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Angel City Zen Center

Meditation. Yoga. Godzilla: Support Brad Warner in founding the Zen center LA has been waiting for.

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Angel City Zen Center

Angel City Zen Center

Angel City Zen Center

Angel City Zen Center

Angel City Zen Center

Meditation. Yoga. Godzilla: Support Brad Warner in founding the Zen center LA has been waiting for.

Meditation. Yoga. Godzilla: Support Brad Warner in founding the Zen center LA has been waiting for.

Meditation. Yoga. Godzilla: Support Brad Warner in founding the Zen center LA has been waiting for.

Meditation. Yoga. Godzilla: Support Brad Warner in founding the Zen center LA has been waiting for.

Brad Warner
Brad Warner
Brad Warner
Brad Warner
2 Campaigns |
Los Angeles, United States
$19,491 USD 129 backers
25% of $75,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Highlights
Mountain Filled 2 Projects Mountain Filled 2 Projects

Ever since my teacher, the late Gudo Wafu Nishijima made me the head of the Buddhist order he established in Japan, it has been my dream to establish a center in the tradition I learned from him. This is a unique and powerful stream of Zen practice, one that truly represents the Middle Way that is neither religion nor atheism, neither dogmatic nor indifferent. Nishijima Roshi taught a welcoming attitude of tolerance and acceptance for all and yet he was very committed to the way he learned when he was ordained by the abbot of Eihei-ji, the head temple of the Soto school of Zen. I have decided to establish a Zen space in Los Angeles, California and later one in Akron, Ohio.

In 2003, my first book Hardcore Zen, was published by Wisdom Publications. Since then I have published four more Zen books and toured the United States and Europe leading retreats and speaking about meditation to all sorts of people in all sorts of places. It’s fun but it’s a lot of traveling.

The first center I want to open will be in Los Angeles. It would provide the following to the community:

• Every Saturday or Sunday morning there would be a long-ish sitting (two 30 or 40 minute periods) followed by a full-scale Zen morning service consisting of chants (Heart Sutra etc.), bows, incense offerings with all the appropriate bells and bonky percussion things, then a lecture/discussion, with tea and snacks at the end.

• One or more weekday evenings each week (Thursdays at 7pm or that sort of thing) there would be a shorter, less formal zazen (one 30 – 40 minute sitting with no chanting, no bells, nothing that looks “religious”) followed by an informal discussion session with tea and snacks.

• Three days or so per week there would be a morning zazen held at a time such that ordinary working folks who wanted to could sit zazen with the group before going to work. There would be no service, lecture or discussion after this one. It would all be done in silence. Maybe we’d serve coffee.

• Annual multi-day Zen retreats. These could be held at the spaces themselves but more likely would be held at other locations, since I want to establish these places in fairly dense urban areas.

• Monthly day-long micro-retreats. These would be low-intensity affairs at the Zen center lasting from, say, 10am until 3 or 4pm. Just a lot of sitting and staring at walls together with very little formality.

• Weekly classes in Zen or related topics, such as Dogen’s Shobogenzo, or Japanese lessons, Sanskrit lessons or things along those lines.

• Yoga classes.

• Non-Zen related classes taught by members with an expertise in some subject such as music classes, filmmaking classes, writing classes, etc.

• Frequent community events. These would not have to be necessarily related to Zen or spirituality. If there’s space we could host things like improv comedy nights, movie screenings, musical performances, art shows, vegetarian cook-outs etc. I’d like for people who are planning their nights out to say, “Let’s see what’s going on at the Zen Center.” Though these events would not have to be “spiritual” in any direct sense, they would all be alcohol and drug free. They’d be fun, social events but all fairly low key, not wild party type things.

• Community artistic projects such as putting together a Zen-oriented zombie movie and filming it. Maybe getting a play together and putting it on.

Although the orientation of our formal services would be Soto-style Zen Buddhism, these centers would be open to anyone of any religious affiliation as well as to atheists, agnostics and everything in between. We would promote interfaith events (and inter non-faith events) and partner up with like-minded churches, synagogues, mosques, atheist clubs and other such organizations who wanted to establish mutual understanding and respect. I want them to be the kind of places where born-again Christian Republicans can hang out with gay atheist cross-dressers and have a good time together.

Although the Zen sittings and ceremonies at these places would be quiet and meditative, I want to keep the atmosphere light and fun and avoid any sense of stodginess or excessive formality. I do not want them to be religious places. I want people to go there because they enjoy and benefit from the practices or just like hanging out in a supportive environment with good people.

It’s a pretty big idea, made even more complex by the fact that I want there to be two of them. But lesser people have had more grandiose plans than this and made them work.

I now have a team of committed people in Los Angeles who are ready and able to start making this grand scheme a reality. We are poised to make this happen. All we need is your support.

If you’re broke, we don’t want your money, but we could use your support in many other ways. Just ask. If you’re rich, we want as much of your money as you’d like to give us (it’s tax-deductible!). If you’re somewhere in between and you like what we do, please consider contributing.

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Choose your Perk

Merit!

$10 USD
We'll send you a thank you e-card as an expression of gratitude.
Estimated Shipping
April 2016
6 claimed

Yoga Class at ACZC

$25 USD
One group yoga class at Angel City Zen Center, taught by Nina Snow.
5 claimed

Webinar Dharma Talk

$30 USD
1 hour Webinar Dharma Talk with Brad Warner
Estimated Shipping
February 2016
5 claimed

Autographed Book

$45 USD
Signed copy of “Hardcore Zen,” "Sit Down And Shut Up," "Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate," "Sex Sin and Zen," "Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way," "Hardcore Zen Strikes Again," "There is No God And He Is Always With You," or "Don't Be A Jerk," including a drawing of a dinosaur or monster.
Estimated Shipping
February 2016
19 claimed
Ships worldwide.

Skype Zen Practice Interview

$50 USD
20-minute Skype Zen Practice Interview with Brad Warner
Estimated Shipping
February 2016
11 claimed

Webinar Talk + Skype Interview

$80 USD
1 hour Webinar Dharma Talk with Brad Warner, plus a 20-minute Skype Zen Practice Interview with Brad Warner
Estimated Shipping
February 2016
3 claimed

ACZC t-shirt

$100 USD
Angel City Zen Center t-shirt
Estimated Shipping
April 2016
15 claimed
Ships worldwide.

4 yoga classes at ACZC

$100 USD
Four group yoga classes at Angel City Zen Center, taught by Nina Snow.
1 claimed

ACZC hoodie

$150 USD
Angel City Zen Center hoodie
Estimated Shipping
April 2016
3 claimed
Ships worldwide.

Private Yoga Class

$150 USD
Private yoga class with Nina Snow. Must be in the Greater Los Angeles area.
0 claimed

Out-of-town Bundle #3

$250 USD
Signed book of your choice, 3 monthly Skype Practice Interviews, and 3 monthly Webinar Dharma Talks
Estimated Shipping
April 2016
1 claimed
Ships worldwide.

Out-of-town Bundle #1

$500 USD
Signed book of your choice, ACZC T-Shirt, ACZC Hoodie, 3 monthly Skype Practice Interviews, and 3 monthly Webinar Dharma Talks
Estimated Shipping
April 2016
3 claimed
Ships worldwide.

5 Private Yoga Classes

$500 USD
Five private yoga classes with Nina Snow. Must be in the Greater Los Angeles area.
0 claimed

Local Bundle #1

$800 USD
Signed book of your choice, ACZC T-Shirt, ACZC Hoodie, 4 group yoga classes, and your weekly donations are covered for a year
Estimated Shipping
April 2016
0 claimed
Ships worldwide.

Out-of-town Bundle #2

$900 USD
Signed book of your choice, ACZC T-Shirt, ACZC Hoodie, 3 monthly Skype Practice Interviews, 3 monthly Webinar Dharma Talks, and a 3-Day Zen and Yoga Retreat at Mount Baldy Zen Center
Estimated Shipping
April 2016
1 claimed
Ships worldwide.

Local Bundle #2

$1,200 USD
Signed book of your choice, ACZC T-Shirt, ACZC Hoodie, 4 group yoga classes, your weekly donations are covered for a year, and a 3-Day Zen and Yoga Retreat at Mount Baldy Zen Center
Estimated Shipping
April 2016
3 claimed
Ships worldwide.

Anathapindika Bundle

$3,000 USD
Any of the above bundles, plus your name on a donor recognition plaque at Angel City Zen Center
Estimated Shipping
April 2016
0 claimed
Ships worldwide.

No Merit

$10,000 USD
You get nothing in return for your donation.
0 claimed

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