Soto Zen Buddhist Meditation in Chicago
Ancient Dragon Zen Gate is a community of practitioners committed to Soto Zen Buddhist meditation practice in Chicago, and now online to many distant practitioners. Our guiding teacher is Taigen Dan Leighton, author, scholar, and Dharma teacher in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki. We invite you to read his teachings or listen to audio recordings of Dharma talks by Taigen and many others. Sunday mornings we welcome brand new visitors to attend our online zendo to learn meditation before our regular program. Please email info@ancientdragon.org
ANCIENT DRAGON ZEN GATE CLOSED; IN-PERSON AND ONLINE ZEN PROGRAMS CONTINUE
Due to the ongoing pandemic and safety concerns, we made the difficult decision to shut the doors to our temple. The Irving Park Road temple will no longer serve the community as a practice place. Instead, meetings have moved online. Ancient Dragon plans to conduct monthly in-person practice opportunities, with the option of attending through our online zendo. Our many active Ancient Dragon programs will continue to meet through Zoom in our online zendo. Please see our calendar, the Sangha Events section, and the Meditation Events sections of this site for news about upcoming events. In order to address concerns regarding COVID, participants who attend events in person must comply with Ancient Dragon’s ADZG In-Person Event Policy and with any additional requirements contained in the registration form for the event or communicated by the Sangha leader for the event. We look forward to locating a suitable new space for our Chicago temple when safety from the pandemic allows.
While the Ancient Dragon temple is closed, Guiding Dharma Teacher Taigen Dan Leighton will be available for dokusan by telephone or zoom, as will Dharma Teachers Nyozan Eric Shutt, Eishin Nancy Easton, and Visiting Dharma Teacher Zengyu Paul Discoe. Please send requests for dokusan to our info@ancientdragon.org
Click the Online Zendo button above to enter our online zendo via ZOOM. Please bow to the camera when entering or becoming visible on Zoom, but then do not face the screen directly during zazen.
Please refer to our calendar for a complete schedule of services and events in our online zendo. As well, please refer to our Online Zendo page for instructions on accessing the room.
Latest Dharma Podcast Episodes
Huangbo’s Dreg Slurpers
ADZG 915 ADZG Monday Night Dharma Talk by Douglas Floyd
Featured Podcasts: Buddhism in Kamakura Japan
Click here to learn more about some recent dharma talks given by our guiding teacher, Taigen Dan Leighton, about key buddhist figures in Kamakura-era Japan.
Featured Events
FLOWER ORNAMENT SUTRA READING GROUP – Friday, August 6, 2021 @ 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
This reading group, open to all, will be reading aloud together the classic expansive and psychedelic Mahayana Buddhist text, Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Ornament Sutra). Participants are not expected to purchase this text and are welcome to drop in for any reading group gathering. We’ll be reading from the Thomas Cleary translation. There is no registration or fee to attend, but donations are welcome. Questions? Email info@ancientdragon.org.
ZAZEN AND DHARMA TALK BY JOAN AMARAL – Sunday, August 8, 2021 @ 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Dharma talk by Joan Amaral: “Sangha: What is it to Belong?” Joan is a Suzuki Roshi lineage Teacher in the Boston area. Sunday Morning Public Program in our online Zendo via ZOOM.
ZAZEN AND DHARMA TALK BY FLORENCE CAPLOW: PRACTICING IN THE WHITEWATER – Monday, August 16, 2021 @ 7:15 PM – 9:00 PM
Dharma talk by Florence Caplow, Soto Zen priest, Unitarian Universalist minster, and environmentalist. Monday Evening Public Program in our online Zendo via ZOOM.
Featured News
IN REMEMBRANCE OF THOMAS CLEARY
Our guiding teacher Taigen Dan Leighton has written a short remembrance for Thomas Cleary, a prolific translator of many important Buddhist texts, who died on June 20. Taigen’s remembrance can be found here, as well as on Taigen’s Articles page.
RECENT BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS AVAILABLE
The highlights from our June 2021 board meeting are now posted on our board meeting highlights page.
CONCLUSION OF HYDE PARK ZEN GROUP
After some 12 years of existence, the Hyde Park Zen group, led by Nyozan Eric Shutt, will be coming to a conclusion on July 28. Read the full story on our sangha news page.
NEW ARTICLE BY HOZAN ALAN SENAUKE
Click here to read a new article by Hozan Alan Senauke, entitled “Is This Buddhism? The Oneness of Spiritual Liberation and Social Justice”. The article will also available on our Dharma Articles and Teachings page.
Check out our Sangha News page to look at older news items previously featured here.
ARCHIVAL TALKS
Sangha Calendar
Thursday Morning Online Zazen with Hogetsu Laurie Belzer
Beginner’s Mind Zazen & Discussion Online
Meditation in Decolonizing Consciousness
Dragon Zoom Happy Hour
Flower Ornament Sutra Reading Group
Donate when shopping at AmazonSmile!
Every little bit helps! Amazon will contribute a small percentage of your purchase when choose us, Ancient Dragon Zen Gate NFP, when you shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/41-2219998.
Click the Online Zendo button above to enter our online zendo via ZOOM. Please bow to the camera when entering or becoming visible on Zoom, but then do not face the screen directly during zazen.
Please refer to our calendar for a complete schedule of services and events in our online zendo. As well, please refer to our Online Zendo page for instructions on accessing the room.
ANCIENT DRAGON ZEN GATE CLOSED; IN-PERSON AND ONLINE ZEN PROGRAMS CONTINUE
Due to the ongoing pandemic and safety concerns, we made the difficult decision to shut the doors to our temple. The Irving Park Road temple will no longer serve the community as a practice place. Instead, meetings have moved online. Ancient Dragon plans to conduct monthly in-person practice opportunities, with the option of attending through our online zendo. Our many active Ancient Dragon programs will continue to meet through Zoom in our online zendo. Please see our calendar, the Sangha Events section, and the Meditation Events sections of this site for news about upcoming events. In order to address concerns regarding COVID, participants who attend events in person must comply with Ancient Dragon’s ADZG In-Person Event Policy and with any additional requirements contained in the registration form for the event or communicated by the Sangha leader for the event. We look forward to locating a suitable new space for our Chicago temple when safety from the pandemic allows.
While the Ancient Dragon temple is closed, Guiding Dharma Teacher Taigen Dan Leighton will be available for dokusan by telephone or zoom, as will Dharma Teachers Nyozan Eric Shutt, Eishin Nancy Easton, and Visiting Dharma Teacher Zengyu Paul Discoe. Please send requests for dokusan to our info@ancientdragon.org
Latest Dharma Podcast Episodes
Huangbo’s Dreg Slurpers
ADZG 915 ADZG Monday Night Dharma Talk by Douglas Floyd
Featured Podcasts: Buddhism in Kamakura Japan
Click here to learn more about some recent dharma talks given by our guiding teacher, Taigen Dan Leighton, about key buddhist figures in Kamakura-era Japan.
Featured Events
FLOWER ORNAMENT SUTRA READING GROUP – Friday, August 6, 2021 @ 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
This reading group, open to all, will be reading aloud together the classic expansive and psychedelic Mahayana Buddhist text, Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Ornament Sutra). Participants are not expected to purchase this text and are welcome to drop in for any reading group gathering. We’ll be reading from the Thomas Cleary translation. There is no registration or fee to attend, but donations are welcome. Questions? Email info@ancientdragon.org.
ZAZEN AND DHARMA TALK BY JOAN AMARAL – Sunday, August 8, 2021 @ 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Dharma talk by Joan Amaral: “Sangha: What is it to Belong?” Joan is a Suzuki Roshi lineage Teacher in the Boston area. Sunday Morning Public Program in our online Zendo via ZOOM.
ZAZEN AND DHARMA TALK BY FLORENCE CAPLOW: PRACTICING IN THE WHITEWATER – Monday, August 16, 2021 @ 7:15 PM – 9:00 PM
Dharma talk by Florence Caplow, Soto Zen priest, Unitarian Universalist minster, and environmentalist. Monday Evening Public Program in our online Zendo via ZOOM.
Featured News
IN REMEMBRANCE OF THOMAS CLEARY
Our guiding teacher Taigen Dan Leighton has written a short remembrance for Thomas Cleary, a prolific translator of many important Buddhist texts, who died on June 20. Taigen’s remembrance can be found here, as well as on Taigen’s Articles page.
RECENT BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS AVAILABLE
The highlights from our June 2021 board meeting are now posted on our board meeting highlights page.
CONCLUSION OF HYDE PARK ZEN GROUP
After some 12 years of existence, the Hyde Park Zen group, led by Nyozan Eric Shutt, will be coming to a conclusion on July 28. Read the full story on our sangha news page.
NEW ARTICLE BY HOZAN ALAN SENAUKE
Click here to read a new article by Hozan Alan Senauke, entitled “Is This Buddhism? The Oneness of Spiritual Liberation and Social Justice”. The article will also available on our Dharma Articles and Teachings page.
Check out our Sangha News page to look at older news items previously featured here.
Sangha Calendar
Thursday Morning Online Zazen with Hogetsu Laurie Belzer
Beginner’s Mind Zazen & Discussion Online
Meditation in Decolonizing Consciousness
Dragon Zoom Happy Hour
Flower Ornament Sutra Reading Group
ARCHIVAL TALKS
Donate when shopping at AmazonSmile!
Every little bit helps! Amazon will contribute a small percentage of your purchase when choose us, Ancient Dragon Zen Gate NFP, when you shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/41-2219998.
