About Us

Mission Statement

The mission of the Bozeman Zen Group is to support the practice of Zen Buddhism. A group of lay practitioners, we come together to encourage and inspire each other to be mindful and compassionate in our everyday lives. We provide regular opportunities for Zen practice and education in Southwestern Montana.

History

Tenshin Reb Anderson, Senior Dharma Teacher at the San Francisco Zen Center, led a retreat in Bozeman in February 1999. He came at Wendy Roberts' invitation after she attended a practice period at Green Gulch Zen Center, and he has usually returned to Bozeman each year.

In October 1999 Wendy held a potluck and invited a dozen people interested in Zen practice, asking if they wanted to start a Zen sitting group. When they said "yes", we began sitting together on Monday evenings in the basement of her home, and evolved an evening program of sitting, chanting, and dharma discussion.

Our sangha hosted a practice period with Layla Smith of the San Francisco Zen Center and a day sit with Gus Adams, a Zen priest from Missoula. We have hosted 'all Buddhist' picnics in Bozeman, a yoga workshop for sitters, a New Year's Eve sit in a Mongolian yurt. We gave a talk on Buddhism to seventh graders at Sacajewea Middle School and donated food to the Gallatin Food bank. Our members have attended a gathering of sanghas at Tassajara Zen Monastery in California.

We were pleased to be joined in 2002 by Karen DeCotis of the Berkeley Zen Center. Her teacher, Mel Weitsman, has recognized her as a lay teacher, and she has been granted permission to teach, train, and lead extended periods of Zen practice.

We began in January 2002 to offer monthly meditation instruction, and added a weekly early morning sit in June 2003. We sometimes partner with the Open Circle Sangha in Helena to host retreats and have shared sitting space with the Vipassana sangha in Bozeman at the Bozeman Yoga Center. We have hosted events for children including Buddha's Birthday celebrations.

We are open to all who are interested in Zen. We are currently affiliated with Branching Streams, an organization of sanghas in the Suzuki Roshi lineage of the San Francisco Zen Center. Several of our members travel regularly within Montana and out of state to work with Buddhist teachers.

Contact Us

Bozeman Zen Group
P.O. Box 1951
Bozeman, MT 59771

(406) 582 - 9090

bzg@bozemanzengroup.org

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