Day-to-day life is filled with chasing the self outside of the self, in relation to some other. The dis-ease, dissatisfaction, and loneliness of life can never be resolved by seeking outside of the self. Early Buddhist sutras say that to depend on others is to be unstable and that the foundation of the self is only the Self. Bearing witness is the self being actualized by the reality of life. This is true awakening to just this, as it is: […]
Category Archives: Events
Workshops, Retreats, Talks
OZS News and Views – Fall 2026
Dear friends, We have been using a moktak (traditional Korean Buddhist percussive instrument) to keep rhythm and focus during chanting. While in Asheville this past week, I purchased this old Japanese mokugyo, or wooden fish drum, a Zen Temple relic. It has a lovely sound. May it continue to serve Bodhi in its new home! Sunday Morning – Practice Session OZS Meditation on Siesta Key Beach A flag lights your way! Join Ordinary Zen Sangha for Sunrise Zen Meditation practice […]
Schedule Changes for May 2026
Dear Friends, Practice sessions are cancelled for Wednesday, May 13th, Saturday, May 16th, and Sunday, May 17th. Please see the calendar on our website for changes.
OZS Schedule Changes for March and April 2026
Dear friends, Please note that Wednesday, March 11th, will be the last in-person Wednesday practice session at our Zendo until April 15th, and Sunday, March 15th, will be the last in-person Sunday practice session at our Zendo until April 19th, 2026. I will be in Asheville, North Carolina, through April 12th, 2026, and you can join me on Wednesdays and Sundays on Zoom. I look forward to continuing our practice from Asheville on Zoom. Please check the calendar for any changes. […]
Zen Practice from 9:00 am to 12 pm, Saturday, March 7, 2026
A morning of Zen meditation practice from 9:00 am to 12 pm, Saturday, March 7, 2026. Join us in person at our Zendo or on Zoom for several sitting and walking meditations, with a break every hour. Tea will be served. Bring your own cushion or use ours. Chairs are also provided. Please RSVP; space is limited to 12 participants at the Zendo (unlimited attendance on Zoom). Please consider joining us at Siesta Beach at 6:30 am for our half-hour […]
Beyond Ideas
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, There is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, The world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, even the phrase each other Doesn’t make any sense. –Rumi Picking up the pieces As I get ready to head back to Sarasota from Asheville, North Carolina, on the first anniversary of Hurricane Helene, I am humbled to see how a gentle river of humanity has risen […]
News – Chong An Sunim is coming to OZS in May
‘Ignorance, intelligence, and insight – how to obtain who we are and find our true path.’ A talk with Chong An Sunim on Thursday evening, May 8, 2025, followed on Friday, May 9th, 2025, with a Zen Day at OZS. Thursday’s Dharma Talk will be from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Friday’s Zen Day will be from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. OZS is located at 4690 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, Florida 34232. The suggested donation for the talk is $10.00 […]
Sangha Practice for New Years Day
Join us for a sangha celebration to welcome the New Year. New Year’s Day, Wednesday, January 1, 2025, 7:00 pm We will start with Zen meditation practice at 7:00 pm and end with celebrating the New Year with our community of practitioners. Please join us. You are welcome to bring a snack or treat to share, we will provide Tea. Please use the contact form to let us know you will be coming. All the Best, Abbot Will Rauschenberger
Wind Blows, Old Songs End, New Ones Begin
The Song of Liberation… Upcoming events: Winter Solstice Celebration at Siesta Public Beach. Sat, Dec 21, 2024, 6:30 AM New Year’s Day, Wednesday, January 1, 2025. Join us for our Evening Meditation, Dharma Talk, and Sangha Celebration. 7:00 PM.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Greetings, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for many reasons! This year, I will spend it with my adult children in Maryland, so there will be no practice session on Sunday, December 1st. Speaking of Thanksgiving, OZS is made possible by our supporting members, thank you for supporting OZS! We had a wonderful 10 days with Chong An Sunim. I posted 3 Dharma Talks with Sunim from our OZS practice sessions, enjoy.