Houston Zen Center, Houston
The Houston Zen Center serves as an urban refuge for Zen meditation. It is located in the heart of Houston, Texas.
It is complemented by the Auspicious Cloud Retreat Center, a rural retreat an hour west of Houston. Its mission is to offer more intensive study and practice of Zen. The retreat center, formerly known as Margaret Austin Center, is now a part of the Houston Zen Center. It provides retreats for Zen practitioners and compatible groups throughout the year.
This center was founded with the purpose of expressing and making accessible the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha. The Houston Zen Center is grounded in the Zen Buddhist tradition. It aims to embody the non-duality of practice through Zen practice and the sixteen Bodhisattva precepts. The center emphasizes the value of both lay and monastic practice as expressions of the Bodhisattva way.
The center’s activities are diverse, welcoming members from all walks of life and faith traditions. It offers zazen (sitting meditation), classes, and retreats, both for newcomers and experienced practitioners.
The center is also notable for its inclusivity. It serves as a gathering place for Houston’s Soto Zen community, other Buddhist practitioners, and those interested in meditation. The center is supported by a strong community of volunteers who serve as class instructors. They are resources for new members, visitors, and board members.
The Houston Zen Center’s abbot and guiding teacher is Konjin Gaelyn Godwin, Roshi. She is nationally and internationally connected with Buddhist teachers and organizations. Godwin was ordained as a Zen Priest in 1991 by Tenshin Reb Anderson and received Dharma Transmission from him in 2003.
Other teachers at the center include Kogen Glen Duval, Nessho Cathy Crouch, Shinji Mary Carol Edwards, Seirin Tim Schorre, and Jika Gayle Klaybor. These teachers have advanced in their Zen training through years of daily meditation practice. Moreover, they have received longer retreats and Lay Entrustment or Priest Ordination.
Key Takeaways:
- Official Website: https://houstonzen.org/
- Contact: (713) 869-1952
- Location: 1605 Heights Boulevard, Houston, TX 77008
