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 Lincoln Square Zendo in person, or in our Online Zendo via Zoom to learn meditation before our regular program. Click our “New to Zen?” button above for more information. Click here to read our updated COVID policy for attending in-person events.
BUILDING UPDATE
After exploring the possibility of obtaining a new temple building at 4326 N. Lincoln Avenue for the past few months, the Ancient Dragon Board has decided not to purchase that building for a few reasons. Firstly, as a 100-year-old building, the expected renovation cost was somewhat larger than we were aiming for. Secondly, there was not an offer from our bank or loan broker that was agreeable to ADZG and our guarantors, and other options seemed inadvisable. Thirdly, although in an excellent location, the building’s small footprint size was a major and prevailing concern.
We will now pause our building search to focus on developing our sangha and our financial capacities. When we are ready, we will continue discussions with financial institutions to prepare to purchase a building that fits our sangha priorities. Meanwhile, we will joyfully grow and care for the sangha together at our Lincoln Square zendo, and continue sangha conversations about our perspectives for a next building.
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
Sangha and Spiritual friends
ADZG 1130 ADZG Monday Night Dharma Talk by Wade Wheatley
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, October 6, 2023 @ 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. Participants will also be invited to sit for optional seated meditation at each gathering. There is no registration or fee to attend, but donations are welcome.
ORYOKI TRAINING WITH DOUGLAS FLOYD – Saturday, October 7, 2023 @ 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Oryoki training, led by Douglas Floyd, in preparation for our all-day sitting on Sunday, October 8. No prior experience necessary. You may bring your own set if you have one, otherwise one will be provided. This training will be in-person only at our Lincoln Square zendo.
ALL-DAY SITTING LED BY DOUGLAS FLOYD – Sunday, October 8, 2023 @ 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
All-day sitting led by Douglas Floyd, lay entrusted teacher at Ancient Dragon. Both in-person and online-only participation are available. Partial attendance is welcome and available. The morning zazen period and dharma talk is open to the public. Please register in advance by Monday, October 2, 2023 using the form on the event page. Please address requests for information about this event to Douglas at info@ancientdragon.org. $75 is the suggested donation and donation is a self-determined sliding scale, so please offer what you can afford when you register. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Featured News
BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS AVAILABLE
Highlights from the August 13 board meeting are now available on the Board Meeting Highlights page.
SEMINAR BY TAIGEN ON DOGEN’S EXTENSIVE RECORD
Taigen Leighton will host an online seminar on Saturday, October 21, from 1-4:30 PM on Dogen’s Extensive Record, Eihei Koroku. Taigen will give an introduction to this text, one of Dogen’s two major massive works, along with Shobogenzo. To register, complete the form on the event page. For more information, contact info@ancientdragon.org. Suggested donation is $50, but sliding scale available to all, less or more is welcome. All are invited regardless of insufficient funds.
JUKAI LAY ORDINATION CEREMONY HELD ON JUNE 18
Our guiding teacher, Taigen Dan Leighton, and Ancient Dragon teacher Nyozan Eric Shutt conducted a jukai lay ordination ceremony for three Ancient Dragon sangha members: Alex Peltz, Wade Wheatley, and David Wray. The ceremony was held at our Lincoln Square Zendo on Sunday, June 18 with many sangha members, friends and family in attendance in-person and online. A reception was held in the zendo backyard afterwards. Deep bows to everyone who participated in and contributed to the ceremony, and heartfelt congratulations to our three new lay-ordained sangha members!
Check out our Sangha News page to look at older news items previously featured here.
ARCHIVAL TALKS
Florence Caplow (11/4/2019) – Ferocious Grandmothers
Hakusho Ostlund (7/18/2016) – I Sit Therefore I Sit
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.
BUILDING UPDATE
After exploring the possibility of obtaining a new temple building at 4326 N. Lincoln Avenue for the past few months, the Ancient Dragon Board has decided not to purchase that building for a few reasons. Firstly, as a 100-year-old building, the expected renovation cost was somewhat larger than we were aiming for. Secondly, there was not an offer from our bank or loan broker that was agreeable to ADZG and our guarantors, and other options seemed inadvisable. Thirdly, although in an excellent location, the building’s small footprint size was a major and prevailing concern.
We will now pause our building search to focus on developing our sangha and our financial capacities. When we are ready, we will continue discussions with financial institutions to prepare to purchase a building that fits our sangha priorities. Meanwhile, we will joyfully grow and care for the sangha together at our Lincoln Square zendo, and continue sangha conversations about our perspectives for a next building.
Latest Dharma Podcast Episodes
Sangha and Spiritual friends
ADZG 1130 ADZG Monday Night Dharma Talk by Wade Wheatley
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, October 6, 2023 @ 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. Participants will also be invited to sit for optional seated meditation at each gathering. There is no registration or fee to attend, but donations are welcome.
ORYOKI TRAINING WITH DOUGLAS FLOYD – Saturday, October 7, 2023 @ 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Oryoki training, led by Douglas Floyd, in preparation for our all-day sitting on Sunday, October 8. No prior experience necessary. You may bring your own set if you have one, otherwise one will be provided. This training will be in-person only at our Lincoln Square zendo.
ALL-DAY SITTING LED BY DOUGLAS FLOYD – Sunday, October 8, 2023 @ 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
All-day sitting led by Douglas Floyd, lay entrusted teacher at Ancient Dragon. Both in-person and online-only participation are available. Partial attendance is welcome and available. The morning zazen period and dharma talk is open to the public. Please register in advance by Monday, October 2, 2023 using the form on the event page. Please address requests for information about this event to Douglas at info@ancientdragon.org. $75 is the suggested donation and donation is a self-determined sliding scale, so please offer what you can afford when you register. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Featured News
BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS AVAILABLE
Highlights from the August 13 board meeting are now available on the Board Meeting Highlights page.
SEMINAR BY TAIGEN ON DOGEN’S EXTENSIVE RECORD
Taigen Leighton will host an online seminar on Saturday, October 21, from 1-4:30 PM on Dogen’s Extensive Record, Eihei Koroku. Taigen will give an introduction to this text, one of Dogen’s two major massive works, along with Shobogenzo. To register, complete the form on the event page. For more information, contact info@ancientdragon.org. Suggested donation is $50, but sliding scale available to all, less or more is welcome. All are invited regardless of insufficient funds.
JUKAI LAY ORDINATION CEREMONY HELD ON JUNE 18
Our guiding teacher, Taigen Dan Leighton, and Ancient Dragon teacher Nyozan Eric Shutt conducted a jukai lay ordination ceremony for three Ancient Dragon sangha members: Alex Peltz, Wade Wheatley, and David Wray. The ceremony was held at our Lincoln Square Zendo on Sunday, June 18 with many sangha members, friends and family in attendance in-person and online. A reception was held in the zendo backyard afterwards. Deep bows to everyone who participated in and contributed to the ceremony, and heartfelt congratulations to our three new lay-ordained sangha members!
Check out our Sangha News page to look at older news items previously featured here.
ARCHIVAL TALKS
Florence Caplow (11/4/2019) – Ferocious Grandmothers
Hakusho Ostlund (7/18/2016) – I Sit Therefore I Sit
