We have regular zazen sittings together in-person and also online via Zoom, at the following times. Please note times are UK time (UTC, or UTC+1 during British Summer Time).
Change of Venue and Time for Saturday Sittings
For December 2025, we will be changing the location and the time of the Saturday sittings on an experimental basis.
We will change the venue to The Wee Retreat. This is at 2 Myrtle Park, Crosshill, G42 8UQ. It’s on the South Side. There’s plenty of free on street parking and there is on site cycle storage. It’s opposite Crosshill Station, which is a few stops from Glasgow Central on the Nielson/Newton lines. There are a number of buses which will take you quite near: 38.4,4a, 31 & 75.
We will change the time to 9.00am, to coincide with a yoga class upstairs, and hence to minimise disruption.
We will meet there on the following Saturdays in December: 6, 13
& 20. There is no sitting on Saturday 27 December.
The Sunday sittings are unchanged and there will be a sitting on
Sunday 28 December.
We will post an update on the Whatsapp towards the end of December. If you’re not on the Whatsapp Group, please message John to check.
Zazen in-person sittings
We meet regularly for zazen (sitting meditation) at Woodlands Community Meeting Room and at The Wee Retreat. Woodlands Community Meeting Room is conveniently located at Charing Cross, Glasgow and easily accessible by Tube, Train and Bus. The Wee Retreat is a 10 minute train journey from Glasgow Central on the Nielston and Newton lines to Crosshill Station
Saturday Zazen sitting (blended): 8.15am (25 mins sits x 2, chanting, questions)
Sunday Zazen structured sitting: 8:00am (25 mins sits x 2, chanting period)
Please contact for more info: glasgowzengroup@gmail.com
| Locations |
| Woodlands Community Meeting Room 66 Ashley St Glasgow G3 6HW MAP |
| The Wee Retreat 2 Myrtle Park, Crosshill G42 8UQ MAP |
Zazen online sittings
Monday: 6.25am until 7.10am (40 mins sit)
Tuesday: 6.25am until 7.10am (40 mins sit)
Tuesday: 6.55pm (2 x 25mins sits, chanting, questions)
Wednesday: 6.25am until 7.10am (40 mins sit)
Thursday: 6.25am until 7.10am (40 mins sit)
Friday: 6.25am until 7.10am (40 mins sit)
Saturday: 8.15am (2 x 25mins sits, chanting, questions)
Whether you are familiar with zazen, or are a complete newcomer, or have practiced in a different tradition, you are very welcome to join us. We suggest that you sit with us for at least a few weeks and after that, if you would like to become a member of the Glasgow Zen Group, we ask that you set up a standing order to pay £20 a month if you are working, £5 a month if you’re not.
If you have practiced Zazen before you are welcome to join us immediately. Alternatively, you may want to wait for our next regular Introduction. If you are experienced in meditation other than Zazen and wish to join us without waiting for the next Introduction, please email us to arrange a Zoom call.
To join us simply email us at glasgowzengroup@gmail.com with your name (and mobile number if you like), and we’ll add you to our WhatsApp Group or email list if you prefer, and make arrangements with you to introduce you via Zoom to the practice, and after that you’re very welcome to practice with us.
Sitting
The pattern of our regular sittings is similar to that of the AZI. We sit for approximately an hour, and then chant for around 15 minutes.
We sit for zazen in the traditional Soto style, facing the wall. During the second sitting, the leader of the sitting (godo) may gives a short dharma talk (kusen) and afterwards we may have a short period for questions and discussion. All our chanting at our regular sittings is done in Japanese, rather than English.
After ending the Sunday session, we usually pop downstairs for tea and discussion, or on a Saturday some members will visit a local coffee shop together. There are various opportunities to ask questions or discuss sangha business. Visitors are very welcome to join any of these meetings as well as the sitting itself.
| Meditation | |
|---|---|
| 25min | Zazen – sitting |
| 5min | Kinhin – walking |
| 25min | Zazen – sitting |
| Chanting | |
| facing wall during zazen | Robe Verse (3 times) |
| facing in after zazen | Heart Sutra |
| Four Vows and Fueko |