Current Practice Opportunities
Myokoji Temple Activity
Phoenix Heart Activity
Myokoji Temple Activity
Phoenix Heart Activity
Register now for the 2025 Spring Ango!
Navigating the Wheel of Existence (Bhavachakra): The Art of Liberation!
March 5 - May 21, 2025
Wednesday evenings, 6:30-8:00pm Pacific
Navigating the Wheel of Existence (Bhavachakra): The Art of Liberation!
March 5 - May 21, 2025
Wednesday evenings, 6:30-8:00pm Pacific
Zen practice at Myokoji
Myokoji is a Soto Zen temple founded by Jeffrey Sanryu Compton and is in the Phoenix Cloud lineage of Kobun Chino Otogawa Roshi and Ian Hakuryu Forsberg. We are a “family practice” lineage with the freedom to practice within one’s physical and mental abilities. We practice deeply with no pressure to “accomplish” anything, simple and sincere.
Kobun, while being a master of zen forms and ceremony, later in his life let go of most of them and concentrated on a handful of essential practice forms. Those are the forms that we practice and abide in at Myokoji. As a consequence we are more "informal" than many more traditional Soto Zen temples. Our practice is focused yet relaxed, like the mental and physical posture of zazen.
Practice Opportunities
We offer weekly practice on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-7:45pm. These periods include 40 minutes of silent meditation followed by a short ceremony, chanting, teaching or practice discussion and socializing. Usually on the last Wednesday of the month there is a guided Metta meditation.
Throughout the course of the year we will have one or two Ango (Peaceful Dwelling), a traditional practice period lasting 8 - 12 weeks. This is a special opportunity to make a commitment to practicing daily at home and attending the weekly sitting. In addition to silent sitting a talk is often offered, organized around the theme for the practice period. For those who have committed to the ango, dokusan is available. Past practice periods have covered the topics of “Hui Neng & the Formless Precepts” (2024), “Integrating the Eightfold Path in Our Daily Lives” (2024), "Zen Master Hongzhi Zhengjue” (2023), "On Breathing" (2021), "On Forgiveness" (2021),"Essentials of Zen" (2020), "Contemplating Death" (2020), "Basic Teachings of Buddhism" (2019).
Dokusan, a one to one meeting with the teacher, is available to those who regularly participate in our offerings and community. In dokusan one can explore deeper questions, obstacles and insights that arise in practice.
Our practice involves directly meeting our experience as it arises, so we ask all who choose to participate to not be under the influence of any mind altering substances, prescribed or recreational. Thank you for respecting our practice.
Myokoji is a Soto Zen temple founded by Jeffrey Sanryu Compton and is in the Phoenix Cloud lineage of Kobun Chino Otogawa Roshi and Ian Hakuryu Forsberg. We are a “family practice” lineage with the freedom to practice within one’s physical and mental abilities. We practice deeply with no pressure to “accomplish” anything, simple and sincere.
Kobun, while being a master of zen forms and ceremony, later in his life let go of most of them and concentrated on a handful of essential practice forms. Those are the forms that we practice and abide in at Myokoji. As a consequence we are more "informal" than many more traditional Soto Zen temples. Our practice is focused yet relaxed, like the mental and physical posture of zazen.
Practice Opportunities
We offer weekly practice on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-7:45pm. These periods include 40 minutes of silent meditation followed by a short ceremony, chanting, teaching or practice discussion and socializing. Usually on the last Wednesday of the month there is a guided Metta meditation.
Throughout the course of the year we will have one or two Ango (Peaceful Dwelling), a traditional practice period lasting 8 - 12 weeks. This is a special opportunity to make a commitment to practicing daily at home and attending the weekly sitting. In addition to silent sitting a talk is often offered, organized around the theme for the practice period. For those who have committed to the ango, dokusan is available. Past practice periods have covered the topics of “Hui Neng & the Formless Precepts” (2024), “Integrating the Eightfold Path in Our Daily Lives” (2024), "Zen Master Hongzhi Zhengjue” (2023), "On Breathing" (2021), "On Forgiveness" (2021),"Essentials of Zen" (2020), "Contemplating Death" (2020), "Basic Teachings of Buddhism" (2019).
Dokusan, a one to one meeting with the teacher, is available to those who regularly participate in our offerings and community. In dokusan one can explore deeper questions, obstacles and insights that arise in practice.
Our practice involves directly meeting our experience as it arises, so we ask all who choose to participate to not be under the influence of any mind altering substances, prescribed or recreational. Thank you for respecting our practice.
Previous Practice Opportunities
2024 Spring Ango will be Wedenesday evenings, 4/3/24 - 5/22/24
"Integrating The Eightfold Path in Our Daily Lives: A Myokoji Practice Period"
During this Ango we will be taking up the Buddha’s foundational teaching of the fourth noble truth, the “Noble Eightfold Path” that is the path that leads us beyond dukkha (unsatisfactoriness, suffering). The emphasis of our practice will be how to actualize and integrate this wisdom into our everyday existence, realizing that our spiritual practice and daily life are one and the same.
Suggested donation is $160. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
2023 Phoenix Heart Ango (Practice Period)
Falling Apart and Coming Together: The arc of practice
The Summer Gathering (8/9/23 - 8/13/23) will mark the beginning of an Ango (“Peaceful Dwelling”), a time of focused practice harkening back to the time the Buddhist sangha dwelled in retreat during the monsoon season. The intention and theme of this Ango is “Falling Apart and Coming Together: The arc of practice.” Ian Hakuryu will be the Guiding Teacher for this period. Ian has invited Jeffrey Sanryu Compton to be Shuso, to help guide and support the focus of the practice period. To help support your practice there will be a bi-weekly “Chosan” (group practice discussion) held via Zoom. There will also be the opportunity to have dokusan with Shuso. The Ango will continue through the Fall and culminate in Rohatsu sesshin, December 6-9 at the Quaker Center in Ben Lomond, CA. We invite and encourage you to honor and deepen your practice during this time with your participation by attending chosan, book study group and our in-person events.
Please contact Shuso Jeffrey Sanryu Compton at [email protected] if you would like to participate in the Ango, Chosan, or to arrange individual dokusan.
Chosan with Shuso
Every 2 weeks on Tuesdays at 6PM Pacific / 8PM Central during Ango
This meeting is intended to be an informal dokusan with the shuso, in the style of Kobun’s group tea and conversations held during sesshins and gatherings. The meeting is open to all who have made a commitment to the ango, with emphasis on practice issues as they relate to the ango theme: Falling apart and coming together: The arc of practice. While this is not a study group, we will use as touchstones the practice instructions of Hongzhi- Cultivating the Empty Field, the Sandokai by Shitou Xiqian and the Ten Oxherding pictures (various commentaries). Please contact Shuso directly at [email protected] if you would like to attend.
Meetings will be on 8/15, 8/29, 9/12, 9/26, 10/10, 10/24, 11/7, 11/21, and 12/5.
2024 Spring Ango will be Wedenesday evenings, 4/3/24 - 5/22/24
"Integrating The Eightfold Path in Our Daily Lives: A Myokoji Practice Period"
During this Ango we will be taking up the Buddha’s foundational teaching of the fourth noble truth, the “Noble Eightfold Path” that is the path that leads us beyond dukkha (unsatisfactoriness, suffering). The emphasis of our practice will be how to actualize and integrate this wisdom into our everyday existence, realizing that our spiritual practice and daily life are one and the same.
Suggested donation is $160. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
2023 Phoenix Heart Ango (Practice Period)
Falling Apart and Coming Together: The arc of practice
The Summer Gathering (8/9/23 - 8/13/23) will mark the beginning of an Ango (“Peaceful Dwelling”), a time of focused practice harkening back to the time the Buddhist sangha dwelled in retreat during the monsoon season. The intention and theme of this Ango is “Falling Apart and Coming Together: The arc of practice.” Ian Hakuryu will be the Guiding Teacher for this period. Ian has invited Jeffrey Sanryu Compton to be Shuso, to help guide and support the focus of the practice period. To help support your practice there will be a bi-weekly “Chosan” (group practice discussion) held via Zoom. There will also be the opportunity to have dokusan with Shuso. The Ango will continue through the Fall and culminate in Rohatsu sesshin, December 6-9 at the Quaker Center in Ben Lomond, CA. We invite and encourage you to honor and deepen your practice during this time with your participation by attending chosan, book study group and our in-person events.
Please contact Shuso Jeffrey Sanryu Compton at [email protected] if you would like to participate in the Ango, Chosan, or to arrange individual dokusan.
Chosan with Shuso
Every 2 weeks on Tuesdays at 6PM Pacific / 8PM Central during Ango
This meeting is intended to be an informal dokusan with the shuso, in the style of Kobun’s group tea and conversations held during sesshins and gatherings. The meeting is open to all who have made a commitment to the ango, with emphasis on practice issues as they relate to the ango theme: Falling apart and coming together: The arc of practice. While this is not a study group, we will use as touchstones the practice instructions of Hongzhi- Cultivating the Empty Field, the Sandokai by Shitou Xiqian and the Ten Oxherding pictures (various commentaries). Please contact Shuso directly at [email protected] if you would like to attend.
Meetings will be on 8/15, 8/29, 9/12, 9/26, 10/10, 10/24, 11/7, 11/21, and 12/5.