BWZ Property Search Update: What Do You Think of This Place?
We wanted to share with you a property we saw recently because it fulfilled so many of our hopes. There is a sale pending on it, and as I said we have not started working on financing – so it’s extremely unlikely we could get this property even if we decided to try. However, we thought we’d invite you to imagine Bright Way Zen in this location, at this kind of property. It’s very different than where we are. You may or may not find it inspiring, and we want to hear from you.
A Soto Zen Pilgrimage
By: James Gregg As both a frequent traveler and Zen practitioner, I was very happy to recently spend 2 weeks in Japan with my family. Not only did we do the "tourist" thing, soaking in the uniquely Japanese experience, I also got a rare opportunity to touch the...
A proud day for Bright Way Zen: The Zaike Tokudo ceremony
Sunday, July 27, was a very special day at Bright Way Zen. For the first time in eight years, the Sangha held a Zaike Tokudo, or lay ordination, ceremony to honor five long-time members. Zaike Tokudo literally means “staying at home to accomplish the way,” and is the...
2025 Portland Buddhist Festival
From left to right, sangha members Isaac Sather, Jinryu Allgood, and Courtney Seablom at the Bright Way Zen boothOn Saturday July 12, approximately 20 Buddhist sanghas and related organizations - including Bright Way Zen - set up shop on the spacious grounds of Dharma...
Jukai Ceremony 2024
On Sunday June 1st, 2025, we held a Jukai ceremony. This is our annual ceremony where people who have practiced with Bright Way Zen for at least 6 months or so, and who have studied the Bodhisattva Precepts, can choose to formally become Zen Buddhists. We say they...
Sangha Sharing Open Mic Event
I recently moved from California to the Portland area in Oregon and received a warm welcome from the Bright Way Zen community. I had been practicing for decades at various Soto Zen centers of the Shunryu Suzuki lineage in California's Bay Area and Sacramento. The...
Sejiki Ceremony 2024
Bright Way Zen held its annual Sejiki ceremony, also known as the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts, this past Sunday, October 27th, 2024. Sejiki, which is heavily rooted in mythology, is a ceremony in which offerings are made to Gakis- being stuck in the "hungry ghost"...
Buddhist Festival in the Park 2024
While many Bright Way Zen members were sitting in silence during Zazenkai, a few of us were on our feet and talking non-stop: Saturday, June 29th was the city-wide Buddhist Festival in the Park, held at Colonel Summers Park in inner Southeast Portland. James Gregg and...
Jukai Ceremony 2024
Jukai Ceremony 2024 On Sunday June 2nd, 14 people received the bodhisattva precepts in our annual Jukai ceremony, formally becoming Zen Buddhists in our lineage by publicly vowing to live by the precepts as best they can. Congrats and welcome! Six people received...
Spring Sesshin 2024
Spring Sesshin - April 23-28, 2024 This spring, 19 of us joined to sit together for Sesshin at Oral Hull outside of Sandy Oregon. This year felt like the the quietest sesshin yet, we're getting the hang of creating the sesshin container together at this...