Our Practice
New York Zen Community for Dōgen Study
offers daily, weekly, monthly, and special programs.
Our Programs are Offered Free of Charge
Participation in Zazen programs is open to all.
Study Programs are currently being recorded and will available online.
To participate in Special Events in real time, kindly, reach out via email at: info@nyzcfordogenstudy.org
Ango (Intensive Practice Period)
Summer April 14th - July 15th
Winter October 14-January 15
The tradition of intensifying practice and study during three spring and summer months dates back to the days of Gōtama Buddha when India’s rainy season made travel hazardous, and monks gathered together in one place to practice. In Japan this tradition was extended to include the snowy, cold winter months.
Our Ango period of intensifying practice and study features many opportunities and programs for practice and study in addition to the continuation of ongoing lecture series and sangha events.
Please note that due to Issan’s upcoming trip to Japan and back surgeries in September our summer/fall schedules will be a bit irregular this year, so please be sure to take note of the schedule.
ZAZEN
Morning Zazen
Continues Monday to Friday without interference by travel schedule
7:00 am: Kentan Gyōkō begins.
7:10 am: Opening bell.
8:00 am: Chanting of Takkesage M, W, F and - Verse of the Robe on T, Th
After Zazen, we gather to read from Dōgen’s Shōbōgenzō Zuimonki.
On days ending in 4 or 9, we come together for a short morning service, Ryaku-Chōka.
Monthly Zazenkai
Each month, we dedicate a day to deepening our shikantaza practice in silence, alternating between several periods of Zazen and Kinhin. Participants may join for the entire day or any part of it.
8:00 am – 5:30 pm US EST , 14:00 -23:00 CET
July 12, 2025
August Off
September is replaced by 3-Day Sesshin, see below
October 4
November 1
December is replaced by 3-Day Sesshin, see below
3 Day Sesshin
September 5-7, 2025 (Friday - Sunday)
Location: Online Only
Friday 9/5/25 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Saturday 9/6/25 8:00 am to 8:30 pm
Sunday 9/7/25 8:40 am -11:00 am
December 6-8 (Friday-Sunday)
Location: Jogues Retreat Center in Cornwall, NY
On Friday we will travel to Jogues retreat with Dharma friends from Belgium and France for a "Mini Rohatsu" Sesshin and on Sunday we will return to Brooklyn for the ordination ceremony of Françoise Myōsen Leclercq by Rev. Issan Koyama with a Sangha social celebration to follow. Registration and finalized details/ schedules TBD, please check back for details.
STUDY PROGRAMS
Monday Lecture Series
Mahāparinibbāna Sutta - Buddha's Last Journey
Mondays 6:30 - 8:00 pm (EST) as of October 20
October 20, 27
November 3, 10, 17, 24
December 1, 8,15, 22
Wednesday Lecture Series
Kannon-gyō - Chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra
Wednesdays from 18:30- 20:00 (CET) and from 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM (US EST)
August 13, 20, 27
September is off
October 8, 15, 22, 29
November 5, 12, 19, 26
December 3, 10, 17
Hōkyō-ki Translation Project
Hōkyō-ki is Dōgen’s personal journal documenting his private conversations with his teacher, Nyojō Zenji, while in Song Dynasty China.
Dōgen’s questions to Nyojō go right to the heart of our practice, clarifying key points about dharma and practice that have been debated for centuries and continue to be contentious even today.
Eligible sangha members are invited to “peek in” as Issan, Françoise and Michele meet online to continue work on our original English and French translation of Hōkyō-ki
Tuesdays From 8:15 am - 9:30 am (US EST), from 14:15 - 15:30 (CET) and from 21:15- 22:30 (Japan time)
July 1, 15, 22
Thursdays From 8:15 am - 9:30 am (US EST), from 14:15 - 15:30 (CET) and from 21:15- 22:30 (Japan time)
August 7, 14, 21
September is off
October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
November 6, 13, 20
December 4, 11, 18
Monthly All Day Study Intensive
Avatamsaka Sūtra
(The Flower Adornment Sūtra)
This sūtra is vast and exuberant, ushering readers into an awe-inspiring cosmic celebration of Dharma. A close examination reveals that the Flower Adornment Sūtra proffers the same Dharma as all Buddhist texts including Dōgen’s. It is about our path as bodhisattvas and how we walk it so it is as inspiring for us today as it was for Buddhists hundreds of years ago.
Based on the new three-volume translation of “The Avatamsaka Sūtra: An Annotated Translation of The Avatamsaka Sūtra” translated by Bhikshu Dharmamitra.
published by Kalavinka Press.
(Usually second Saturday of the month)
15:00-21:00 European Central Time
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM US Eastern Time
July Off
Saturday, August 9
September Off
October 11
November 8
December 13
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Open Mondō (Question & Answer Session)
Our new monthly program, Open Mondō (Question & Answer Session) begins in April.
Mondō is an opportunity for Zen students to ask questions and engage in dialogues with a teacher. Although some schools prefer a formal ceremonious style of mondō, our mondōs will be very relaxed and informal.
Questions asked during mondō should be non-conceptual in that they are about real life experiences rather than academic concerns. Questions are dharma-related but focus on situations that are of immediate significance to our lives.
(usually third Saturday of the month during the Ango but this season a little irregular)
10:00 am - 11:30 am US EST
16:00 - 17:30 European Central Time
July Off
August 16
September Off
October 18
November 15
December 20
Nyohō-e Sewing Circle (Fukuden-kai)
Our new monthly practice of gathering to sew Buddhist robes begins in April and will take place monthly.
Our Nyohō-e tradition is inspired by Sawaki Kōdō Rōshi’s teachings so in addition to gathering to sew, we will also be translating and posting Sawaki Rōshi’s teachings on the significance of sewing Buddhist robes on our website regularly in the hopes of making this meditative practice more understandable and accessible.
Friday 6:00 pm-8:00 pm
Usually the third Friday evening of the month
July Off
August 15
September Off
October 17
November 21
December 19
In August and February, we observe a reduced practice schedule.
Rev. Issan Koyama’s Travel Schedule
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Japan: June 23-July 28 2025
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Japan: 2026 TBD
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Italy: April 2026