ABOUT US

Santa Barbara Zen Center (formerly known as the Santa Barbara Zen Group) was formed in 1973 by two Santa Barbara residents who were students of Taizan Maezumi Roshi at the Zen Center of Los Angeles. Over the years, the group has grown in both numbers and strength of practice.

As our community has evolved, we have included Zen students with an array of primary teachers, lineages and traditions: Soto, Rinzai, Tibetan and Theravadan. We are eclectic, but hold in common the Buddha’s teachings. All sincere practitioners are welcome to join us in our rich and intimate Sangha life.

Currently, SBZC offerings include:

• Weekly online sittings on Wednesday evenings (SBZC Sits)

• Bi-Weekly in-person and online Sangha gatherings on Sunday mornings

As soon as we can return to our normal activities, SBZC offerings will again include:

• Meditation instruction

• Monthly teatime gatherings after our regular program

• Quarterly retreats

• Residential and non-residential sesshins (intensive meditation periods)

• Occasional classes and trainings on topics of interest such as the Eight-Fold Path, early Buddhist history, and the Bodhisattva Precepts.

• Hands-on mindfulness training in service positions

SBZC Board of Directors

R. Waldorf, president
Anton Borzov, vice president
Monica Darsana Reede, treasurer
Michael Kinsella, secretary
Susan Tova, member-at-large
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Our current Practice Mentor* is Elisa Atwill.
Our current community outreach lead is Masumi Yoneyama.

*The Practice Mentor is available for practice discussions and also serves as the first point of contact for those who have a conflict with another sangha member or teacher and wish to have a preliminary discussion before undertaking our grievance process.

To reach any board member or the practice mentor, please use the contact us link, attention to your intended recipient.