August 2 - 3 at Providence Zen Center

Join us to celebrate the teachings of Zen Master Seung Sahn at our Founder’s Day Sangha Weekend.

Our ceremonies will be the Founder’s Day Ceremony at 10:00am Saturday, August 2nd, and a Precepts Ceremony at 10:30am on Sunday, August 3rd. And at 2:00pm Saturday, August 2nd, there will be live performances and yummy vegetarian food at PZC's Music & Poetry Festival and Cookout!

There will also be a Conscious Dance at 7:00pm on Saturday. We will start with a simple guided meditation to become grounded and present in our bodies. We will slowly shift to simple movement where you are sitting or lying down. As the music and energy rise, we gently move our bodies as they feel inspired to do so. Nobody has to do anything; we move or do not move as our bodies feel energized to do so. The energy and tempo will rise and lower through our time together. As we bring the event to a close, we will again return to our breath and another guided meditation. A simple sharing and closing circle will follow this.

Interested in taking your precepts or learning more about them? Visit https://americas.kwanumzen.org/precepts for information and to apply.

Founder’s Day Weekend 2025 Schedule

Friday, August 1st, 2025

6:30pm: Special Chanting
Main Dharma Hall

7:00pm: Regular Chanting, one 25-minute sitting period
Main Dharma Hall

~7:45pm: Sing-Along with Matt Keeler, JDPSN
Main Dharma Hall

Saturday, August 2nd, 2025

5:00am: Wake-up bell

5:15am: Bows, chanting, one sitting period
Main Dharma Hall

7:00am: Breakfast for Friday night guests
Dining Room

9:00am: Sangha coffee hour with the teachers
Dining Room

***10:00am: Founder's Day Ceremony***
Main Dharma Hall & Broadcast on Zoom

12:00pm: Lunch
Dining Room

***2:00pm: PZC's Music & Poetry Festival and Cookout!***
Outside on the Grounds

TBD: Evening Practice
Main Dharma Hall

7:00pm (Immediately Following Practice): Conscious Dance – No experience is needed, simply a desire to move and be present. Listen to your body and let go of your ego!
Main Dharma Hall

Sunday, August 3rd, 2025

5:00am: Wake-up bell

5:15am: Bows, chanting, one sitting period
Main Dharma Hall

7:00am: Breakfast (for Saturday night guests)
Mingle with Sangha
Dining Room

9:00am: Robe Distribution for Full Dharma Teachers
Upstairs Dharma Room

9:15am: Five Preceptees Meeting
For those taking five precepts, and those who want to learn more.
Peace Pagoda

9:15am: Dharma Teacher-in-Training Welcome
All Dharma teachers and DTiTs invited to attend.
Upstairs Dharma Room

***10:30am: Precepts Ceremony***
Main Dharma Hall & Broadcast on Zoom

12:00pm: Lunch
Dining Room