Houston Zen Center - Houston, Texas

Doug Lindsay

This is a wonderful community of meditators that has lots of avenues to study and experience meditation and mindfulness practice firsthand or by discussion, classes and lectures. They have many meditation periods 6 days a week, most in the early morning or late afternoon, and regular talks open to the general public. Full disclosure, I am a member.

Wanjun Zhang

I visited during an intro to meditation session on the 1st of every Wednesday, since I had been meditating by myself and wanted to explore and deepen the practice.

During the session, the priest gave us practical and helpful pointers on physical meditation techniques. When asked for clarification, he struggled with helping students understand different ways to meditate or the history and context behind his specific type of Zen meditation. I wish I had known that this was about his specific school of Zen meditation rather than a general beginners friendly meditation session.

After the session I asked one of the organizers about how to engage more with the center and it seems that I hit a nerve when I asked what is the difference between a priest and an abbot. She told me that I should not be concerned with titles.

In the end I'm grateful for the the session that was provided completely free for the community, I just wished the community better reflected the name Houston Zen Center.

Daniel Salazar

The Houston Zen Center is a great place! Whether you want to take an intro to meditation class, or learn more about Zen, its history, practice, and ethics, Houston Zen Center is the place. Great community and from what I've witnessed, always welcoming to everyone. They host special events as well as classes and workshops. Give it a try 🙂

Elizabeth Ann

Meditation 6 Days a week, regular talks, and friendly people make it a place worth checking out. The center’s headquarters is in a large, restored house on Heights Blvd, where the peaceful atmosphere is conducive to relaxing. The Zen Center offers a steady stream of Buddhist-themed classes open to the public

Greg Buchold

The Houston Zen Center is a unique spiritual place. The center is located in a renovated craftsman home surrounded by many edible trees and plants. The presiding abbot, Galen, has a unique spiritual presence that I have not encountered before. Several focus groups in addition to the core practitioners, including Dharma Punx, have in the past focused attention on engaging younger people interested in learning meditation/new to the practice. Galen's connection to zen leaders in California mean that many prominent American and Japanese monks visit regularly to provide workships and dharma talks.

Tara Grisham

I have never written a review or even called a business on a rude associate before this experience. I called the Houston Zen Center and left a message that I wanted to talk to someone about taking meditation classes. I was hoping to learn how to give guided meditation. I was called back by a priest and I could tell right away we were not on the same page. Apparently I did not use proper wording and I said the same catch phrase 1 too many times for her liking. She began to mock me and put me down. I was very surprised by how judge mental she was. She turned our conversation into something very awkward. I am only writing this because I fear she may do this to someone else. I think we are trained to believe people in this kind of position are kind and non judge mental people, But this person opened my eyes to the fact that that is not always the case.

Brandt DeLany

Houston Zen Center offers a mental, physical, spiritual environment and experience for those who simply visit for cultural experience or those who seek more emersion into Zen. The Center is operated and maintained according to traditional Soto Zen practices and customs and is attended by ordained Zen priests and monks and also by an incredible group of lay people who maintain these ancient traditions and teachings as well as the buildings and gardens. Zen meditation (zazen) is one of the main common practices of members who study, practice, learn, and discuss the ancient aspects of life including the ever constant improvement of one’s personal growth including Understanding, Thinking, Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort, Mindfulness, and Concentration which leads one to more fulfilled living and toward the achievement of Enlightenment, the end of human suffering, and the saving of all beings for good. There are many classes, events, groups, programs, and activities to fit accommodate every person of every race, color, background, ethnicity, heritage, sexual orientation, and state of being. Come and see us we are a lot of fun.

cc Lubetkin

Welcoming, calm, peaceful spaces and persons.