Welcome to Salt Spring Zen Circle!
Practice during COVID-19: During this time of physical isolation, we continue to study interdependence through our practice of zazen and group study sessions. Please note that our practice offerings are now available through Zoom video conferencing. If you would like to join us for Wednesday night zazen (7:10-8:45PM) and/or weekly Sunday Sit’n’Study (9:00-10:00AM), please sign up on our Friends of the Sangha list for email updates on the schedule, current study materials, and links to Zoom meetings.
After reading about our group and the various practice opportunities we offer, we hope you will feel free to join us at any time, whether you are completely new to meditation or Zen, or have experience in Zen or any other meditation tradition.
Salt Spring Zen Circle is a lay Zen practice community, led by Eihei Peter Levitt, who was fully authorized as a Zen teacher in the Suzuki-roshi lineage by Zoketsu Norman Fischer of Everyday Zen. Peter founded the Salt Spring Zen Circle and has been our teacher since 2001.
Our weekly Wednesday night meditation practice (zazen) begins at 7:15 PM and ends before 9:00 PM. We meet in the Upper Hall at All Saints by-the-Sea Anglican Church, 110 Park Dr in Ganges. This practice is open to everyone and you can just show up–no need to register. Please leave enough time for travel so that you can be comfortably settled by 7:05 PM.
If you have never practiced zen meditation before, or have any questions before attending for the first time, we suggest that you contact Simon (250-537-1721) or Judy (250-537-2062).
Both experienced zen practitioners and people who are somewhat new to Zen may like to further their practice by joining us for our half-day of practice. In general, these are offered five times a year on the last Sunday of the month. These meetings are led by students and include an opportunity to practice zazen, explore a traditional zen text, and discuss with others how zen practice may apply to everyday life.
In the spring and fall we offer either a four day traditional Zen retreat (called sesshin in Japanese) or a study retreat on Salt Spring Island. These silent retreats are a profound opportunity to experience Zen sitting, walking, eating, working, dharma talks, private meetings with the teacher and more in a formal, traditional manner.
If you would like to learn more about any part of our practice, please feel free to contact Peter by email. Check our Calendar page for updates on upcoming events. You can also sign up for our Friends of Salt Spring Zen Circle email list on the Membership page. Friends will receive periodic email updates about sangha activities.
Salt Spring Zen Circle
PO Box 235
Salt Spring Island, BC
V8K 2V9
