About our group

ORDINARY MIND ZEN SCHOOL

Charlotte Joko Beck* and her Dharma Successors have established the Ordinary Mind Zen School, whose purpose is set forth in the following statement:

The Ordinary Mind Zen School intends to manifest and support practice of the Awakened way, as expressed in the teaching of Charlotte Joko Beck. The School is composed of Charlotte Joko Beck, her Dharma Successors, and teachers and successors they, as individuals, have formally authorised.

There is no affiliation with other Zen groups or religious denominations; however, membership in this school does not preclude individual affiliation with other groups. Within the school there is no hierarchy of Dharma Successors.

The Awakened Way is universal; the medium and methods of realisation vary according to circumstances. Each Dharma Successor in the School may apply diverse practice approaches and determine the structure of any organisation that s/he may develop to facilitate practice.

The Successors acknowledge that they are ongoing students, and that the quality of their teaching derives from the quality of their practice. As ongoing students, teachers are committed to the openness and fluidity of practice, where in the wisdom of the absolute may be manifested in/as our life. An important function of this School is the ongoing examination and development of effective teaching approaches to insure comprehensive practice in all aspects of living.

May the practice of this School manifest wisdom and compassion, benefiting all beings.


*Charlotte Joko Beck is a Senior Western Zen teacher and a Dharma Successor of Maezumi Roshi. Now retired, she was the teacher at the Zen Center of San Diego California. She has taught Western Zen students for over thirty years and is also the author of two books on Zen: Everyday Zen and Nothing Special.