Jizo-an Zen Community
Meditation - Mindfulness - Benevolent Service - Community
Visiting Jizo-an - Seeking Refuge
* Please note that wearing a mask is now optional and at your discretion when attending programs in person at the Zendo. Thank you.
Jizo-an Zen Community Zendo is "A Place of Refuge and Community" located on Route 70 (Marlton Pike East) in Cherry Hill, NJ.
In this time of challenge and heightened uncertainty, our Community invites and welcomes every person seeking refuge in the ancient teachings of wisdom, compassion, and fellowship, with a living, thriving lay Community.
The relocation to our new home and Zendo at 1930 Marlton Pike East (Executive Mews - Suite L63) in Cherry Hill, NJ is now complete. Attendance at our Dedication ceremony in January 2022 was inspiring, and points toward the new growth we hope to foster through the Spring and beyond. See the new schedule here. We trust this will be a more convenient location for many of our members and guests, and we look forward to greeting you in this new year.
Attending an Event for the First Time
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First time visitors are encouraged to consider joining us in-person or online for your first visit to our Zendo on one of the three Wednesday evenings of the month, designed for both beginners and first-time visitors, as well as seasoned practitioners. On the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, we offer a Zen Studies program that includes instruction in Zazen (Zen meditation), Zen forms or etiquette, Sutra chanting, and a Dharma Teaching. The evening program will introduce you to the practice of Zen and give you a feeling for how we train at Jizo-an.
Once you have attended a Wednesday evening program, you are welcome and encouraged to join us either in-person or online for meditation and all other public events, including liturgy service and meditation retreats, throughout the year.
In-Person & Online Zendo Events
Coming to a Retreat
In-Person or Livestream Online Zendo retreats at Jizo-an are different from those offered at most other retreat centers. Participants take part in a unique integration of the retreat’s topic and authentic Zen training, stepping into the monastic schedule and cloistered community for half-a-day, a full day, or a weekend.
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Each retreat begins with a liturgy, instructions in Zen meditation, and an orientation to Zendo forms and etiquette. The serene mind cultivated in zazen (meditation) is carried into all activities: walking meditation, liturgical services, working together and sharing meals in silence, and participating in workshops and seminars.
Be prepared for a rich and challenging experience as you and the other participants enter into the challenging and powerful discipline of monastic Zen training.
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For anyone with an interest in learning more about Zen training, particularly as it unfolds in the community at Jizo-an, we suggest our annual Ango, or Zen Training Period, which commences in September.
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In-Person & Online Zendo Events
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