KYOTO WINTER SPECIAL 2009 "December 1,2008-March 31,2009"

Kyoto is the center of Zen culture. For those of you who have chosen to try zazen in Kyoto, it is sure to be a very special experience. Silence, simplicity, tradition, formality? to practice zazen surrounded by such things is an opportunity that can be found nowhere else.

The original and ultimate purpose of Zen is to attain enlightenment (satori). This is not the sole purpose however; nor is the purpose to stand the pain of sitting for a long time or experience the ascetic practice of being hit with the keisaku stick. The purpose of zazen is to sit quietly and calm your mind. For modern people the most indispensable thing is to sit quietly and calmly, but in reality this is very difficult. By sitting deliberately surrounded by the nature and culture of this place, we hope you all will achieve deep peace in both body and mind.

-If you are a beginner, we will make sure to provide a basic, easy-to-understand explanation of the meaning, purpose, and methods of zazen. Zazen is usually practiced in a seated position on the floor, however we can provide a chair if you have a bad knee or cannot fold your legs. The purpose of zazen is not to be able to sit with your legs crossed, so it is still possible to practice seated in a chair.