We welcome all who want to learn more about Zen Buddhist meditation. Our vibrant community is committed to Zen practice and teachings, and offers daily sitting meditation, weekly classes and lectures, and monthly intensive meditation retreats. Our Center is located on the eastern shore of Bde Maka Ska in south Minneapolis.
People from all over come here to listen to talks by teachers, attend classes and workshops, participate in retreats, attend services, and most importantly, to do sitting meditation (zazen). We welcome everyone who seeks to do Zen practice. Our vibrant community is committed to relieving suffering through ethical living, meditation, and Buddhist teachings.
People from all over come here to listen to talks by teachers, attend classes and workshops, participate in retreats, attend services, and most importantly, to do sitting meditation (zazen). We welcome everyone who seeks to do Zen practice. Our vibrant community is committed to relieving suffering through ethical living, meditation, and Buddhist teachings.
Services
The Minnesota Zen Meditation Center offers many opportunities for the study and practice of Zen Buddhism. We offer daily sitting meditation sessions, weekly talks, introductory classes, and individual meetings with teachers. All of these offerings are open to the public by donation. MZMC also offers more in-depth classes, contemporary and traditional retreats, and guest-teacher workshops.
Our popular introductory class is now online! MZMC offers our four-part Introduction to Zen Meditation online via Zoom each Sunday morning from 10 - 11 a.m. or Tuesday evening from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. From that date on, the class will be offered simultaneously on Zoom and in-person each Sunday and Tuesday.
Sunday mornings and Tuesday evenings are good times to become familiar with the MZMC community. The weekly dharma talk provides continued learning about Zen Buddhism and offers you a chance to know the teachers more fully. To subscribe to our Sunday/Tuesday Talks podcast with another service, use this rss feed: http://mnzencenter.org/audio/rss.xml.
The daily practice schedule is open to the public by donation. You are welcome for all, or any part of, this schedule. If you are new to Zen Buddhism or the Center, you may want to attend the one-time Introduction to Zen Meditation class before you begin coming to these regularly scheduled meditation sessions.
Our curriculum provides structured support for exploration of Buddhist teachings to clarify the fundamental questions of our lives. Introduction to Zen Meditation: If you are new to Zen Buddhism or MZMC, our four-part introductory series of talks is the place to start. Each session includes meditation instruction and teaching on how meditation and Zen relate to daily life.
Reviews (10)
J. L.
Aug 08, 2020
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Teachers were nice when attending a paid for retreat. However, I felt extremely discriminated and uncomfortable when visiting as a guest. I was one of the few people of color and perhaps it was my skin color, the way I dressed (not fancy at all), or my brown eyes, but it was ironic and opposed the whole idea of mindfulness and the philosophy of Buddhism itself. Another time, I actually did pay, but a female teacher with blue eyes assumed I did not and was about to disbar me from going into one of the areas that our teacher told us to take a lunch break in had this teacher not told her I paid. I
Sydney Martinie
Jul 20, 2020
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I’ve been staying here for one week and LOVE my experience! The people are great, the rooms are tidy, the food is vegetarian and healthy and delicious, the location is perfect, and the group sitting meditations (optional) are a really cool experience.
I highly recommend to any curious and open visitors to San Francisco
I highly recommend to any curious and open visitors to San Francisco
Matthew Ballard
Jan 11, 2020
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I was introduced to the Zen Centrr through an ad that that was placed by the Zen center encouraging people who where on a dark place like I was to write and they would try and find a pen pal for me It wasn't a sure thing but I really could use one so i wrote and that is when my life started to change. I corresponded with a monk for over three years. I eventually made it to the center and learned to sit. It was through this penpal I found a new way of life. My life did not get easier but through sitting and reading I have found peace in everything that life has thrown at me. .Everytime I am in San
Patrick Sharp
Oct 25, 2019
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A true island of calm reassurance. For the seeker in all of us there is a place on the edge of Hayes Valley on the corner of page and Steiner. A couple of buildings who’s silence beckons the need to be be-long, the need to be-quiet, the need to be. The Zen Buddhists have a sanctuary that has opened its arms for decades. For the beginner there are classes, for the struggling there are meditation in recovery meetings for the advanced there just is. There just is. From the concepts of mindfulness to the real benefits of living a life from a loving and kind perspective there is hope of understanding
Mikko Kalliola
Sep 16, 2019
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Kate Schnack
Sep 16, 2019
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Frances Hudson
Sep 08, 2019
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I really like the San Francisco Zen Center. I visited sometime earlier this year and decided to visit again today to check out more of the public programs. So I went to the service at 10am and then they had question and answer at 11am and then they have lunch at 12pm..They ask for suggested donations of $10. The lunch is nice. It was soup, salad, rice, and bread. It was gourmet. The Zen Center has a special crowd and they look nice. They look like yuppies and granola types. They have Zen priests and I met like 2 or 3 zen priests. The center has an interior and not much of a park atmosphere. It
Pamela Brown
Jul 25, 2019
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At SFZC, everyone is welcome.
This is my experience.
I attended a sewing sesshin for 3 days, staying in the student housing, eating and meditating with the community.
The sewing priest/instructor (Tim Wicks) is an amazing teacher, as well as a real human being. He could not have been more supportive or kind and was this way with everyone who walked through his sewing room door, keeping track of everyone's process, stage in sewing, and gently guiding each. Tim is a treasure and what he teaches in the sewing is Zen practice, from the ground (actually, the basement) up. Important work. I hope he
This is my experience.
I attended a sewing sesshin for 3 days, staying in the student housing, eating and meditating with the community.
The sewing priest/instructor (Tim Wicks) is an amazing teacher, as well as a real human being. He could not have been more supportive or kind and was this way with everyone who walked through his sewing room door, keeping track of everyone's process, stage in sewing, and gently guiding each. Tim is a treasure and what he teaches in the sewing is Zen practice, from the ground (actually, the basement) up. Important work. I hope he
Shannon Singer
Aug 25, 2018
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Vman
Aug 23, 2016
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I did two weeks of guest student program . Our leader Chris was great , beautiful building filled with amazing art .... Five and a half days a week of lots of zazen ( sitting meditation) some light soji ( temple cleaning) about five hours per day of light general work.... Wonderful food , beautiful zen services
