Monmouth Zen Circle

Monmouth Zen Circle invites you to join us in the practice of Zen. By settling the heart and mind in this very moment, we can bring a little more peace and openness to our lives and our world. Our Soto way emphasizes the daily practice of sitting meditation (zazen) and the integration of formal practice and daily life within the context of a community of practice.

We follow the traditional forms of the Soto school of Zen with a spirit of warmth and inclusion. Everyone interested in meditation, whether brand new, experienced in other traditions, or schooled in formal Zen, is welcome to join our practice. Please see our Getting Started page.

Our primary weekly meetings are every Saturday morning at 9:15 am to 12 pm in the Community Room at Dean’s Natural Food Market in Ocean, NJ.

Once a month on the third Friday our teacher, Kotatsu John Bailes, comes down from Boston for the weekend. There is a meeting Friday evening from 6 to 8 pm at Dean’s, followed the next day, Saturday, by a meeting from 9:15 am to 5 pm.

Also, four-day retreats (sesshins) are held periodically during the year. For more information on weekly sits, teacher visits, and sesshins, see the Events page.

You are always welcome to practice with us. Feel free to “just show up.”

Dean’s Natural Food Market is located at 1119 Highway 35, Ocean, NJ 07712.

Please visit our Facebook page.