York Zen
York Zen meets every Monday evening. Nowadays we practice at Millers Yard in the centre of York and also livestream on Zoom. The focus of our group is Zen meditation practice (Zen actually means meditation). We offer meditation instruction for beginners.
You are welcome whatever your background and level of experience. If you practice in another tradition you are also very welcome. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing when you attend. Meditation seating is provided, but feel free to bring your own if you wish.
Instruction and practice are free to all. If you wish to make a donation it will be used to help grow our Zen community.
Tradition
Our meditation practice is rooted in the traditional forms of Korean Zen: sitting, walking, bowing, chanting and kong-an (koan) interviews.
We are affiliated with the Kwan Um School of Zen Buddhism, an international organization founded by Zen Master Seung Sahn (1927-2004), 78th Patriarch in the line of Dharma Transmission in the Chogye Order of Korean Buddhism and the first Korean Zen Master to live and teach in the West.
Teacher
Lizzie Coombs is the Guiding Teacher for York Zen Group. She has been practicing with the Kwan Um School of Zen since 1989, and did most of her Zen training at the Providence Zen Center in Rhode Island, U.S.A, under the guidance of Zen Master Soeng Hyang (Barbara Rhodes) and Zen Master Dae Kwang Sunim. She was given authorization to teach (inka) by Zen Master Soeng Hyang in 2018.
Lizzie Ji Do Poep Sa Nim (dharma master) has led Zen meditation retreats in the the U.K., the U.S. and Europe. She is also a Buddhist chaplain.
She grew up mostly in the U.K. but lived in the United States for 35 years. Whilst in the U.S. she worked professionally as a conservator of art on paper, retiring when she returned to the U.K. in 2010 with her husband Roger.
