Millennium Park Zen Meditation Group

We are a diverse group of Chicagoans committed to practicing the Zen way of awakening together, and to providing a place for others to come to and deepen their own practice.

We practice in the Soto Zen Buddhist tradition, which traces its heritage back to Buddha through a 2500-year history of fellow practitioners, including our ancient teachers Bodhidharma, Caoqi Huineng, Dongshan Liangjie, and Eihei Dogen, and our modern teachers, Dainin Katagiri, Shoken Winecoff, and Myoshi Thomson, who guides our practice here in Chicago.We welcome all to join us in our study and practice of the way of Zen.

The Chicago Zen Meditation Community is a Soto Zen Buddhist group led by Rev. Myoshi Thomson. We offer seven meditation opportunities every week that are open to all: Monday evenings, every weekday morning, and Saturday mornings. Each meeting is an opportunity to practice zazen (Zen meditation) and many will include a dharma talk and discussion.

Dana Paramita (generosity) is one of the core practices in Buddhism, and we see it as an activity that helps each of us to awaken. Charitable giving affirms our place in the wider community. It helps us to be aware of, and move beyond, our narrow ideas of self-interest. By making a donation to The Chicago Zen Meditation Community, you are helping the practice of many beings.