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Soto Zen Buddhist Meditation in Chicago

Ancient Dragon Zen Gate is a community of engaged buddhist practitioners committed to Soto Zen meditation practice in the tradition of Shunryu Suzuki-roshi and is a Branching Stream of San Francisco Zen Center.  Our meditation practice, zazen, is cultivated for the benefit of all life and our great earth.
We endeavour to create a welcoming practice community in Chicago and online that is a refuge and support for showing up in our lives with the awakened awareness and creative vitality that flow from zen meditation.
COME SIT WITH US!  Everyone is welcome to attend any of our in-person, online, and hybrid regular meditation practice events.   To get acquainted,  you are warmly invited to request personal meditation instruction and temple orientation.


Featured Events

FLOWER ORNAMENT SUTRA READING GROUP (ONLINE) – Friday February 7, 2025 @ 7:00 PM

This reading group is open to all. We will be reading aloud together the classic and vast Mahayana Buddhist text, Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Ornament Sutra). Join us for brief zazen and reading,There is no registration or fee to attend, but donations are welcome.Questions? Email info@ancientdragon.org.

 

SEMINAR BY TAIGEN DAN LEIGHTON: DONGSHAN’S SONG OF THE JEWEL MIRROR SAMADHISaturday February 8, 2025 @ 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Online Seminar taught by Ancient Dragon Zen Gate emeritus guiding teacher Taigen Dan Leighton. We will discuss the “Song of the Jewel Mirror Samadhi” (Hokyo Zammai) by Dongshan Liangjie.

HALF-DAY SITTING LED BY EISHIN NANCY EASTON – Sunday, February 16, 2025 @ 7:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Half-day sitting led by Eishin Nancy Easton. This half-day sitting is an opportunity to deepen your practice, and to reflect on ways that Buddha’s life and teachings continue to resonate in our world. Both in-person and online-only participation are available, and you must register in advance for this event. If you register for in-person attendance, please plan to attend the entire event.  The 9:30am zazen period and 10:15am dharma talk are open to the public, without making a reservation. Please register in advance by Monday February 10, 2025 using the form on the event page. $35 is the suggested donation and donation is a self determined sliding scale, so please offer what you can afford when you register.

 

Upcoming Events


Latest Dharma Podcast Episode

Moving with the Breath

ADZG 1223 ADZG Sunday Morning Dharma Talk by Hōgetsu Laurie Belzer


Featured News

ONLINE ONLY FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2025:
THURSDAY MORNING ZAZEN AND DHARMA WITH HOGETSU WILL NOT MEET IN PERSON THIS MONTH AND WILL BE OFFERED ONLY ONLINE.  REGULAR HYBRID MEETINGS RESUME IN MARCH 2024

SAVE THE DATE:  2025 SPRING PRACTICE COMMITMENT PERIOD LED BY HOGETSU LAURIE BELZER
COMPASSION’S WAY: THE DHARMA OF 3 AMERICAN ZEN ANCESTORS
Sunday March 23, 2025 – Sunday May 18, 2025

Ancient Dragon’s annual 8-week nonresidential practice period will study the dharma modern American zen teachers, Joko Beck, Darlene Cohen, and Blanche Hartman.  Participants will create practice schedules that work with their life circumstances, yet enhance their commitment to zazen, dharma study, and sangha practice. Registration and events details will be posted soon on our website.

TAIGEN DAN LEIGHTON’S CONTINUED TEACHING

Our guiding teacher emeritus, Taigen Dan Leighton, continues to offer his dharma in many offerings. See the Taigen’s Seminars page for an updated list of seminars offered at Ancient Dragon and elsewhere. As well, click here to visit Taigen’s website, containing a rich library of his offerings.

 

 

NEW GROUP:  ZEN CREATIVES – BIWEEKLY THURSDAYS @ 7:00 PM –  8:30 PM (ONLINE)

If you are interested in exploring your creative work, start or solidify a creative practice with others on a similar path, please consider joining this expedition into finding grounded creativity with
Buddhism. Just show up in the Dragon Online Zendo or contact Anastasia McRae at info@ancientdragon.org

 

cdc covid infographic
ANCIENT DRAGON PUBLIC HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS

Respiratory virus season is upon us!! If you think you are ill or have a recent exposure, please attend online. In the zendo, we will be opening windows, so please dress in layers and follow CDC protocol in this infographic (click to enlarge). Also, please see our COVID recommendations here compiled by sangha member Chris Cadman as part of our Sangha Care Committee.

LOS ANGELES WILDFIRE AID

The daughter of our sangha priest, Gyoshin Laurel Ross and many dear dragon friends and sangha live in LA with their safety and well being threatened by the wildfires.  The truth of our interbeing is clear and our hearts are with those struggling in Los Angeles at this time. Here are two resources recommended by Gyoshin:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wnjirUcgYcqAOoTQ2me2X1m4Ejyszi6sfdUZR5jKdYQ/edit?usp=sharing