We are a Zen Dōjō (禅道場) a place to immerse in deep spiritual training. Our training focuses on using our posture, breath, and senses to enter samadhi (state of meditative absorption) while in zazen (Zen meditation). Other training elements include physical exercises to improve posture, abdominal breathing exercises to activate the hara (the center of our energetic strength located in the lower abdomen), and Shodo (Japanese calligraphy) to express our state of mind.
For more information, visit our website: rhodeislandzen.org
Schedule
Sundays – 9:30am – 10:30am Zen Training
Forty-five minutes of meditation (including kinhin or walking meditation) followed by other practices in our tradition. These practices may include: physical exercises to improve posture, abdominal breathing exercises to activate the tanden (the center of our energetic strength located in the lower abdomen), Shodo (Japanese calligraphy) to express our state of mind, and okyo (chanting) to learn energetic resonance. This class ends with sarei (formal group tea).
All Are Welcome
Everyone is welcome to train. No experience is necessary.
There are no membership fees and free training is offered to everyone. Participants may leave a donation after training to support our efforts and the maintenance of our space.
Location
We are located at Sage Healing Collaborative at 201 Waterman Ave. East Providence, RI, 02914.
The mission of the Sage Healing Collaborative is to bring accessible integrative health care to RI by combining conventional and holistic therapies. Sage is creating an integrative clinical care model that combines modern medicine, healthy lifestyle practices, herbal medicine, and therapies emphasizing prevention, patient empowerment, and whole-person healing.
Ample parking is available in the back of the building. You may enter through the side door; the dōjō is located on the lower ground floor.
Information for New Students
There is not much required of new students besides a sincere desire to train. However, the following is some useful information for first-time students:
Registration:
Our space is limited, so we ask that you email us first if you’re interested in joining us. We want to make sure everyone has a cushion!
When to arrive:
We ask new students to arrive at least 10 minutes earlier for a brief orientation on how to sit for meditation. We sit cross-legged on cushions. If you need to sit on a bench or chair, let us know, and we’ll accommodate. Everyone, regardless of physical condition, is welcome to train.
What to wear:
As a dōjō, we traditionally wear Japanese martial arts training clothes: gi, hakama, and obi. We recommend this set for a training uniform. However, beginners are encouraged to wear comfortable clothes, preferably loose-fitting pants. We remove our shoes upon entering the dōjō.
Chōsei Zen
Rhode Island Zen Dōjō is affiliated with Chōsei Zen, a vibrant community training rigorously using the traditional forms of Rinzai Zen, martial arts, and fine arts.
Chōsei Zen offers daily practice at Daikozen-ji in Madison, WI, intensive training periods at the Spring Green Dojo, online zen training through the Virtual Dojo, and leadership training worldwide through their sister organization Institute for Zen Leadership.
Students training at Rhode Island Zen Dōjō have the opportunity to become students of Chōsei Zen.