This Is Zen – An all-day retreat

Saturday, October 2, 2021. The Retreat will be on Zoom and in person at our Zendo for fully vaccinated individuals.  6:50 am to 7:30 am – Our day starts with Meditation Practice on Siesta Key Beach (weather permitting). Directions: We will meet Northeast of the last lifeguard tower furthest north of the pavilion. Park in the North Lot. 9:00 am to 5:00 pm –  We begin our retreat with an opening ceremony, chanting the Heart Sutra, and a 30-minute meditation, followed by an introductory […]

Advice for the Zoom Retreat

Pause and Reflect A Zen Retreat/Workshop – January 30, 2021 7:00 am to 7:30 am – Our day starts with Meditation Practice on Siesta Key Beach (weather permitting). Directions: We will meet Northeast of the last lifeguard tower furthest north of the pavilion. Park in the North Lot. 9:00 am to 5:00 pm – The Retreat/workshop will be on Zoom. We begin our retreat with an opening ceremony, chanting the Heart Sutra, and a 30-minute meditation, followed by an introductory talk by Abbot Will […]

Campaign Nonviolence Conference events August 6-8, 2020

Hi Will: This is the national Conference that we organized, I was very involved in the organizing. As you will see I am teaching on Friday and presenting on Saturday.  I would like to extend an invitation to all members of the Sangha. To participate for free you just need to enter the code: CNVFRIEND2020. Would you kindly pass on?  Thanks, Veronica Pelicaric https://paceebene.salsalabs.org/saturdayeblast-8-1-20?wvpId=4e804234-829e-4092-863f-ad0e8e6784be

4/5/20 – Online Practice Session at OZS and Won Kwang Sa Temple

Two Zoom Sessions this Sunday starting at 9:00 am… Sunday, April 5, 2020 – Online Practice Session at OZS and Dharma Talk at Won Kwang Sa Temple Dear Sangha, OZS is inviting you to two scheduled Zoom meetings this Sunday, April 5, 2020. We are changing the start time for this Sunday to 9:00 AM and adding a second Dharma talk with Chong An Sunim at 10:00 AM from Won Kwang Sa Temple in Budapest, Hungary. We had a wonderful […]

COVID-19 response update for OZS practice sessions

All OZS sessions at our Sarasota Zendo on Fruitville Road are canceled till May 1, 2020. With COVID-19 active on our continent and locally, as a precaution, I have canceled Wednesday evening and Sunday morning meditation sessions at our Zendo, effective immediately for the rest of March. As we navigate through this health concern, the most important thing is for everyone to take care of each other. If we work together as a community to slow the transmission, our health […]

COVID-19 response at OZS

“When the crowded Vietnamese refugee boats met with storms or pirates, if everyone panicked, all would be lost. But if even one person on the boat remained calm and centered, it was enough. It showed the way for everyone to survive.” –Thich Nhat Hanh OZS is monitoring the COVID-19 situation as it unfolds and currently remains open for practice on Wednesday evening and Sunday morning. We are promoting handwashing and sanitation, as well as bowing as greeting in lieu of […]

Chong An Sunim at OZS

Retreat Weekend with Zen Master Chong An Sunim

Zen Master Chong An Sunim – March 6,7,8, 2020 Join with us to explore and deepen your meditation practice under the guidance of a dynamic and gifted Zen Master. There will be an opportunity for a variety of practices, geared for the benefit of all participants. Beginners and old-timers alike are gratified by Sunim’s humor, down-to-earth approach, avoidance of intellectualisms, and of esoteric wordiness. His practice instruction is realistic and practical, yet somehow leaves you beautifully informed as to the meaning […]

Altar at OZS

January 2020 – All Day Silent Retreat

Saturday 1/18/2020 9:00AM – 5:00PM A traditional, yet relaxed all day sit begins at 9:00 am and includes chanting, meditation, a silent lunch, and dharma talk/discussion. Abbot Will Rauschenberger is also available for a private meeting (dokusan), if requested. Suggested contribution for the All Day Sit is $20.00 but this is not arbitrary,  it is up to you to give what you can. There is no set fee.  Please bring your own brown bag lunch, tea and coffee will be […]

OZS Altar Feature Image

Sunday Meditation Practice – Times are Changing

Our Sunday evening practice is changing to Sunday morning practice! Starting October 6, 2019. At the close of our last retreat, it was the consensus of the sangha members present that it would be easier for most to have our Sunday practice be in the morning instead of the evening. So starting on Oct 6, 2019 we will be meeting at 10:00 am for our meditation practice. Sunday Morning Practice Session: The doors open at 9:30 am and the practice session […]