Welcome to the Howard County Dharma Group. The group provides a place for those who wish to establish, maintain, and deepen a meditation practice with the support and encouragement of others. No previous meditation experience is necessary. All are welcome.
The group meets weekly for zazen (sitting meditation) and kinhin (walking meditation); several times a year we hold longer retreats. Please check the “Schedule” or “Calendar” link for times and occasional cancellations. All events are held at a private home in Ellicott City. We currently do not offer formal meditation instruction; our members are always happy to answer questions and offer informal feedback.
Activities are suitable to anyone with a sincere interest in meditation, from long-term meditators to the simply curious. If you have never meditated before, it will be helpful if you familiarize yourself with a basic overview of meditation posture and practice. Two good sources are the Zen Mountain Monastery* website which has excellent, illustrated written instructions and the Dharma Field* website where audio instructions, written instructions and posture photographs can be found. Try it out, see what you notice (did you ever realize that your mind is so busy?) and see how long you can sit still without moving. We will be happy to address the inevitable questions when you come.
We welcome newcomers, but we are not set up to accommodate drop-in first time visitors. To schedule your first visit, please call Jeff at 410.419.4659.
*The Howard County Dharma Group is not a formal affiliate of Dharma Field or Zen Mountain Monastery.