What would I expect on my first visit?
Group meetings take place at the Friends Meeting House, Wooldale, near Holmfirth, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm most Thursdays throughout the year.
Before your first visit it is best to contact one of the group members to check that a meeting is going ahead on the evening you wish to attend.
When you arrive, an experienced group member will introduce you to the group and explain the basics of Zen meditation. You will be helped to find a comfortable sitting posture, usually on a chair or meditation bench.
Weekly meetings usually include a simple Buddhist ceremony along with two 30-minute periods of silent, seated meditation (zazen), linked by a 5-minute walking meditation.
As it is important to be comfortable during meditation we wear loose-fitting clothes and remove shoes.
After the meeting we have tea and biscuits together and sometimes listen to a recorded talk connected with Zen meditation practice. This is a time for the group to be together and share the Dharma (teaching) in an informal way.