Community Wellness

Changing and Being Changed by the World

The Zen Life & Meditation Center, Chicago is committed to an active engagement with the world. We are an affiliate member of the Zen Peacemakers. We encourage our members to participate in practice opportunities for bearing witness to suffering in our community and the larger world.

  • During the Pandemic we sewed and gave out hundreds of free masks to non-profits in our community.

  • Our Zen Heart Way program, administered by our priests, offers financial assistance and compassionate care for those in need. If you know of someone who can use some help, please contact Rev. Linda Gyokuzan Warring.

  • We invite our members to bring in canned foods and other nonperishable foods to the Center. On the first Sunday of each month we perform the Gate of Sweet Nectar service to feed the suffering of hungry ghosts. We place the food we have collected on the altar for this service, and afterwards donate it to Sarah’s Inn.

  • In early 2024, we helped make dinners for Venezuelan asylum seekers who were temporarily housed in Grace Episcopal Church.

Educational Opportunities for Organizations

  • Mindfulness Meditation for organizations and businesses and can customize a workshop to meet your specific needs.

  • Nonviolent Communication training that help people work more skillfully with conflict

  • GRACE workshops to help build compassionate resilience for people working in health care or other services where chronic suffering is being addressed.

For more info please call us at 708.689.1220 or email info@zlmc.org.