“Strictly speaking, there are no enlightened people,
there is only enlightened activity.”
Shunryu Suzuki Roshi
DHARMA FILES
Recent talks given at HZC by various teachers in mp3 format. Click to play.
Ring the bell to go to the 2012 archive.
Previous year's talks are under the Audio tab.
Tim Peaceful Forest Schorre: The Lotus Sutra: The Story of the Burning House. 4.13.13
Gaelyn Godwin: In Celebration of the Buddha's Birth. 4.6.13
Gaelyn Godwin: Stone Bridge, Log Bridge. 3.23.13
Rick Hogetsu Mitchell: Karma and Rebirth. 3.16.13
Parmita Bairi Derden: The Sixth Perfection: Wisdom. 3.9.13
Gaelyn Godwin: Training in Compassion and Zen Practice in Japan. 3.2.13
Gaelyn Godwin: Communing with the Source. 2.23.13
Brother ChiSing: The Year of the Serpent. 2.9.13
Gaelyn Godwin: I Decline to Stand Up, Rosa Parks. 1.26.13
Rev. Yazan Dave Johnson: The Bodhisattva Vows in Zen Practice. 1.19.13
Gayle Jika Klaybor: Iron Grinder Liu and Guishan Welcome the Old Cow. 1.12.13
Gaelyn Godwin: Sanctuary and the Lightness of the Mind. 1.5.13
Gaelyn Godwin: Attunement, Working with the Mind. 12.22.12
Louise Hokyo Dreyfus: Sitting With Your Life. 12.15.12
Rev. Jisen Daniel Leonard: The Joy of the Buddha's Awakening. 12.8.12
Rev. Rusan Dale Kent: Mindfulness in Zen Practice. 12.1.12
Mary Shinji Edwards: Buddhism and Religion. 11.24.12
Cathy Nessho Crouch: Mindfulness: Breathing In, Breathing Out. 11.17.12
Kogen Glen Duval: Returning to the Breath. 11.3.12
Gaelyn Godwin: The Strengths of Zen Practice; the Weaknesses of Zen. 10.13.12
Click for more information about SZBA
HOUSTON ZEN CENTER
Houston Zen Center is a place to practice meditation in the Zen tradition. The Center offers daily meditation, introductory and
advanced classes on Zen, as well as classes on other topics in Buddhism and spirituality. The Center is open to everyone who is interested in
practicing meditation; the Center’s members come from all walks of life. We offer longer meditation retreats throughout the year and this
website is updated frequently.
The Daily Sitting Schedule is listed on our
PRACTICE link. For a Google map and directions to the Center, click here:
MAP AND DIRECTIONS.
The lovely downloadable MONTHLY CALENDAR (Pdf 816KB) lists this month's current events.
PRACTICE
INTRODUCTION TO
ZEN SITTING
If you are new to Zen or meditation, 
please come to our Wednesday introduction. We offer a one-hour introduction on the first Wednesday of each month. It begins
at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome and there is no charge.
Click here for more classes...
PRACTICE
INTRODUCTION TO
ZEN MEDITATION
A Five Week Series
May 9 –Jun. 6, 2013.
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Next Five Week Series
Aug. 8 –Sept. 5, 2013.
7:00 pm – 8:15 pm
Taught by Abbot, Gaelyn Godwin, with the assistance of Dan Le, this class is for people new to meditation, as well as those who want to establish a regular practice. The series provides an introduction to Zen theory and practice. Each class includes discussion and meditation. See the events page to sign up and for full class listings.
EVENTS
Opening the Hand of Thought
A 6–Week Class
Tuesday May 14–June 18; 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Tricia Sengetsu McFarlin and Rev. Isshin Glen Snyder teach a class on Opening the Hand of Thought, a basic, very important text for
meditators, both beginners and advanced.
See the
events page to sign–up and for complete information.
BUDDHA NATURE
One Day Sitting & Teaching
May 26, 2013
Zen Priest Korin Charlie Pokorny
comes to HZC for 3 days of events.
- Friday 24 6:30 pm Potluck
- Saturday 25 9:45 am Dharma Talk
- Sunday 26 9 am – 3 pm Buddha Nature
You can read about the Sunday teaching here: BUDDHA NATURE. See the events page to sign–up and for complete information. Come meet this vibrant Zen Teacher.
Practice Period
June 22 – July 21
Led by Abbot Setsuan Godwin and Shuso Peaceful Forest Tim Schorre.
HZC offers an intensive opportunity for practice. This Peaceful Abiding allows Zen practitioners to
join together, every day, for meditation, study, soji, meals and exercise.
See the
events page to sign–up and for complete information.
Designer's Mind
A 7–Week Series
Tuesday April 16–May 28; 6:30 – 9 pm
HZC presents a second series of classes on the intersection of Zen practice with
the professional disciplines that design and produce
our common world. This 7–week series, moderated by Cameron Armstrong, is presented by leading
professionals who are also Zen practitioners and teachers. The classes will focus on how their involvement
with Zen shapes their work and thought.
See the
events page to sign–up and for complete information.
Second Sangha
May & June Meetings:
May 12 & 26, June 9 & 23
2nd & 4th Sundays each month.
11:00 am – 12:30 pm 
Urban Zen practice, for young urban meditators: sitting in Zen meditation in remote mountains is one Way. Zen meditation in an urban setting is something else.
Urban Zen has been practiced
by Zen monks for hundreds of years. Join Abbot Gaelyn Godwin and Zen practitioner/Meditation Instructor Michael Perkola on the 2nd and 4th
Sundays of the month, to explore the world
of the Second Sangha: Young Urban Zen.