Membership
All are welcome to join in practice with the Eon Zen community.
If you are practicing with Eon Zen regularly, we invite you to explore becoming a member. We offer varying levels of participation as your interest, availability and aspiration allow.
I have always struggled to keep my meditation practice on my own. Joining the Eon Zen Sangha while the world around us was unravelling helped me stick to the practice and has given me a warm and welcoming group of people that care for the world deeply and work towards awakening, one sitting at a time
Membership activates a mutual commitment between the Member and the Sangha: Members receive benefits from the teachers, community, and programs to support their lives and practice. In turn they support the teachings and community with their practice, service, sangha participation and membership dues.
We recognize the time and financial constraints faced by many and will work with all sincere practitioners to balance commitment levels to your capacity.
We offer reduced memberships for students and elders (over 65) and full and partial scholarships for those in need or on limited income.
We are committed to making sure that the teachings are available and accessible to all. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Please contact us at staff@eonzen.org to discuss with us any special circumstances.
All Members receive access to our online Members Area. This section of our website includes the Eon Zen Members Handbook, Member Contacts, a comprehensive library of Mindfulness Practices, Dharma Reflections, and Zen Mondo (student/teacher Q&A), and news and updates on our sangha programs and governance. See more details below.
Membership Levels
To join Eon Zen, sign up for the level of your choice below. You will be prompted to set up your online account as a Member and then continue with payment. If you have a discount code, please enter that in the discount code box when you check out. See the FAQ below for our cancellation and refund policies.
Zen teaches that "your life is the life of the buddha." Our community welcomes sincere meditation practitioners who desire to actualize their buddha nature -- their fundamentally awakened nature -- together with others. Sangha Members receive access to all weekly zazen sessions and programs, discounts on all retreats, access to the Eon Zen Members Area and Resources, and monthly private meetings (dokusan) with Sensei as desired.
Benefits
Access to online Members Area + Resources
Discounts on Retreats and Classes
Dokusan once per month + during retreats
Monday Evening Program + weekly zazen
Mentoring with Practice Leader if desired
Commitment
Attend Monday Program at least once monthly (Practice Commitment).
Help set up cushions / welcome new attendees (Service Commitment).
Engage with and support the group and attend sangha gatherings as your capacity allows. (Sangha Commitment).
Practitioners desiring to study the Zen path with Gyodo Sensei as a formal student should discuss their interest with him first. Students maintain a regular practice schedule, attend retreats throughout the year as they are able and ready, and assist with group activities when possible. Students receive all Sangha benefits + weekly Dokusan with Sensei, access to the Zen Foundations Course and further study + training on the path of Zen. Becoming a student is required for receiving the Precepts.
Benefits
All Sangha Member Benefits plus:
Weekly Dokusan with Gyodo Sensei
Access to the Zen Foundations Course
Further Study & Training in the Zen path
Precept Path + Jukai if desired
Commitment
Maintain a regular practice schedule (with the group if possible)
Attend Monday Program at least twice monthly
Attend 2+ retreats a year
Hold service positions within the Sangha
Provide staff and program assistance (e.g. retreats, classes, communications) as your interest and availability allow.
Students in school (middle school, high school, college or other academic program) and elders (over 65) may receive a 20% or 35% reduced rate on a 2024 Sangha or Zen Student Membership, monthly or yearly, depending on their need and interest. You will receive the same benefits as that membership. (This applies to 2024 membership rates only. It cannot be combined with the 2023 rate offer in January.)
TO RECEIVE THIS BENEFIT:sign up above for the Membership you would like, monthly or yearly, and enter discount code at checkout.
Sangha Member
20% off SE-SANGHA-20
35% off SE-SANGHA-35
Zen Student Member
20% off SE-ZENSTUDENT-20
35% off SE-ZENSTUDENT-35
Those with means who feel called may join Eon Zen at a greater financial level which provides additional support to the Center and practice community as well as our scholarship fund. Supporting Members receive all of the benefits of Student Membership and have the option to have program fees waived for two retreats/year.
Benefits
All Sangha or Student Member Benefits plus:
Program Fees waived for three retreats/year
Commitment
Same as Sangha or Student Membership
We are grateful for all contributions to support our mission and the participation of others.
About the Members Area
When your set up your account as an Eon Zen Member, you can Login through the upper menu to access the Members Area.
This section of our site contains the member resources listed here along with news and updates on sangha programs and governance.
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A useful guide to the various aspects being a member Eon Zen Center and in-depth instructions on meditation, Zendo forms, Zen training and service positions, working with a teacher, basic principles of Zen and a short history of Zen in America.
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Connect with other sangha members through a sangha-curated document with all of our contacts, photos and any other information about your life and practice that you would like to share
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Enjoy writings by Gyodo Sensei on a wide range of topics including Working with Emotions in Zen, Forgiveness, Motivation, Ordinary Mind, Emptiness, Chaos, and many others.
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Transcripts of Q&A between Students and Gyodo Sensei on common challenges of Zen Practice, such as Going it Alone, Confusing Non-Attachment with Apathy, Misunderstanding Koans and others.
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A library of 27 mindfulness practices in four categories to support you in deepening in the path of Zen throughout your life: Meditation Practices, Everyday Life Practices, Somatic Practices, and Personal Practices
Membership FAQs
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The primary difference is in your intention and path of practice. If you are practicing regularly with Eon Zen, then joining as a Sangha Member is a way to support the practice community while receiving benefits such as reduced rates on programs. As you deepen in practice and training in Zen you may want to work with a teacher more regularly and feel called to become a formal Zen Student. This includes a greater mutual commitment on the part of both student and teacher. You can talk with Gyodo Sensei about your aspirations, intentions and level of commitment.
All of us are members of the extended Eon Zen Sangha as well as the sangha of practitioners of the Buddha Way and all beings throughout space and time. We are also all students — of Buddhism and of life.
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You can change any membership at the time of renewal. To do this, simply cancel your current membership anytime before your billing or renewal date. Then sign up for a new membership after your membership expires.
If you signed up for a Yearly Sangha Membership and are changing to become a Zen Student Member mid-year, please contact us. We will assist you in canceling your Sangha Membership so you can sign up as a Zen Student and will issue a refund for the remainder of your Sangha Membership.
As always, if finances are a factor in your decision, please contact us at staff@eonzen.org and we will work with you. We are committed to making sure the programs and teachings are accessible for all.
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You can cancel a monthly membership at any time before the end of that month’s billing cycle at which time your membership fully expires and there are no further charges.
You can cancel a yearly membership anytime prior to your renewal date.
TO CANCEL YOUR MEMBERSHIP:
Log into your customer account.
Click Account, then click Digital products or Subscriptions.
Select the digital product you want to cancel
If you have remaining payments, click Go manage subscription. Otherwise, move to the next step.
Click Cancel Subscription, then click Cancel Subscription again to confirm.
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When you cancel a membership, you will continue to have access to member content for the remainder of the billing cycle until your membership expires.
After your membership expires, You will also still have access to your account on the Eon Zen website and you can view other programs that you register for in your account.
You are, most certainly, welcome to continue to practice with Eon Zen, regardless of membership. You can sign up for a new membership at any level anytime if you would like to do so.
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We do not generally offer full or partial refunds for monthly or yearly membership payments except in extenuating circumstances such as signing up for the wrong membership in error or if you are experiencing a major health/medical, family, or personal issue.
Please reach out to us at staff@eonzen.org to discuss your situation if needed.