lovelandzen.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Loveland Zen posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your place of worship to be the top-listed Place Of Worship in Loveland?