Photo © 1987 Dr Frederick Lenz

THE ZEN EXPERIENCE

What is a Zen Seminar?

There are two primary ways of studying Zen. Either an individual will enter into a Zen monastery and study with a Zen master there, or they will study with a Zen master who lives in the contemporary world.

Neither of these ways is superior to the other. Studying in a Zen monastery will appeal to one person, while studying Zen in a more contemporary setting will appeal to another.

I live in the contemporary world and teach Zen through the medium of Zen Seminars. In addition to free introductory one evening Zen Seminars, I teach monthly two evening Zen Seminars in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and San Francisco.

If you are new to the study of Zen I suggest that you first attend a free one evening Zen Seminar. At these intensive introductory seminars I teach meditation and mindfulness, answer questions and discuss a variety of different aspects of Zen. Attending a one evening Zen Seminar will give you a taste of Zen. If you enjoy the experience then you may be interested in attending a two evening Zen Seminar.

Monthly two evening Zen Seminars are smaller, more intimate and more intense. If you wish to make rapid progress in Zen then I suggest that you attend two evening Zen Seminars on a regular basis.

No two Zen Seminars are the same. One evening you may learn about enlightenment, koans, meditation and personal power. Another evening I may discuss contemporary cinema, how to shop at a mall without losing energy, how to use the power of mind to increase career and academic success, the Zen of sports, reincarnation, karma, sex, the experience of "suchness" or a new book by Stephen King.

At every Zen Seminar there are brief periods of zazen practice. Normally at Zen Seminars we practice zazen to electronic music or in silence. Occasionally, at the free evening Zen Seminars, we will meditate to live music performed by "Zazen," an electronic music group that I produce.


Reprinted from "The Zen Experience"
© 1987 Rama Seminars Inc.