Profile

Ancient Dragon Zen Gate is a community of zen buddhist practitioners in the American Soto Zen tradition of Shunryu Suzuki-roshi and San Francisco Zen Center. Rev. Hōgetsu Laurie Belzer is the temple’s abiding guiding teacher. Our Zen meditation practice, zazen (just sitting meditation), is cultivated for the benefit of all life and our great earth. Our collective practice is offered as a refuge and support for showing up in our lives with the awakened awareness, wise compassion, and creative vitality that flow from zen meditation. We endeavor to create a welcoming practice community for everyone seeking the dharma in Chicago and online. All are welcome: come sit with us!

Meditation and Practice

In addition to offering zazen six days per week (online, onsite, or hybrid formats), we offer half day, one day, and multi-day meditation retreats (sesshins), and annual Soto Zen ceremonies. Please see our website calendar for additional weekly morning online zazen, Friday Decolonizing Consciousness online reading group, monthly LGBTQIA+ meeting, monthly meditation retreats, classes, and other special events. To get acquainted, register for monthly orientations to our temple and meditation practice, or dropin to a weekly meditation.

Weekly Programs offered Onsite or Hybrid:

Monday Program: