Grand Junction Zen Community

Schedule

About Us

Resources

Join us for one of our ongoing practice opportunities.

Connect with us to explore mindfulness and clarity in the serene landscapes of Western Colorado.

Join the Grand Junction Zen Community to deepen your practice and discover a supportive sangha of kalyanamittata (spiritual friends) through Rinzai Zen practice in a welcoming community of lay practitioners.Schedule (Labor Day thru Memorial Day)<ul><li>Sundays 9am - 11am: at Heki un Zan Hogaku-ji (Dharma Mountain Zen Center)</li><li>Wednesdays, 7pm-8pm: at Foxtail Zendo (Andy's house)</li></ul>Please contact our webmaster, Andy, at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:keionandy@proton.me">keionandy@proton.me</a>&nbsp;for questions or to learn more. NOTE: our practice is open to all who are interested. No prior experience needed, no cost is associated with our practice, and nothing special is needed except something comfortable for you to sit on.

Rinzai Zen in Western Colorado

Participate in regular Dharma talks and discussions to deepen your understanding of Zen teachings and connect with fellow practitioners.

Prayer meeting by Buddhist monks in front of the holy Relics of Lord Buddha, placed in the gallery of the National Museum, New Delhi

Community Dharma Talks

Experience immersive weekend retreats in the serene landscapes of Western Colorado to refresh your mind and spirit through intensive Zen training.

Zen Retreats in Nature

Integrate breath, body, and mind through the practice of mindful chanting in Sino-Japanese.

Choka (Chanting)

The core practice of our tradition, zazen helps us clarify our true nature and see reality as it is.

Zazen (Seated Meditation)

Take the concentration and mindfulness you developed in the laboratory of zazen into the world of action with kinhin, or walking meditation.

A collection of small figurines photographed at Katsuo-ji Temple in Osaka, Japan. The statues are captured from multiple angles, showcasing their detailed craftsmanship, traditional design, and placement within the temple grounds.

Kinhin (Walking Meditation)

Deepen your understanding of Zen practice, history, and how it can integrate into your daily life with study of sutras, dharma talks, and other texts.

Study

Our Practice Modalities

Landscape shot on top of Mt. Emerald in Colorado

Contact the Grand Junction Zen Community

ScheduleSundays, 9am - 11am, optional social time following<ul><li>tea ceremony</li><li>incense offering</li><li>chanting (choka)</li><li>bows (sanpai)</li><li>seated meditation (zazen)</li><li>walking meditation (kinhin)</li><li>dharma reading</li></ul>Wednesdays, 7pm-8pm<ul><li>incense offering</li><li>zazen</li></ul>

There has been a Rinzai Zen presence in Grand Junction since the 1970s. Our current iteration grew out the Dharma Mountain Zen Center. This Center closed in 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.In 2022, after two years of virtual sits, we began meeting regularly at the home of one of our members. We met on Sundays from 9-11 during the school year, and during the summers we practiced at a local park near downtown Grand Junction.In summer 2026, Dharma Mountain reopened as Heki Un Zan Hogaku-ji. Our group continued to meet at the park through the summer, and then decided collectively to meet on Sundays at Dharma Mountain and Wednesdays at Foxtail Zendo, which is also Andy's den.Our practice is rooted in the tradition of Rinzai Zen in the style of Myoshinji, shared with us by various teachers. Are you interested in practicing meditation in a supportive, community atmosphere? Come join us! Please email me, Andy, at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:keionandy@proton.me">keionandy@proton.me</a>&nbsp;if you have any questions or would like to learn more, including the address of the homes where we practice.

Embracing Rinzai Zen in Western Colorado

<h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://youtu.be/LL2XUTeoUsM?si=Hn8r8EJcoP4RwWu5">Shodo Harada, Roshi, on how to practice zazen</a></h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://still-breathing.net/zazen-instruction/">Written instructions by Shodo Harada</a></h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_8osY9MOO8">Monk Soko on how to do zazen</a></h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-xku7EjpUQ">Meido Moore, Roshi, on how to practice zazen</a></h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://youtu.be/dJ51hksCkZg?si=GqxNbWY1pUDKQOvl">Dharma Drum Monastery, on Chan ("Zen" in Chinese) practice</a></h4><h4><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.mnzencenter.org/primers.html">Minnesota Zen Center's excellent series on sutras and Zen history</a></h4>