CEDAR RAPIDS ZEN CENTER’S
INTRO TO ZEN CLASSES
When and where?
We are located at 1618 Bever Ave. in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The classes are held every Sunday from 9-10 am, and on the second Wednesday night of August, from 7-8pm.
What to expect?
Classes are held upstairs in our library, and will be led by one of our senior members. There
will be an introduction to Zen teaching, with perhaps a Zen story or two thrown in. Next will
be instruction on Zen meditation, called zazen. This is the basis of our practice, and involves
letting go of our thoughts and returning to the breath. You will also be shown three different
type of meditation postures (half lotus, seiza, and using a chair), so you can determine which
is most comfortable for you. Finally, we will try 20 minutes of silent zazen meditation.
On Sundays, there is the option to join the rest of the sangha (Zen practitioners) for hearing a
Zen dharma talk, followed by discussion.
Will I be able to ask questions?
Questions are not only allowed, but encouraged. Buddhism is a religion of asking questions.
Will anyone ask me to join anything, or encourage me to change my religious beliefs?
Absolutely not. Because Zen doesn’t have dogma – specific lists of things you must believe in
– it is very open to people of other faiths, or no faith at all.
How should I dress?
In comfortable clothing. Some people find blue jeans a little stiff for meditation.
Where do I park?
The Zen Center is in a residential neighborhood, but there is plenty of on-street parking, both
in front of the center, and on the opposite side of the street. (You can ignore the “No parking
from here to corner” sign, it is connected with the Snow Emergency parking sign.)
Your seat awaits.