Ango

The word Ango means "peaceful dwelling." At Still Mind Zendo, it is an intensive six-week practice period offered to foster deeper commitment to practice and study. It is based on the annual summer gatherings of the Buddha's original monastic community. We hold it every winter.

Ango is open only to Still Mind members. For a lay community such as ours, in which Zen practitioners must continue living in the world, Ango offers particular challenge and opportunity.

Those who wish to participate in Ango can commit to various ways they can deepen their practice in three areas: zazen, dharma study, and Zen-in-life practice. The weekly study evenings, led by one of our teachers with a senior student assisting, are held on Thursdays and are devoted to exploring a classic Zen text or sutra. Past studies have examined works by Dogen, Hui-neng, Lin-chi, and various Buddist sutras.