Weekly Practice Sessions
Mountain Rain Zendo, 2016 Wall St. Vancouver, BC
This venue and washroom are both wheelchair accessible.
Bright Stream Temple 5505 Sherbrooke St. Vancouver
This venue is not wheelchair accessible.
Newcomers are welcome at both locations. Basic meditation instructions for beginners available 3/4 hour before start time at our Wednesday evening and Sunday practice sessions. Others please arrive 15 min. before start time. Latecomers please sit in the entry hall until the sitting period ends, and come in at the beginning of walking meditation. Meditation instructions on Zoom can be arranged by contacting info@mountainrainzen.org.
We have plenty of options for sitting gear: meditation cushions (zafu), benches, support cushions, and chairs. Beginners will be helped to find the right sitting gear for them.
Monday Evenings from 7:30 - 9:00 PM - ZenYU: Young Urban Zen
In person at the Wall Street Zendo and online. Facilitator-led informal practice. Doors open at 7:00 PM and close at 9:30 PM.
Wednesday Evenings, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
At both locations, and online. Our Wednesday practice sessions typically consist of:
25 minute sitting meditation (zazen)
10 minute walking meditation (kinhin)
25 minute sitting meditation (zazen)
Dharma seminar: a 4-6 week series on a particular text or theme led by our Guiding Teachers. The format is an informal talk by the teacher, followed by small-group talking circles, sometimes with a writing exercise.
On weeks between dharma seminars, the zazen periods are lengthened to 30 minutes each, a chanting service is held, followed by a reading/short talk and large-group talking circle.
Sunday Mornings, 10:00 AM - 12:05 PM
At both locations, and online. Our Sunday Morning schedule typically consists of:
30 minute sitting meditation (zazen )
10 minute walking meditation (kinhin)
30 minute sitting meditation (zazen)
Dharma talk by guiding teachers or sangha leaders (begins around 11:10 am)
Sutra chanting service (begins around 11:50)
Informal tea in the kitchen
Weekday Morning Zazen
In person at Bright Stream | Monday - Thursday | 6:30 AM - 8:10 AM ||| You are welcome to come for all or part of morning practice. Th schedule is 6:30 -7:30 zazen with interval bell. Service followed by Soji (temple cleaning) ending about 8:10.
Online | Monday - Friday | 7:00 - about 7:45 AM ||| Informal early morning zazen is open to everyone, facilitated by volunteer hosts. Everyone is welcome to attend all or part of the time, even to arrive early if you would like to sit for longer with others. After one zazen period at 7:00 AM to 7:30 PM we chant the refuges, and for those who can stay have a round of greetings. We have been chanting the Heart Sutra dedicated to those suffering from war throughout the world.
If you are new to meditation and would like basic instructions, please contact info@mountainrainzen.org to arrange a time.
