Compassionate Ocean Zen Center

02/21/2026

Join us this Sunday Feb 22nd for a special guest speaker, Mark Ostrander.

📌Feb. 22 | 9–11 AM | In-Person & Via Zoom

Go to www.OceanZen.org for zoom information.

02/21/2026

February is Membership Month!

You are invited to become a Sustaining Member.

Sustaining Members provide the bedrock of support for our Center—about one-third of our total budget. Member contributions help support our teachers, Joen and Genpo, and assist in paying for administrative help; program expenses; and building operational costs, including utilities, maintenance, insurance, and supplies. The Center depends on our participation as members to sustain its financial health.

If you are interested in renewing your membership or becoming a member, please fill out and return the blue pledge form at the Center, or go to www.OceanZen.org to sign up!

Deep appreciation to all sustaining members!

02/15/2026

02/11/2026

We are so proud of our Zen Community for coming together to walk for Justice last Sunday. It was a mindful and meaningful silent walk to show our support for our city. 🪷🙏

02/05/2026

Silent Walk for Justice

Hosted by Twin Cities Buddhist Communities

All Are Welcome

Sunday, February 8th, 3-4:30pm

Gather at Powderhorn Park West Playground

All are welcome to join this mindful walk in solidarity with those harmed by ICE, and to bear witness to all who have been harmed by state violence. There will be no speeches. After we gather we will walk to the sound of bells through the neighborhood to be fully present and to manifest compassion. As we walk, we invite you to rest your attention on your feet on the ground, your breath, the people and places around you, and all that you see and hear. Signs and all religious garments are welcome.

Sponsored by Compassionate Ocean Zen Center, Blooming Heart Sangha, Common Ground Meditation Center, Clouds in Water Zen Center, Minnesota Zen Meditation Center

02/05/2026

Visit our website to sign up or for more information!

01/30/2026

This Saturday! Go to www.OceanZen.org for more information.

Haiku as a Spiritual Practice🪷

📌Compassionate Ocean Zen Center
​Online Via Zoom Only
Saturday, January 31
9:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.

📝Facilitated by Mark Ostrander & Terry Miller​
​
By sharing and discussing classic examples of haiku from masters like Basho and Issa as well as contemporary works, participants will develop a deep appreciation for this elegant and simple form. Join us as we discover the way of haiku and how to cultivate mindfulness in three simple lines.

By Donation

Pre-registration required at www.OceanZen.org

01/28/2026

Help support our neighbors! 🏠💛

Join the Pillsbury Community School PTA in providing urgent housing and rent assistance for Northeast Minneapolis school families in need. Every donation goes directly to local families to help keep them safely housed. No gift is too small to make an impact.

Donate here: https://tinyurl.com/ysvbxtbb

01/25/2026

We are here for you. Come sit with us. 🪷

01/23/2026

Compassionate Ocean Zen Center supports everyone who is taking part in "ICED OUT" today. Please be safe and keep warm. 🙏

Quote in photo by Thich Nhat Hanh from the book "Zen and the art of saving the planet".

01/16/2026

Welcome Session for New People

Sunday, January 18
9:00–11:15 A.M.

This Sunday Gathering will include a welcome to new people, guidance on sitting and walking meditation, and a dharma talk oriented to new people. This is a great opportunity to attend your first sangha gathering, give Zen practice a try, or invite a Zen-curious friend to check out Compassionate Ocean for the first time.

Pre-registration is not required.

01/13/2026

About the Winter Online MBSR Course
Incorporating mindfulness, meditation, and gentle yoga to address stress, anxiety, depression, and pain, the MBSR program at Compassionate Ocean is built on the nationally acclaimed model developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn.

The winter session will be presented live on Zoom from Compassionate Ocean Zen Center in Minneapolis, MN, and taught by guiding teacher Michael O'Neal.

Presenting mindfulness as a universal practice for people of any (or no) religious background, this program helps you navigate daily life with a deeper sense of freedom, clarity, and compassion.

Note: The spring course will be held in-person, beginning March 31

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

🪷Eight weekly classes, Tuesdays, Jan. 20– Mar. 10
Online Via Zoom

📚Eight two-and-a-half hour sessions, Tuesday evenings 6:30–9:00 PM

💻Virtual retreat on Saturday, Mar. 7th, 9:00 AM–3:00 PM

📌Course also includes an individual pre-interview with the instructor, a copy of the book Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn, four mp3s, and PDF handouts
27 CEUs are available for nurses, social workers, psychologists, and educators
Course fee of $350 includes materials.

Go to www.OceanZen.org to sign up or for more information!