New to meditation
Meditation for beginners in Greenville, SC
New to meditation? You are exactly who we welcome. Greenville Zen Center offers free Zen meditation, called zazen, every Sunday morning in Greenville, with a gentle orientation before we sit. No experience, no belief, and nothing special to bring.
You don't need to know how to meditate
Many people sit for the very first time with us, and there is nothing to get right. If it's your first visit, come for the short 8:00 a.m. orientation and an experienced sitter will walk you through how to sit, how to work with the breath, and what to do when your mind wanders, which it will, and that's fine. Meditation isn't about emptying your mind. It's about sitting down, being here, and gently beginning again.
What meditation looks like here
We practice in the Sōtō Zen tradition. A typical morning is quiet and unhurried: two periods of seated meditation (zazen) with slow walking meditation (kinhin) in between, and a short reading to close. You may sit on a cushion or in a chair, whichever is comfortable, and you can shift or rest whenever you need to. The room is silent and adults-only. There is nothing to memorize, and no one is watching how still you are.
Where and when we meet
We gather every Sunday morning (weekly from September 6) at the Cancer Survivors Park Center for Hope & Healing, in the building at 52 Cleveland Street, Greenville, SC 29601, beside the river on the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Orientation for newcomers is at 8:00 a.m., zazen begins at 8:15, and we finish by about 9:30. Free public parking is in the lot at 44 Cleveland Street, a short walk away. Every sitting is free to attend.
How to begin
The simplest way to start is to come to a Sunday sitting. If you'd like to know what to expect first, read your first visit and our beginner-friendly guide to sitting zazen. You can also learn what zazen is, or simply come as you are. Curiosity is enough.
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