LGBTQ+ Circle
A Place to Belong
In a world that can feel loud and overwhelming, we offer a quiet and safe refuge. Many in the LGBTQ+ community seek spiritual grounding in a space that reflects who they truly are.
Your are welcome here. Come as you are. The Ancient Oaks Community welcomes you and offers a space that honors our LGBTQ+ community. There is no need to change, fix, or explain yourself. We invite all bodies, identities, orientations, and experiences.
Here we sit together, breathe together, and support one another on the path to deeper connection with ourselves and each other as we reclaim ourselves
Mere physical sitting is not enough. You have to sit carefully and attentively. Let your body and breathing sit. Let your mind and emotions sit. Let your blood circulation sit. Let everything sit. Then your sitting becomes indestructible,
immovable.
~ Taizan Maezumi Roshi~
~ Roshi Paul Genki Kahn~
DEI are Zen Buddhist Values
Diversity: We honor all life as unique, sacred, and a full expression of enlightened nature.
Equity: There is enough for everyone when we live with respect and compassion, share freely, and support one another.
Inclusion: Everything in creation is dynamically interconnected and co-creating reality.
What To Expect
We offer a compassionate and supportive community. No dogma, no pressure, just presence. Whether you are new to meditation and Zen or come from years of experience and practice, there is a cushion, a bench or a chair for you here. We value stillness and silence as well as open discussion and transparency. Zen practice nurtures whole-hearted body-mind presence, learning from each other, our community and Zen Buddhist tradition.
How To Get Involved
Introduction to Zen Meditation
On Tuesday evenings at 6pm each week or by appointment we hold the Introduction to Zen Meditation for new students where we teach the body, breath, and mind of Zen meditation. We show a number of different positions for meditation and help each person find what is right for them. We give instructions on “abdominal breathing” that allows filling of the three areas of the lungs while slowing and deepening breathing. We present ways to anchor the unruly mind and develop concentration. We suggest how to apply Zen meditation to other activities in life, answer questions and share discussions.
RSVP is required. Please contact 912-208-0002.
Establishing an ongoing Zen Practice
After you have completed an introductory class or if you are an experienced meditator, please join us on Tuesday evening from 7:00pm to 8:00pm for Zen Meditation. We support new students with shorter meditation sessions and share information on the purposes, stages, and goals of the Zen path, the various types of practices involved, and some of the history and philosophy underlying this venerable tradition.
LGBTQ+ Contact
Ancient Oaks Zen Community
4501 Montgomery St. Suite #D
Savannah, GA 31405
Call our coordinator: 912-208-0002