Our Practice

Shining Window Zen holds our weekly Tuesday services via Zoom on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 pm eastern time (6:30 pm central; 4:30 pm pacific). Here is the link. Every other week, we hold a full liturgy and zazen service, with an initial series of chants, two 25-minute sessions of seated meditation (zazen), and two 5-minute sessions of walking meditation (kinhin).

We host regular special services as well. Once a month the service’s second zazen session is modified to include a dharma talk by Living Vow Zen practice leader Chris Amirault, followed by a dharma discussion among attending sangha members. Similarly, each month Living Vow Zen teacher Mike Fieleke offers teacher interviews (dokusan) during the zazen sessions. These invitations provide opportunities to discuss your practice in a one-on-one, confidential zoom room.

Our service is shortened monthly to one zazen session so that the sangha can engage in a practice reflection discussion about the meaning of our Zen practice in our work, community, and personal lives. We hold a single zazen session after kinhin so that the sangha can subsequently engage in conversation. That discussion is informal (feel free to bring a cup of tea!) yet focused on the Zen practice we share, allowing members to engage in supportive reflection on an aspect of practice as it applies both on and — especially — off the cushion.

Every other week, we host Just Sit Sundays from 7:30-8:30 am central, when we sit zazen for two periods. Here is the link. We start with a brief chanting service, walk kinhin between the two periods of zazen, and end with the Four Bodhisattva Vows.

Finally, Living Vow Zen offers in-person intensive Zen retreats (sesshin) in the greater Boston MA area. The next two dates in 2024 are February 3-4 and April 6-7. Contact us if you are interested in learning more.

During our services, we use the Living Vow Zen sutra book. (Printed, bound copies of the sutra book are available for a small donation; contact us if you are interested in obtaining one.)

Shining Window Zen seeks to create an inclusive, intentional community of Buddhist practitioners. Our community values guide our efforts as a sangha, including agreements about engaging in online practice.

All are welcome to join us for services! If you are interested, please contact practice leader Chris Amirault for a one-on-one orientation prior to your first visit. During that discussion, we’ll use this orientation document to review the structure of the service, share your experience with Zen and other Buddhist practices, and ask any questions you have.