About Us

Zen in the Grand Valley

There has been a Zen presence in the Grand Junction area for many decades, at least since the mid 1990s. Many of the practitioners in the Grand Junction Zen Community met while practicing togetherat a previously existing temple, which has existed in Grand Junction since 2001.

This particular zen group began sitting together in 2022, and is currently meeting at the home of one of its members or outside at a municipal park in Grand Junction. We practice in the style and forms of Rinzai Zen we learned from our teachers, but we are kalyāṇa-mittatā , or "spiritual friends"; we do not have a specific teacher and are influenced and guided by many different teachers.

A typical visit to our zendo includes a variety of practice modalities:

• zazen, or seated meditation, is the first and most primary practice modality of our group

• kinhin, or walking meditation, is an opportunity to take what is learned and experienced in zazen into motion and action

• choka, or chanting, is an opportunity to connect mind and body through sound

We engage in other practice modalities when appropriate as well, including dharma study, samu (meditation in action), oryoki (formal meal practice), and more. 

Please contact info@gjzen.org with any questions, or to organize a time to visit - we would love to meet you! All are welcome.