Profile
The Chapel Hill Zen Center began in 1981, formed by a small group of friends who took turns meditating in each other’s homes in the Durham-Chapel Hill area in North Carolina. In 1991 Josho Pat Phelan moved from the San Francisco Zen Center to lead the group and was installed as Abbess in 2000. CHZC is now a registered temple with the Soto Zen School in Japan. Over the years Josho Roshi has ordained seven priests, given Dharma Transmission to four, and the precepts to many lay practitioners. In 2023 she and the board installed Zenki Kathleen Batson as Vice Abbess. Zenki has been practicing since 1990 and joined the Chapel Hill Zen Center in 2000.
Our regular weekly schedule consists of two periods of zazen and a service at 6 AM Monday through Friday, on Sunday mornings at 9 AM, and on Tuesday nights at 7 PM. We also offer two periods of Zoom zazen beginning at 6 AM Monday through Friday, and have a Zoom study group on Thursday evenings from 6-7 PM. In addition to our regular meditation schedule, we hold an All-day, and an Outdoor Half-day meditation intensive about once a month and have both a five and a seven day meditation retreat, or sesshin, each year. We also hold annual ceremonies and celebrations for Buddha’s Birthday, Buddha’s Enlightenment, Sejiki and New Year’s Eve. Our Children’s Program currently meets regularly on Sunday mornings.
Zen meditation instruction and orientation are given on Tuesday evenings at 7 PM, and Sunday mornings at 9 AM. Please contact us at [email protected] or call (919) 967-0861 for information and to make an appointment before coming for instruction. Zazen instruction and orientation is available in Spanish upon request.
Our Affirmation of Welcome:
Embracing diversity, CHZC expresses the fundamental connection of all beings by welcoming everyone to the practice of zazen. May all beings realize their true nature.
We vow to make every member of our community feel valued and respected.
The Chapel Hill Zen Center began in 1981, formed by a small group of friends who took turns meditating in each other’s homes in the Durham-Chapel Hill area in North Carolina. In 1991 Josho Pat Phelan moved from the San Francisco Zen Center to lead the group and was installed as Abbess in 2000. CHZC is now a registered temple with the Soto Zen School in Japan. Over the years Josho Roshi has ordained seven priests, given Dharma Transmission to four, and the precepts to many lay practitioners. In 2023 she and the board installed Zenki Kathleen Batson as Vice Abbesses. Zenki has been practicing since 1990 and joined the Chapel Hill Zen Center in 2000.
Our regular weekly schedule consists of two periods of zazen and a service at 6 AM Monday through Friday, on Sunday mornings at 9 AM, and on Tuesday nights at 7 PM. We also offer two periods of Zoom zazen beginning at 6 AM Monday through Friday, and have a Zoom study group on Thursday evenings from 6-7 PM. In addition to our regular meditation schedule, we hold an All-day, and an Outdoor Half-day meditation intensive about once a month and have both a five and a seven day meditation retreat, or sesshin, each year. We also hold annual ceremonies and celebrations for Buddha’s Birthday, Buddha’s Enlightenment, Sejiki and New Year’s Eve. Our Children’s Program currently meets regularly on Sunday mornings.
Zen meditation instruction and orientation are given on Tuesday evenings at 7:00, and Sunday mornings at 9:00. Please contact us at [email protected] or call (919) 967-0861 for information and to make an appointment before coming for instruction. Zazen instruction and orientation is available in Spanish upon request.
Contact information: [email protected] or 919-967-0861 website: https://chzc.org/
