Schedule and Directions

SCHEDULE:

Sunday Morning Zazen, 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM -- In general, every Sunday we offer four meditation sittings with kinhin walking meditation between. When our teacher Sensei Carl is available (most Sundays), we offer daisan personal discusions with him, by sign-up sheet. Sensei Carl or a guest speaker often present a teisho encouragement talk during the second sitting period (10 AM - 10:30 AM). On most Sundays, we have a practice circle discussion during the final sitting period (11 AM - 11:30 AM). We also have a short chant service at the end of the final sitting period.

Prior to the COVID pandemic, we offered a monthly Sunday when our schedule was lengthened to 8 AM to 1 PM, with half-hour sittings from 8AM to 11 AM, a break until 11:30 AM (for brown-bag lunches), then sitting again for half-hour periods with kinhin from 11:30 AM until 1 PM. This is known as a Zazenkai. We hope to eventually restore this practice.

We also hope to offer "householder retreats" in the future. These will offer a number of half-hour sitting and kinhin sessions from 7 PM to 9 PM on Thursday and Friday evenings, half-hour sittings with kinhin from 9 AM to 2 PM on Saturday, and Sunday sittings from 8 AM to 11 AM. These retreats will be held on the first week of March, June, September, and December.

On Sundays when we might use the "Zazenkai" schedule or the "householder retreat" schedule, attendees would still have the option of coming at 9 AM and leaving at 11 AM, as on a normal Sunday. You can also "mix and match", e.g. come at 8 AM and leave at 10:30 AM, or arrive at 11:30 AM and sit until 1 PM.

Wednesday Evening Sitting, from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM. This session offers a short chant service and kinhin, in addition to sitting.

DIRECTIONS, MAP:

NOTE -- IN EARLY 2017, WE MOVED TO A NEW LOCATION ABOUT 1/2 MILE FROM OUR FORMER SITE (which was near Lackawanna Plaza in Montclair).

Our address is 7 Oak Place in Montclair, at "The Mill At Walnut Street" professional building. See the map and aerial diagrams below.

Our location is near the NJ Transit Walnut Street Montclair Station on the Montclair-Boonton Line. It is also close to the entertainment district on Walnut Street, and is also close to Grove Street, a main north-south thoroughfare through Montclair.

Grove Street can be accessed via Bloomfield Avenue from the GARDEN STATE PARKWAY, exit 148; proceed about one mile west on Bloomfield Avenue to the Grove Street intersection, past the former Pathmark supermarket center. FROM ROUTE 280, take Prosect Avenue north from exit 8, proceed about 2 miles north on Prospect Avenue then turn right at traffic light intersection onto Bloomfield Avenue, proceeding about a mile east on Bloomfield Avenue, making a left turn at the Grove Street intersection. From ROUTE 3 and communities to the north, take the Grove Street exit from Route 3 and proceed southbound for approximately 3 miles until reaching Walnut Street.

From Grove Street, make a turn at the Walnut Street intersection to proceed west on Walnut Street. Immediately cross the NJ Transit railroad tracks, and make a right turn at Depot Square. Proceed north on Depot Square for about 1/8 mile, cross Label Street, and continue north for a short distance on Erie Street. The Mill building is on the left -- the most direct way to find our entrance is to proceed on Erie Street past the building to the corner of Oak Place, and make a left turn onto Oak Place. You can then either find street parking on Oak Place, or if it is not during weekday business hours, turn left into the rear parking lot and find a spot near that entrance. The 7 Oak Place glass door leading to the Clear Mountain Zen Center is close by, near a small building sign saying "Walnut Plaza".

Parking: There is parking at the Mill building that can be used by zendo participants on Sundays and before 9 am and after 6 pm on weekdays. There is also street parking on Oak Place and adjacent side streets.
 

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