Support
Dana, the Practice of Generosity
How this community is sustained, and what your giving provides
Greenville Zen Center is run entirely by volunteers, and there is no charge to sit with us. From its very beginnings, Zen has been carried forward by generosity, a practice called dana, in which teaching and community are freely offered and freely supported. The two have always held each other up.
As we grow, gifts of time, attention, and money help us meet the simple costs of practicing together. We make a point of being plain about where it goes.
What your giving provides
Every gift, of any size, goes straight to the things that make sitting together possible.
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Cushions and mats
The zafus and zabutons we keep ready so anyone can sit comfortably on a first morning, no equipment of their own required.
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A space to gather
The cost of the room we sit in twice a month, and in time the work toward a permanent home for practice in the Upstate.
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Altar and practice objects
A simple Buddha figure, singing bowls, candles, and incense, the few things that hold and mark the morning.
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Chant and service books
The texts we read and chant together, so the words can be shared by everyone in the room.
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This website
The domain and hosting that let people in the Upstate find us and know when and where we sit.
On giving money, honestly
We are not yet set up to accept donations. We are working toward 501(c)(3) nonprofit status so that gifts can be received properly and, where it applies, be tax-deductible. Once that is in place, a simple and secure way to give will be announced here and to the email list.
Until then, the most valuable gifts are presence and helping hands. If you would like to give time or a skill now, the Founding Circle is the way.
For now, the most valuable thing you can offer is to come and sit. Your presence is the gift that matters most.