We invite you to visit the meditation hall and meet the community that practices here. The Center offers an environment and teachings for the cultivation of compassionate presence in each moment.

We practice mind-body awareness in sitting and walking meditation and in daily life. Our teaching is in the Soto Zen tradition brought to us from Japan by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi.

Suzuki Roshi was a direct spiritual descendant of the great 13th century Zen Master Eihei Dogen. He came to America in 1958 and founded the San Francisco Zen Center and Tassajara Zen Mountain Center.

The purpose of Santa Cruz Zen Center is to embody and communicate the teachings of the Buddha. Our understanding of the non-duality of compassion and wisdom, practice and realization, has been conveyed through the Soto School. The focus of our center is on integrating Zen practice and everyday life.

We offer daily meditation, weekly lectures, classes, workshops, workdays, one to seven-day meditation retreats and ceremonies.

Monday - Friday
5:45 am zazen (sitting meditation)
6:25 am morning service (chanting)
6:45 am soji (temple cleaning)
12:00 pm zazen (40 minutes)
5:45 pm zazen (40 minutes)

Wednesday Evening
5:45 pm zazen
6:25 pm kinhin (walking meditation)
6:35 pm lecture/discussion
7:30 pm informal tea and library open

Saturday
8:30 am zazen (40 minutes)

Sunday
5:45 pm zazen
6:25 pm evening service