Please note: this website is no longer being maintained.
Please visit Kotatsu John Bailes’ One Heart Zen website at oneheartzen.org
Monmouth Zen Circle invites you to join us in the practice of Zen. By settling the heart and mind in this very moment, we can bring a little more peace and openness to our lives and our world. Our Soto way emphasizes the daily practice of sitting meditation (zazen) and the integration of formal practice and daily life within the context of a community of practice.
We follow the traditional forms of the Soto school of Zen with a spirit of warmth and inclusion. Everyone interested in meditation, whether brand new, experienced in other traditions, or schooled in formal Zen, is welcome to join our practice. Please see our Getting Started page.
You are always welcome to practice with us. Feel free to “just show up.”
Please visit our Facebook page.
To contact us, please use this email.
The Dharma Talks of Kotatsu John Bailes are available at Dharma Talks.
News
Kotatsu John Bailes will be away until September 5
John has returned from pilgrimage, having walked the El Camino 400 miles from Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. However, he will be on vacation until the day after Labor Day, September 5 when he will again be available for all online and in-person activities.
Myoshin Tom Jones will be away until after Labor Day
Thus there will be no Sunday morning group meetings online or at Green’s until September 10.
Buddhist Discussion Group Sunday Mornings 10:00 am
Myoshin Tom Jones is facilitating a Buddhist study group with the support of Kotatsu John Bailes that includes a weekly zazen and the reading and studying together of Living By Vow by Shohaku Okumura, Soto Zen Buddhist Priest, translator of Dogen Zenji and Ryokan Taigu, the famous Japanese monk poet of the late 18th and early 19th century.
We start the class with 30 minutes of zazen and then commence reading and discussing the text together. A portion of the class will be given over to learning about our daily practices of chanting services and the service positions, ringing of the bells by the doan, and introducing the chants by the chant leader or kokyo as there is interest.
We will be meeting for live, in-person meditation Sunday mornings at Green’s Natural Foods (formerly Dean’s Market) on Rte. 35 in Ocean Township, New Jersey. https://www.greensnaturalfoods.com/grocery-store-near-me/ocean-township/
Doors will open at 9:30 AM. Help is needed to set up the room so if you are able to arrive a few minutes early it would be greatly appreciated. I will bring a bell, incense, candle, etc.
If you have your own zafu and zabuton (or bench) please bring it with you. Chairs are available. No other meditation equipment is available—only chairs. I will be sitting in a chair.
We will begin sitting in meditation at 10 o’clock for 30 minutes; please be seated no later than 9:50. Zazen will be followed by kinhin (walking meditation) for 10 minutes (I will provide instructions on how to do this), which will be followed by a dharma presentation and discussion similar to what I’ve been doing for the last three to four years on zoom.
We are not able to store any of our equipment at Green’s so we will have to carry in and carry out any equipment at the beginning and end of every meeting.
Management at the store has requested that we use only the front door for entry so please use that door only. Practice is open to the public so please share with your friends. No experience is necessary, instruction will be provided for everyone at every level. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Warm regards to all; I look forward to practicing with you soon.
Myoshin Tom Jones, Authentic Heart Zen
All are welcome to attend. There is no fee. Dana, giving support to the temple, is welcome. Questions may be directed to Myoshin at authenticheartzen@gmail.com.
Hopefully, the meeting will also be available on Zoom as in the past.
Weekday Zazen at 6:30 to 7:15 am
One Heart Zen with John Bailes via Zoom at this link. Meeting ID is 879 1961 0440
Tuesday Evenings 7:30 to 9:10 pm
Saturday Mornings 9:00 to 11 am
Third Saturday of the month – All Day Meditation – Zazenkai
Virtual doors open at 8:45 am. JOIN as you are able. 9 am – zazen (seated meditation), 9:45 am – Kinhin (walking meditation), 9:55 am – Zazen, 10:40 am – Kinhin, 10:50 am -Zazen, 11:20 am – Morning Service, 11:30 am – lunch/rest, 1:30 pm – Zazen, 2:00 pm – Kinhin, 2:10 pm Zazen, 2:40 pm – Kinhin, 2:50 pm – Zazen, 3:20 pm – Kinhin, 3:30 pm – Dharma sharing w/ Kōtatsu John Bailes, 4:20 pm – Afternoon service, 4:30 pm Departure Feel free to participate as your schedule allows for the entire day or some portion thereof. Join at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87003578063
