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For those practicing Zen within a natural setting like The Woods, blending meditation with your daily walks can deepen your connection to both the practice and the environment. Begin by setting a mindful intention as you step into the forest, focusing on your breath and the sensations beneath your feet. As you walk slowly, notice the sounds of the forest—the rustling leaves, birdsong, and the gentle breeze. Allow these natural elements to anchor your attention, bringing you fully into the present moment. When distractions arise, gently return your focus to your breath and surroundings without judgment.<h3>Practical Steps to Cultivate Presence During Nature Walks</h3>To enhance this practice, consider marking specific spots along your route where you pause for seated meditation or mindful breathing. Use these pauses to engage in formal practice, such as reciting classic Zen chants or reflecting on key teachings from traditional records. Bringing a journal along can also be valuable to note insights or observations about your experience. This approach not only grounds your Zen practice in nature but also nurtures a deeper fellowship with your Sangha members who share this path.

How to Integrate Zen Practice into Your Daily Forest Walks

In recent years, there has been a noticeable resurgence of interest in traditional Zen practices among lay communities, especially those emphasizing nature and simplicity. This trend aligns with a broader societal movement toward mindfulness and sustainable living, where individuals seek spiritual depth without necessarily retreating from everyday life. The growth of nature-focused Sanghas, like A Forest Fellowship, reflects this shift, offering accessible opportunities for formal practice and study outside of monastic settings.<h3>Connecting Men Through Nature-Centered Zen Sanghas</h3>Another significant development is the increasing support for men's groups within Zen communities. These specialized groups provide a space for men to explore emotional well-being, spiritual growth, and fellowship in a supportive environment. The integration of classic Zen teachings with modern approaches to men's health highlights a holistic trend, enriching traditional practice with contemporary relevance.

Emerging Trends in Traditional Zen Practice Among Lay Practitioners

Organizing a study session at A Forest Fellowship involves careful attention to both the environment and the needs of participants. The preparation begins with selecting a serene spot in The Woods that fosters tranquility and focus. This natural setting serves as a living backdrop for delving into classic Zen records, encouraging contemplation and group discussion. Facilitators ensure that seating arrangements, timing, and materials such as texts and chanting guides are thoughtfully prepared to support an immersive experience.<h3>Creating a Supportive Atmosphere for Deep Practice</h3>Behind the scenes, there is also a focus on fostering fellowship among participants. Sharing tea before or after sessions, coordinating group chants, and encouraging open dialogue helps build trust and a sense of belonging. These elements are vital to sustaining a vibrant, supportive Zen community where lay practitioners can explore traditional and nature-focused practices together.

Behind the Scenes: Preparing for a Zen Study Session in The Woods

dark coniferous forest on the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

We are a lay-focused Zen (Chan) community located in Old East Durham, North Carolina, dedicated to the poetry of the Ancient Ones; the Dharma of an ecological life rooted in tradition and compassion for each other.

A place to practice.

Gallery

View of a City at Night 1831 Camille Roqueplan (French, 1803–1855) France, 20th century Pastel heightened with white gouache Support: Counter-mounted on verso with two layers of blue paper Support: 28.5 x 43.3 cm (11 1/4 x 17 1/16 in.) Gift of Carole W. and Charles B. Rosenblatt 2015.586 https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2015.586

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"The Buddha was born in the forest, he practiced in the forest, he taught in the forest, he was enlightened in the forest, and - ultimately - he died in the forest."- Bhikku Ñāṇa Thero"Wisdom does not come from studying intellectual theories or philosophies, but from observance of the more mundane existence of common things."- Ven. Ajahn Sumedho

Matt Teshin Sweger is an ordained priest in the Rinzai Zen tradition and Dharma Heir in charge of the North Carolina Zen Center.

Guiding Teacher

Shoryu Bradley is a Dharma Heir of Shohaku Okumura Roshi and founder of Gyobustu-ji Zen Monastery. Taught in the Soto tradition of Zen, he provides gentle and compassionate support in the rigorous Zazen practice in the style of Uchiyama Roshi.

Sangha

In the book on “Appearance of the Realized” in the Flower Ornament Scripture it says: The knowledge of those who arrive at reality reaches everywhere. Why? Because there is not a single being but has knowledge of those who arrive at reality; it’s just that they cannot actually realize it because of the delusions and fixations of false ideas. If they would detach from false ideas, all knowledge, spontaneous knowledge, and unhindered knowledge could come to the fore. It is as if there were a scripture the size of the universe, recording everything in the universe, completely contained in an atom, and as in one atom so in all atoms. Now there is someone with clear and accurate insight who has fully developed pure clairvoyance and sees this scripture inside atoms, where it is of no benefit to people, and reflects, “I should make the effort to break open the atoms, one and all, to release this scripture and enable all people everywhere to gain benefit from it.” The knowledge of those who arrive at reality is also like this, infinite, pervasive, with the potential to benefit people everywhere. Then the Realized One observed all living beings in the cosmos with the eye of unobstructed pure knowledge and uttered these words: How wonderful! How strange! How is it that these beings have the knowledge of those who arrive at reality, yet in ignorance and folly they do not know or see? I should teach them the Way of the wise, to enable them to be free of the fixations of false ideas forever and actually perceive in themselves the vast knowledge of those who arrive at reality, no different from Buddhas. Then he taught people to practice the noble path to get them to detach from false ideas, and they realized the infinite knowledge of those who arrive at reality, which benefits and comforts all living beings. The Comprehensive Scripture of Complete Awareness says:All living beings experience complete awareness. When they meet teachers, depending on the principles and practices they make basic, then their practice may be immediate or gradual, but if they find the right route of practicing the unsurpassed enlightenment of those who arrive at reality, then they all attain buddhahood regardless of whether their faculties are great or small. If you want to master this path, first you need the faculty of great faith. What is the faculty of faith? It means faith in the inherence of the nature of mind and the immeasurable knowledge of all Buddhas; faith that those who cultivate it will realize it, regardless of the magnitude of their potential or the degree of their intelligence; faith that as the power of concentration develops various states will occur and if you mistake them for enlightenment you’ll fall into the categories of the two vehicles or outsiders; faith that when the time comes and effort has been sufficient, the enlightened nature will suddenly appear, without making use of intellectual discrimination; faith that even if the enlightened nature suddenly appears, if you don’t see a teacher and don’t pass through multiple barriers, you will have wasted your life; faith that even if you pass through multiple barriers and attain the essence of Zen, our school’s last bit of progressive transcendence has a distinct life; faith that even if you attain that bit of experience beyond, power and function are not equal, depending on individual application, involving a lot of detail; faith that the succession of teachers has a reason, and efforts to continue true Zen should not be neglected; faith that every lifetime from here on is one thing, cultivation of the Way; faith in upholding the experience of progressive transcendence and communicating it to the future, not letting it die out. - Torei Enji (1667-1751), The Undying Lamp of Zen<h3></h3>

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First Issue to be released in print and digital August 1st, 2026.

A nice place for fresh air, nice walk, and exercise. 

Bloodstream #1

“If you don’t see your nature, and run around all day looking somewhere else, you’ll never find a Buddha. The truth is, there’s nothing to find..”