Zen Community FAQ's

What is the Zen Community of Oak Park?
The Zen Community of Oak Park is a Zen temple in the White Plum lineage tradition. It is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit religious organization.

Does one have to be a member to partciipate?
No. Everyone is always welcome to participate in most activities at the Zen Community. If you are not a member, and you participate in weekly zazen, we suggest you make a donation of at least $5 to support the community.

Is there a dress code?
There is not a dress code, but we do recommend that people wear clothing that is not loud or distracting to others. We also recommend long pants or dresses in the zendo and encourage people who practice regularly to eventually wear robes.

What is the bib-like cloth people wear around their necks?
This is called a rakusu and is something people get when they have Jukai. Jukai is a ceremony in which a person receives the precepts after having studied them for one year with Joshin Sensei.

What happens when a call is made for "daisan"?
Priority is usually given for Joshin Sensei's students, who go to see him in the daisan room upstairs. It is a time for private interviews with the teacher. If time permits, non-members may also visit Joshin Sensei in daisan.

What is a sesshin?
Sesshin is a traditional Zen retreat that is conducted in silence and involves intensive zazen (meditation) practice.

Why do you bow?
We bow to express our gratitude to everyone and everything that supports our life and spiritual practice. When we bow to a figure on an altar, usually a Buddha or a Bodhisattva, we are not bowing to a diety or god. We consider all these figures to be archetypal expression of our own Buddha nature. So, in a sense, we are bowing to remember our own wisdom and enlightened nature.