Dear Zen Center Athens Sangha, We inform you that the next Zen Day will take place on Sunday, 18th of September, from 10:00 to 18:00. The program includes six zazen periods with Kinhin (meditative walking) in between, and lunchtime. During the Zen Day of September, there will be no Dharma Talk with Koten Roshi. Instead, in this Zen Day we will read chapters 6.14 to 6.17 from the book Shobogenzo – zuimonki which you can download here. (On the Audiovisual Material page you can watch the previous dharma talks.) Regarding your participation Please, arrive at the Zen Center strictly by…

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Dear Zen Center Athens Sangha, We inform you that the next Zen Day will take place on Sunday, 17th of July, from 10:00 to 18:00. The program includes six zazen periods with Kinhin (meditative walking) in between, and lunchtime. During the Zen Days of July and August, there will be no Dharma Talks with Koten Roshi. Instead, in this Zen Day we will read chapters 6.8, 6.9 & 6.10 from the book Shobogenzo – zuimonki which you can download here. Regarding your participation Please, arrive at the Zen Center strictly by 10:10. After zazen starts, and once the door to…

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Dear friends and members, we inform you that the program “Introduction to Zen” that was scheduled for the 5th of July is postponed. The new date is Tuesday, 12th of July 2022.  For more information regarding our weekly schedule, please visit our calendar. Thank you for your understanding.

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  I, here and now,  the blue of the sea without limit   Santoka Taneda  

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Four monks decided to do two weeks of silent meditation. On the first night the candles flickered and went out. The first monk said: “No! The candles went out.” The second monk said: “We’re not supposed to talk.” The third said: “Why are you talking?” The fourth laughed and said: “Ha! I’m the only one who didn’t talk.” Each monk broke the silence for a different reason and each one is also a common obstacle we encounter in zazen practice. The first one became distracted from what was going on around him (the candles) and lost focus. The second was…

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  A student asked Shunryu Suzuki: “How much ‘I’ do we need?” “As much as it takes to not get run over by a bus.”   A student asked Shunryu Suzuki about the rule of silence during meals. “Because you can’t eat and talk at the same time.”   A student said: “I compare myself with other students and feel inadequate. I haven’t read enough about Buddhism.” “Yes! That’s the best way to do zazen,” replied Shunryu Suzuki.   One day a student complained to Shunryu Suzuki that his mind would not stay steady and kept talking to him when…

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Dear members and friends of Zen Center Athens, The Center will be closed from Maundy Thursday (21/04) until Easter Tuesday (26/04). However, zazen will continue throughout the time the Center will be closed, daily, from 20:20 to 21:00. We wish you from the bottom of our hearts a Happy Easter!

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Questions & Answers with Koten Roshi. The translation from Japanese to English was conducted by Doiku Sensei. The material below is extracted from Koten Roshi’s online dharma talks during Zen Center Athens’ Zen days. Effort and attention have been given in order to make it clear to the reader, without interfering with the meaning or the message.  Q: What is the difference between becoming one with the breath and shikantaza? Koten Roshi: Shikantaza, or simply sitting, is the form of becoming one with your present reality. It is just a difference in words. When you become one with the breathing, you sit,…

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With Alexandra Sotiropoulou 10.04.2022, 10:00 – 13:00 A three-hour workshop that will give inspiration and new impetus to your practice. The course is based on the tradition of Vanda Scaravelli and is designed for those who wish to broaden their perspective, build new foundations, and work intuitively and methodically. Contribution: 25 euros 20 euros for Zen Center Athens students. For more information and registration please contact us via [email protected] See the event in Facebook

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The next Zen Day will take place on Sunday, 13th of March 2022. We will have 6 zazen periods with Kinhin (meditative walking) in between, and a discussion amongst practitioners. During Zen Day we will have the opportunity to connect with and listen to Koten Roshi’s Dharma talk from 11:00 to 12:00. Please note that the platform room will be open only during the discussion. Zen Center members will receive the Zoom link with our newsletter. Make sure to arrive to Zen Center strictly by 10:10. After zazen starts at 10:20 you will not be able to enter. The lunch break…

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