Our mission is to empower you to live a Zen-inspired life of openness, empathy, and clarity.
Upcoming Programs
July 31, 2025 | 8:00-10:00 am
MORNING COFFEE
following morning meditation
The Kinship Circle invites you to join us for a morning coffee on Thursday, July 31st following morning meditation. Come any time between 8:00 and 10:00. We’ll provide coffee, tea, and treats, you provide . . . yourself!
Saturday, August 2 from 10:00-11:30 AM.
MEDITATION FOR EVERYONE
In-Person Only
@ ZLMC (46 Lake Street in Oak Park)
In this four-part course you will be introduced to the nature and benefits of mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness can help you manage and regulate stress by grounding you in an embodied awareness of the present. These timeless teachings draw on modern insights in ways that are practical and down-to-earth. Get started with meditation today!
Welcome to the Zen Center
Every day, people just like you step through our doors – CEOs and students, believers and skeptics, all searching for clarity. We understand the burdens you may carry: the depression that colors your world gray, the stress that tightens your shoulders, and the burnout that dims your spark. We’ve walked this path before and we’ve found something worth sharing.
1. First Steps on the Path
Imagine standing at the threshold of a new world – one filled with peace, wisdom, and connection. Join our Zen family by attending any of our free events, such as our Sunday Morning Zen program or our weekly morning online meditation.
2. Getting Started
Zen meditation and the cultivation of mindful awareness form the core of our practice, offering profound benefits such as stress management, deeper relationships, and a richer life experience. Begin your journey with our four-part Meditation for Everyone course.
3. Embrace the Zen Journey
Our Sangha welcomes all, from curious newcomers to dedicated practitioners. To help you understand better the nature of the Zen Spiritual Path, we suggest you take our course, the Path of Zen. The next step is to consider joining the Center as a member. There are two kinds of membership at the center.There are several ways to participate as a member. You may become a supporting member paying monthly dues to help support our mission You may also choose to embark on a serious Zen path of training.
4. Finding Your True North
As you delve into your Zen practice, a world of self-discovery unfolds before you. The ordinary is extraordinary–each moment a revelation, each breath a miracle. Your journey may lead you to take the Jukai ceremony, where you embrace the sixteen precepts under your teacher’s guidance.

Our Mission
To empower you to live a Zen-inspired life of openness, empathy and clarity.
Get in touch
Become a member
There are different ways to become a member. Join today and help us fulfill our mission, and let us support your practice.
Meet our Abbot, Roshi Robert Althouse
Schedule a 30-minute online interview with Roshi to learn more about ZLMC and Zen practice.