I'm Ready to Practice

What is Practicing Zen?

Practicing means cultivating moment-to-moment awareness through regular meditation (zazen) and by bringing that same quality of attention into daily life.
It is a commitment to directly experiencing reality as it is, rather than through the filter of your thoughts, judgments, and concepts.
Practicing Zen involves showing up consistently to sit in stillness, observing your mind without getting lost in it.
You gradually learning to meet each moment, whether you're meditating, washing dishes, or having a difficult conversation—with presence, clarity, and openness.
It's less about achieving enlightenment as a distant goal and more about awakening to the fullness of this present moment, again and again, with patience and gentle persistence.

At Home. Once you learn the basics, you can establish a personal practice anywhere you have a quiet space—a corner of a bedroom, a cushion in your living room, or even sitting in a chair. Many practitioners maintain a daily home practice between group sessions.
In a Zen Center. There are dedicated spaces led by experienced teachers, offering regular meditation sessions, instructions for beginners, retreats and community support. The Great Cloud Sangha practices at its Zen center at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Jacksonville, and has affiliations with other Zen centers throughout North America.
In an Online Community. Many Zen groups now offer virtual meditation sessions via Zoom or other platforms, allowing you to practice with guidance from home. The Great Cloud Sangha also offers this opportunity at each of its scheduled events.
In Monasteries and Retreat Centers. For deeper immersion, Zen monasteries offer residential training programs and retreats raging from a weekend to months or years.
In Everyday Life. Ultimately, Zen practice extends beyond formal sitting to whatever you're doing at every moment in your life. The present moment is always available wherever you are.

A photo of the Great Cloud Sangha zendo at night, in the Duncan U. Fletcher room on the campus of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Jacksonville.

A sangha is a community of practitioners who practice together. It is one of the fundamental pillars of Zen practice, in addition to the teacher and the teachings themselves.
In the Zen context, the sangha includes those following the Buddha's path, including those sitting with you in meditation.
Practicing with a sangha provides encouragement to you and other practitioners, especially during periods of growth and difficulty.
Shared wisdom from others walking the same path, and a sense of accountability can both inspire and help sustain your practice over time.
There's also something powerful about sitting in silence together—a collective energy and commitment that deepens individual practice in ways that sitting alone often cannot.
Beyond the formal practice sessions, sangha members often support each other in integrating Zen principles into daily life, creating friendships rooted in mutual growth and awakening.

We are located in Jacksonville, Florida.
We practice in person twice each week in the Duncan U. Fletcher room of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Jacksonville.
All of our in-person sessions are broadcast live on Zoom.
We welcome all newcomers, and value diversity among our practitioners.
If you are a newcomer, we encourage you to arrive one-hour before the start time of the first event you attend so our teacher can orient you.
Most of our sessions include a combination of newcomers, those who recently started practicing, and others who have practiced over years, or even decades.
All events include a combination of sitting meditation (zazen), walking meditation (kinhin) and chanting. Chant sheets are provided.
Monday night events also include teachings (dharma), discussion and an informal tea/cookie service.
We periodically hold special events such as all-day retreats (zazenkai), formal Zen initiation ceremonies for interested practitioners (jukai), and annual celerations.

A map of our Zen center's location is provided below.
- We meet at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Jacksonville, located at 7405 Arlington Expressway, Jacksonville, Florida.
- We are in the Duncan U. Fletcher room on the southwest corner of the church property.
- Signs will be posted to direct you.
Our event calendar is also provided below.
- Links to our Zoom sessions and online chant sheets are available by clicking on any of the events in the event calendar.

Links to our Events and Location pages are provided below:

See our Events

See our Location

Page updated

Report abuse