Classes, Workshops, Retreats,
and More
No one is turned away for lack of funds. We REALLY want you to take advantage of our programs!
From Sosan, our Guiding Teacher:
Some people have told us that they don't attend as many classes as they'd like because they can't afford to pay the full asking price (the price we say covers teacher payments and Clouds admin/staffing). If you are such a person, please know this: your attendance at any of our programs is a huge benefit in and of itself. All the teachers give the Dharma freely. It doesn't save Clouds any money in admin and staffing if you don't attend. If you decide not to attend, then we lose your valuable input, and your fellow Sangha members lose the opportunity to practice with you. Attitudes like "I don't deserve to attend if I can't pay full price" come from a mindset of separation and scarcity. This is not the Buddha Way.
So, what is the Buddha Way with regard to giving? Giving and receiving have to do with realizing that we are not separate. That we cannot exist on our own.
Thank you for the generous gift of your presence and supporting our practice with your own!
Please note that processing fees for EFT payments are lower than credit card fees. You can elect to cover fees as part of your donation. Many thanks!
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Getting Started in Zen
Various Dates
7 pm -9 pmIn this 2-hour workshop, you receive all the tools you need to get started on your personal journey in Zen practice.
Instruction will be given in zazen meditation, basic Buddhist philosophy, developing a home practice, as well as practicing as part of a community.
There will be plenty of time for questions and conversation!
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Yoga as an act of liberation, compassion and meditation
In-person and Zoom offerings
Tues mornings, In-person
Thurs evenings, In-person
Tues & Thurs mornings, ZoomOct 7 through Dec 18
In-person with Eisho Felicia Sy and Koji Acquaviva
Zoom with Taizan Alford
Join us for a gentle yet powerful practice that weaves together movement, breath, and meditation. Rooted in compassion and curiosity, this class is not about performance—it’s about presence. Together we will ground in the body, soften the heart, and explore the edges of possibility with gentleness. Whether you are new to yoga or deepening a long-time practice, this is an opportunity to reconnect with yourself, your breath, and community.
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Fall Practice Period: Gathering During Monsoon Season, Practicing Together in Challenging Times
Hybrid: In-Person and Zoom
Gatherings: Option 1) Tues evenings, Oct 21 - Nov. 18, 6:30 - 8:30pm; OR, Option 2) Wed mornings, Oct 22 - Nov 19, 9:00 to 10:30am
With MyoOn Susan Hagler and Fukutoku Ann Morishita
Weekly gathering is encouraged; however, the Tuesday talk will be recorded to allow participation in practice period even if you are unable to attend the gatherings.
We encourage our sangha (community) to come together like practitioners of old in India who gathered during the rainy season to practice. With this in mind we invite you to stretch yourself in your practice and take refuge in the sangha.
Explore how practice can support your way of being as a “house- holder,” with mindfulness. The teacher-facilitators will encourage you at group gatherings, through email and optional one on one meetings. The aim is to create and delve into practice in your everyday activities. This might include how you wake up in the morning, eat, bath, brush teeth, drive, manifest at work, etc.
Online registration ends 10/17.
If you would like to sign up after registration has ended, please contact MyoOn@cloudsinwater.org
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Extended Day Sitting
Hybrid: In-Person and Zoom
Nov 8, 9am to 5pm CT
With MyoOn Susan Hagler
Join us for a spacious day of practice including zazen, chosan (tea and discussion), oryoki lunch (formal style meal), and body practice.No one is turned away for lack of funds.
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Gate of Sweet Nectar Sejiki Ceremony & Workshop
In-Person Only
Friday, November 14, 6:30 - 9:00 pm
With Myoshin Diane Benjamin
A special evening to honor loved ones who have died.
Our family and loved ones touch us deeply. Reconnecting to them in our inner life allows us to feel the love, remember their presence, look for healing or find peace.
The Sejiki Ceremony has become a tradition at Clouds in Water to answer the call to honor our ancestors and heal our karma. We will start with quiet meditation and a deep listening of our heart. We'll "call in" the spirits with noisemakers, share stories of our loved ones who have died, offer food, and do a lovely service, including traditional Buddhist chants and the special Sejiki Song.
Please bring a photo, a card with the person's name and/ or something the person liked to include in your reflection. We will place them on the altar during the ceremony.
By donation. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
If payment of $1 (the minimum required to register online) is a barrier, please reach out to us at info@cloudsinwater.org
Online registration ends 10/22/2025. If you would like to register after that date, email myoshin@cloudsinwater.org
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Thanksgiving Day Bowing Service: 108 Bows of Repentance, Refuge, and Gratitude
Hybrid: In-Person and Zoom
Thursday, Nov. 27, 8:30 - 9:30 am
With Sosan Flynn and Jinzu Minna JainThis program is offered freely, but participants may register with a donation if desired.
Join us on Thanksgiving morning for our annual Day of Gratitude Bowing Service. Sosan Flynn will lead us in 108 bows of repentance, refuge and gratitude. We welcome people of all abilities to bow in whatever way they can fully express this wonderful practice. The bowing service is a great way to begin your holiday. We hope to see you either in-person at the zendo or on Zoom.
Registration encouraged but not required.
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Rohatsu Sesshin
In-Person Only
Dec 3, 5 pm - Dec 7, Noon
With Sosan Theresa Flynn and Myoshin Diane BenjaminZen Buddhists around the world sit in meditation the first week in December to commemorate and reenact the enlightenment of the Buddha. As we enter into the darkness of the winter months for Rohatsu sesshin, we are invited to open to the precious samadhi that is available to us.
Rohatsu sesshin will include multiple periods of sitting and walking meditation, dharma talks (most days) traditional oryoki meals, Zen chanting liturgy, temple care (mindful cleaning), body practice, rest breaks, and the opportunity to meet one-on-one with the teacher. We will practice noble silence and refrain from unnecessary speech.
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Ringing in the New Year
In-Person Only
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 8 pm - Midnight
With Sosan and Koji
This program is offered freely, but participants may register with a donation if desired.A fun alternative New Year's Eve celebration. Sosan, Koji, and others will lead us as we reflect on the past year, release what's unwanted, and ring in the new. The evening will include an outdoor fire ceremony, delicious soba noodles (prepared by Koji), and meditation to the sound of bells.
Registration encouraged but not required.
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Interested in our upcoming year-long Jukai cohort?
What is Jukai?
Jukai, in Zen Buddhism, is the ceremony where a lay practitioner formally receives the Buddhist precepts and takes refuge in the Three Treasures: the Buddha, the Dharma (teachings), and the Sangha (community). It signifies a deeper commitment to Buddhist practice and a conscious embrace of the path of awakening. They sew a rakusu (small Buddhist robe), learn about the precepts, and participate in a Jukai ceremony where they receive a Buddhist Dharma name.
Please share your info below if you are interested in learning more about and/or participating in our next year-long Jukai cohort. A teacher will be in touch with you shortly to discuss your interest and share next steps.