Soto Zen Buddhist Meditation in Chicago
Ancient Dragon Zen Gate is a community of zen buddhist practitioners in the American Soto Zen tradition of Shunryu Suzuki-roshi. Our sangha is a Branching Stream of San Francisco Zen Center. Our zen meditation practice, zazen (just sitting meditation), is cultivated for the benefit of all life and for our great earth. Our collective practice is offered as a refuge and support for showing up in our lives with the awakened awareness, wise compassion, and creative vitality that flow from zen meditation.
We endeavor to create a welcoming practice community in Chicago and online.
COME SIT WITH US!
Everyone is welcome to attend any of our onsite, online, and hybrid regular meditation practice events.
To get acquainted, you are warmly invited to request personal meditation instruction and temple orientation, or if you wish, just drop in for zazen.
Explore the Path: MEDITATION INSTRUCTION & TEMPLE ORIENTATION
Onsite – To register: email info@ancientdragon.org
Sunday, May 10, 2026 @ 8:30am – 9:00am
Monday, May 18, 2026 @ 6:15pm – 6:45pm
Featured Events
SESSHIN PREPARATION DAY – Saturday, May 9, 2026 @ 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (In-person)
Day of preparation for our upcoming three-day sesshin starting the evening of May 14. The day will begin with temple cleaning, followed by a lunch break and oryoki and doan training for those who would like it. A rehearsal for our shuso ceremony will follow. All are welcome to attend regardless of participation in our upcoming sesshin; please let us know in advance if you would like training.
SUNDAY MORNING ZAZEN AND TALK BY HOGETSU – Sunday, May 10, 2026 @ 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM (Hybrid)
Sunday morning program including zazen and a talk by our guiding teacher Hogetsu. All are welcome to attend our hybrid program in our Lincoln Square Zendo or online in our online zendo.
SPRING THREE-DAY SESSHIN LED BY HOGETSU: Caring and Responding – Thursday, May 14, 2026 @ 7:00 PM – Sunday, May 17, 2026 @ 5:30 PM (Hybrid)
This sesshin will be held hybrid: onsite in our Lincoln Square Zendo and in our Online Zendo. The sesshin begins Thursday evening with orientation, and a period of zazen. May 17th includes the Shuso Ceremony and concludes our Spring Practice Commitment Period . All are welcome to attend any combination of 1, 2, or all 3 days both in-person and online. Partial attendance is welcome. Suggested (self-determined) donation is $75/day Please click here for more information and to register; please register by Monday, May 11.
Latest Dharma Podcast Episode
Shuso Talk #2: On Zazen
1280 ADZG Sunday Morning Shuso Talk about Zazen by Gerrie Griffin
Featured News
SEMINARS BY TAIGEN DAN LEIGHTON: DOGEN’S EXTENSIVE RECORD
Our emeritus guiding teacher, Taigen, will be hosting two seminars on Dogen’s Extensive Record (Eihei Koroku) on Saturday, May 23 and Saturday, June 13, both at 1 – 3 PM CST. The seminars will be online only in our online zendo. Please click the event links for more information and to register.
SAVE THE DATE – SANGHA MEETING AND POTLUCK
Sunday, June 7 @ 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Mark your calendars for Sunday, June 7; we will have a sangha meeting led by our Board President Yana and new Business Admin Mike in lieu of our normal dharma talk. Following, we will have a potluck – all are welcome to bring a dish! Hope to see you there.
SIGN UP OPEN: SANGHA WEEK AT SFZC’s GREEN GULCH FARM
August 19 – 23, 2026
Ancient Dragon has been given the opportunity to return to Green Gulch Farm near San Francisco for a sangha week this summer. Please click here for more information. If you are interested, please speak to Hogetsu or email info@ancientdragon.org as soon as possible as the trip requires some planning.
TAIGEN’S TEACHINGS
Our guiding teacher emeritus, Taigen, continues to offer his dharma.
Click here to see Taigen’s page and his many dharma offerings.
ANCIENT DRAGON PUBLIC HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS
Flu and respiratory virus season is here! If you think you are ill or have a recent exposure to virus, please attend online. Germs spread easily in group settings and when in doubt, join online, In the zendo, we will be opening windows, so please dress in layers and follow CDC protocol in this infographic (click to enlarge).
