Practice
Ways to Practice
Join us in Austin or online.
Practice with us
Weekday Zazen
Mon–Fri · 6:30 and 7:05 AM
Sit one period or both, then a short service.
Zazen instruction →
Sunday Mornings
Sundays · 8:00–11:20 AM
Orientation at 8:00, zazen at 9:00, dharma talk at 10:20.
Plan your visit →
Practice Discussion
Weekdays during zazen, or by appointment
Talk one-on-one with a teacher about your practice.
Meet with a teacher →Weekly offerings
We gather weekly to study the teachings and deepen our practice.
- Inquiry Tuesdays · 12:30–1:30 PM Bring a real question. A teacher meets it in front of the sangha. More →
- Depth in Practice Mondays · 7:00–8:30 PM Read the Dharma together, a paragraph at a time. More →
- Zazen & Sharing Mondays · 11:00 AM–12:00 PM Sit together, then share what’s alive in your practice. More →
- Women in Zen Saturdays · 8:15–9:30 AM Study and honor the women of the Buddhist tradition. More →
- Sewing Buddha’s Robe Sundays · 11:45 AM–1:15 PM Sew a rakusu, stitch by stitch, in preparation for jukai. More →
- Through the year Classes, intensives, and workshops New ones are added each season. See what’s upcoming →
Tuesdays · 12:30–1:30 PM
Inquiry
Inquiry is a practice of direct encounter: someone brings a real question from their life, and a teacher meets it in front of the sangha. The form goes back to the Buddha, who answered questions from disciples, villagers, and kings in open assembly. We sit together in silence, witness each exchange with support and compassion, and often find our own question answered in someone else’s.
Mondays · 7:00–8:30 PM
Depth in Practice
For over fifteen years, this practice group has gathered on Monday evenings to read challenging, profound Dharma books together, from the Buddha to teachers like Dale Wright, Joanna Macy, and Norman Fischer. We take turns reading one paragraph at a time and pause to talk about what it means for practice, so there’s no rush to finish. Drop in anytime; if you don’t have the book, we’re happy to share.
Mondays · 11:00 AM–12:00 PM
Zazen & Sharing
A midday pause at the start of the week: we sit zazen together, then open the circle so each person can share what’s alive in their practice and their life. There’s nothing to fix and no advice to give, only listening and being heard. It’s a gentle way to stay close to the sangha from wherever you are.
Saturdays · 8:15–9:30 AM
Women in Zen
Women in Zen studies and honors the many contributions women have made to Buddhism, from the first women ordained by the Buddha to teachers like Joko Beck and Joan Halifax. It’s more than a study group, and the conversations are lively. By reading the wisdom of our ancient sisters, which was very nearly lost, we help make sure women’s voices are heard now and in the future.
Sundays · 11:45 AM–1:15 PM
Sewing Buddha’s Robe
Stitch by stitch, participants sew a rakusu, the small version of the Buddha’s robe worn by those who have received the precepts, repeating the sewing mantra namu kie butsu: here I plunge my life into Buddha. Ann Lipscomb serves as Appamada’s sewing teacher, and together it becomes a quiet, embodied way of preparing for jukai. Sewing is open to those who have received the Precepts with a teacher’s permission, so please reach out before you begin.