User:Zgwa/Proto1

The Zen Group of Western Australia (ZGWA) is an organization of lay zen practitioners located in Perth, Western Australia. The group holds formal meditation (zazen) every week and regular intensive Zen meditation retreats (sesshin) several times a year. Orientation is held for newcomers, open and welcoming to all who want to find out more about Zen Buddhism.

Teachers
Our senior teacher is Ross Bolleter Roshi, who supervises new Zen teachers and assists with the founding of new groups throughout Australia and New Zealand. Bolleter Roshi received transmission from Robert Aitken Roshi in 1995. Ian Sweetman Roshi is the resident teacher in Perth, authorized in 2001 by Ross Bolleter Roshi.

Practice
Meditation is held every Thursday night from 7.00pm to 9:00pm and also on every 1st and 3rd Sunday morning of the month at 5.30 am. We usually run for a couple of hours. Everyone is welcome to come to the weekly meditations.

The Zen Group of WA holds two main sesshins each year: An autumn and Spring Sesshin. Opportunities for several smaller sesshins are also provided on a regular basis throughout the year.

We also hold zazenkai on a regular basis. Zazenkai is a non-residential, abridged version of sesshin, held at the fremantle zendo. Zazenkai runs for an evening (attendees return home) and wraps up the following morning.

History
The ZGWA started in 1983 with a small group of people sitting in a private home in Mt. Claremont, Perth. It is affiliated with the Diamond Sangha tradition of Zen Buddhism, which was founded in Hawaii in 1959 by Robert Aitken Roshi. His book, "Taking the Path of Zen", is a wonderful introduction to Zen Practice.

Our lineage comes from the Sanbo Kyodan (the Order of the Three Treasures), started by Harada Roshi in Japan in the early part of the 20th century. Harada Roshi taught a unique method of Zen practice. He amalgamated the heart teachings from the two main schools, Soto and Rinzai, to make a practice suitable for lay students. The Diamond Sangha tradition uses rituals from the Soto and Rinzai schools, with mediation practices of Shikantaza from the Soto school and koan training from the Rinzai school.