Become a Zen Circle Leader!

From leading a circle to staying with it

The Zen Circle training program prepares Zen practitioners to become leaders in Zen meditation community.

Training is free. What we ask for is a commitment to regular zazen practice and to building a community where people can sit together, locally and globally.

01 · THREE STAGES

Beginner, intermediate, advanced

At the beginner level, trainees learn to host and facilitate a Zen Circle on Zoom and lead breathing, stretching, and simple yoga exercises. At the intermediate level, facilitators begin guiding participants through simple kōans. The advanced stage involves sustained kōan training in preparation for becoming a kōan guidance mentor.

Beginner, intermediate, advanced
	BeginnerFacilitator	IntermediateGuide	AdvancedMentor
Length	Four months (about 16 weeks)	Six months (about 24 weeks)	Long-term. No short completion calendar.
Each week	Twice, 1.5 hours each time	Twice, 1.5 hours each time. One half-day sitting each month, plus occasional workshops.	Enter the Zen Circle two or three times.
Supervision	10 minutes after each session	10 minutes each session. About 8 hours over six months.	Dokusan with a Zen Circle mentor. In the first year of guiding others, keep returning to one’s own mentor.
Own practice	Twice a week, 50–60 minutes.	Three times a week, 50–60 minutes. A reflection journal — not graded; read together in supervision.	A daily practice of one’s own.
Content	Warm-up and stretching, breathing, basic sitting, and how to open and design a circle	Introduce simple koans and stay with people as they inquire.	Use koans to help practitioners know themselves, toward prajñā.
Hours	About 48 class hours, plus the short supervision	About 72 hours of class sitting, about 8 hours of supervision, plus the monthly half-day.	Accumulated over the long training; no separate short-course total.
Completion	Beginner certificate. Able to open a circle and start people with simple posture and breath.	Upon completing the Beginner Zen Circle training, participants may host a Zen Circle independently. With guidance from the director, they may also introduce simple kōans.	Complete beginner and intermediate first, or enter with the director’s permission. Three talks in the Zen Circle talk series before certification, then begin guiding beginner and intermediate students in koan.

Beginner

Facilitator

Length: Four months (about 16 weeks)
Each week: Twice, 1.5 hours each time
Supervision: 10 minutes after each session
Own practice: Twice a week, 50–60 minutes.
Content: Warm-up and stretching, breathing, basic sitting, and how to open and design a circle
Hours: About 48 class hours, plus the short supervision
Completion: Beginner certificate. Able to open a circle and start people with simple posture and breath.

Intermediate

Guide

Length: Six months (about 24 weeks)
Each week: Twice, 1.5 hours each time. One half-day sitting each month, plus occasional workshops.
Supervision: 10 minutes each session. About 8 hours over six months.
Own practice: Three times a week, 50–60 minutes. A reflection journal — not graded; read together in supervision.
Content: Introduce simple koans and stay with people as they inquire.
Hours: About 72 hours of class sitting, about 8 hours of supervision, plus the monthly half-day.
Completion: Upon completing the Beginner Zen Circle training, participants may host a Zen Circle independently. With guidance from the director, they may also introduce simple kōans.

Advanced

Mentor

Length: Long-term. No short completion calendar.
Each week: Enter the Zen Circle two or three times.
Supervision: Dokusan with a Zen Circle mentor. In the first year of guiding others, keep returning to one’s own mentor.
Own practice: A daily practice of one’s own.
Content: Use koans to help practitioners know themselves, toward prajñā.
Hours: Accumulated over the long training; no separate short-course total.
Completion: Complete beginner and intermediate first, or enter with the director’s permission. Three talks in the Zen Circle talk series before certification, then begin guiding beginner and intermediate students in koan.

02 · ONGOING

The certificate is not the end of the circle

The training is not half a year, a certificate, and then leaving. Once a month there is a gathering — in person, with the place free to change from year to year, or online. Guides stay in the rhythm of practice and further study.

03 · ALONGSIDE CURRENT COURSES

Students already enrolled can add this

Students already in CHIN/MVMT 2080 or CHIN 2081 may apply for the Zen Circle guide module. It runs alongside their current work. A little more practice, and they can receive the beginner certificate without a separate track.

The certificate is issued free by the Institute for Meditative Humanities Education. It is not a government license and not university credit. Cohort dates will be announced separately.

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