Bozeman Zen Group
About Bozeman Zen Group
Bozeman Zen Group gives people in Southwestern Montana a steady place to sit, study, and learn Zen Buddhism. The rhythm is simple and unusually accessible, weekday morning zazen on Zoom, Sunday study, Sunday evening practice at the Bozeman Dharma Center, plus retreats and newcomer instruction. If you want a place where practice is regular and newcomers are clearly welcome, this is that kind of sangha.
What sets Bozeman Zen Group apart is how much practice it makes available without making it feel complicated. There is daily online zazen, weekly study and evening practice, and periodic retreats inside a resident sangha at the Bozeman Dharma Center. It also offers newcomer instruction and scholarship support, which makes deeper training feel more reachable.
Programs
The concrete work this nonprofit runs. Each program may later become a fundable project.
Morning Zazen
Silent meditation on Zoom Monday through Friday from 6:00 AM to 6:30 AM, with chants at the beginning and end.
Sunday Morning Program
Online Sunday practice from 8:00 AM to 9:15 AM that includes silent meditation and study, including reading and dialogue from Buddhist texts and commentaries.
Sunday Evening Program
In-person Sunday practice at the Bozeman Dharma Center from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM, with zazen, service, tea, and a Dharma talk or dialogue.
Half-day and full-day sittings
Retreat-style practice sessions offered on Zoom and in person to deepen zazen practice and engage with Zen forms.
Weekend retreats and sesshin
Retreats led by visiting Zen teachers and other Buddhist teachers, including formal sesshin.
Classes and workshops
Occasional teachings in the Zen tradition, meditation, and the basics of Buddhism, including workshops that use books and study materials.
Newcomer orientation and zazen instruction
Orientation and instruction for people new to Zen practice or new to the Dharma Center, offered at a convenient time.
Wandering Monk Scholarship
Scholarship support for practitioners who want help with travel, retreat, ordination, and study costs.
About this work
In their own words — what they do, who it reaches, and what your dollars actually fund.
Mission
The mission of the Bozeman Zen Group is to support the practice of Zen Buddhism. The group provides regular opportunities for Zen practice and education in Southwestern Montana and welcomes all who are interested in Zen and basic Buddhist practice.
Who they serve
Lay and ordained practitioners, people interested in Zen Buddhism, and people curious about basic Buddhist practice, including newcomers to meditation.
How your donation helps
- Bozeman Dharma Center rental support for the Valley Commons location
- Wandering Monk Scholarship support for travel, retreat, ordination, and study costs
Our story
Bozeman Zen Group began with Wendy Roberts’ wish to create an ongoing, welcoming Zen sangha. She had begun formal Zen practice in 1991, attended a practice period at Green Gulch Zen Center in 1998, and invited her teacher, Tenshin Reb Anderson, to lead a retreat in Bozeman in 1999. After that retreat, interested people started sitting together in her basement, and the group grew into morning and evening practice with sitting, chanting, and Dharma discussion. In 2013, the group joined with local Insight and Tibetan sanghas to form the Bozeman Dharma Center.
Need help?
How someone in need can access Bozeman Zen Group’s services.
People who are new to Zen practice can email bznzen@gmail.com for orientation and zazen instruction, or contact info@bozemanzengroup.org with questions. Newcomer orientation and instruction are also offered at the Bozeman Dharma Center on the first Tuesday of the month at 5:00 PM.
In their words
Everyone, all identities, abilities, colors, shapes and sizes are welcome.
To study the Buddha Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be actualized by myriad things.
Events
Morning Zazen
Monday through FridaySilent meditation on Zoom with chanting at the beginning and end.
Sunday Morning Program
Weekly on Sunday morningsOnline zazen and study, including reading and dialogue from Buddhist texts and commentaries.
Sunday Evening Program
Weekly on Sunday eveningsIn-person zazen, service, tea, and a Dharma talk or dialogue at the Bozeman Dharma Center.
Half-day retreats
Scheduled retreatsHalf-day practice with sitting and walking meditation and instruction in Zen forms.
Weekend retreats and sesshin
Several times a yearRetreats led by visiting teachers and other Buddhist teachers.
Newcomer orientation
First Tuesday of the monthOrientation and instruction for people new to the Dharma Center and Zen practice.
Partners & funders
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this nonprofit and how its work happens.
How can someone new to Zen practice begin with the group?
Newcomers can email bznzen@gmail.com for orientation and zazen instruction, and they can also come to newcomer orientation at the Bozeman Dharma Center on the first Tuesday of the month at 5:00 PM.
What kinds of practice gatherings does the group offer each week?
Each week includes weekday morning zazen on Zoom, Sunday morning online study, and Sunday evening in-person practice at the Bozeman Dharma Center.
Does the group offer retreats?
Yes. The group offers half-day and full-day sittings, weekend retreats, and sesshin with visiting teachers.
Is the group open to people without prior Zen experience?
Yes. It welcomes anyone interested in Zen, including people who are simply curious about basic Buddhist practice.
What support is available for practitioners who want to attend retreat or study opportunities elsewhere?
The Wandering Monk Scholarship can help with travel, retreat, ordination, and study costs.