Traditional Zen Practice in Nashville, Tennessee

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a good friend and dharma brother with whom I often sit curated this incredible vibrant altar in his space. i love practicing in the glow of all these candles and in the presence of so many unique and (to me at least) very dynamic, alive-feeling arti
So much gratitude to our hosts at @drkmttrcollective Saturday afternoon and to all who came out to learn, share and practice together. Such a special place and special people. As usual, Im terrible at documenting our meetups for social media purposes
🚨NRZ is back in action! Our angelic friends over at @drkmttrcollective, 1111 Dickerson Pike, are hosting us this Saturday, 11/2, from 3 - 5 PM for a workshop to explore the Zen tradition. We'll look at foundational aspects of the practice like pos
Hi all, I’ve shared this with our core members but just wanted to announce/remind that NRZ will be putting our regular practice schedule on hold indefintely. Stay tuned about ‘pop up’ gatherings and possibly a virtual group. In the
Sunny-ish and 72 degrees 😎 come sit, chant, have some tea with us. Park by the railroad bridge and meet us at the bottom of the ramp up to the Shelby Bottoms Nature Center. See ya’ll Saturday!
Come practice in the park with us this weekend! Dress for a perfect 65 degree spring day. We’ll get some sitting, okyo (chanting) and tea drinking in! If you have your own cushions or other setups please do bring them, but we’ll have a fe
NRZ will not be meeting this Sunday, 2/18, due to your fearless jiki being out of town, specifically learning more about the Way of Tea™️ up in the great northern homelands. Back next week. In the meantime maybe go stare at a wall like our guy
all set for tomorrow. grateful for some inherited implements - inkin and taku from our friends at Iron City Rinzai and a mokugyo from a past Soto group who practiced in this same space for several years. see ya’ll tomorrow morning at 8
Practice begins at @wildheartnashville on 1/28/24 at 8A.M. If you’re interested in a primer on Zen sitting, reach out in the DMs and I’ll be glad to get in touch.

FAQs

  • Rinzai is one of the three major surviving branches of Zen Buddhism. Rinzai historically emphasizes kenshō, or a sudden awakening to one’s true nature.

    Other distinguishing hallmarks of the Rinzai school include kōan training and a strong formal relationship between teacher and student.

  • No experience is necessary to explore Zen with our group. Beginners will be shown basics of posture and breathing and introduced to simple methods and concepts to help guide their own practice.

    *If planning to visit for the first time, please arrive 15 minutes early for a quick orientation

  • As of Fall 2024, NRZ is meeting on a ad-hoc basis. Please see our calendar, social feeds or blog posts for upcoming events and details.

  • Please wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing that covers your legs and arms and allows you to sit comfortably for extended periods.

  • Our group is 100% donation-based. Your contributions toward space and equipment rental/purchases is greatly appreciated. However, no one will be excluded from practicing with us on the basis of financial support.

    If you can help, we can accept cash, Venmo, Paypal or CashApp donations.