This past Sunday, I went to the Zen Centre of Vancouver to do their introductory session to Zen. I’ve been meditating regularly for years, using more or less the same methods as they do in Zen. I recently decided that it might be nice to try formal practice in a group to see what it’s like. It was an interesting experience that I’d like to share.

I rode my scooter to the Zen Centre early Sunday morning. At first, I drove past it. It was easy to miss being a house in a residential area with only a humble sign over the front door marking it for what it was (as seen here on the right before it was renovated). I rang the doorbell and was greeted by Eshin John Godfrey (shown in photo below on the left), the centre’s abbot. He is a friendly man who smiles a lot, and does a great job of making new visitors feel comfortable and welcome as I came to discover. (more…)

Tags: Zen meditation