Providence Zen Center :: Communities Directory

Formed: 1972 Established: 1972

This page last updated:1/15/2013

Providence Zen Center

Cumberland, Rhode Island,

United States

Providence Zen Center is a residential spiritual community founded in 1972 by the Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn to provide a place where his students could live and practice Zen together. In 1979 we moved to our current location about 20 minutes from the heart of Providence in rural Cumberland RI.

Most residents work outside the community and pay a monthly training fee (currently $675). This fee covers all primary living expenses (room, food, utilities). Food is bought and shared by the community, and community meals are cooked for the community several times a week on a primarily volunteer basis. The remainder of meals are prepared individually. Our spiritual practice is modeled after the practices of the Korean Zen tradition. Zen meditation practice consisting of sitting meditation, chanting, and bowing is offered twice daily in the early morning and evening, and residents are encouraged to practice together daily as their work schedule permits. In addition, residents may attend monthly weekend retreats as well as longer retreats held twice yearly in the summer and winter: these retreats are available to residents at no additional cost. We also have a large non-residential community which visits the center to attend practice, retreats, or other community events, and we offer our hospitality to other spiritual groups which rent our facilities to host their own retreats.

As a community we are committed to working towards greater sustainability. To this end we are transitioning to purchasing as much organic and local food as our budget allows, growing some of our own produce in the garden and greenhouse, and keeping chickens to help provide eggs for the community. We have installed low watt florescent fixtures and bulbs throughout the buildings. We are also working to retrofit the buildings to make heating in the Winter more energy efficient. Last fall we replaced the remaining single pane windows in the original wings of the building with energy star rated replacement windows. In addition to this, we work to foster greater connection with the wider spiritual community through participation in ecumenical and interfaith groups, and have hosted interfaith retreats.

Website: http://www.providencezen.org/about/residency

Contact:

Director
Providence Zen Center
99 Pound Road
Cumberland, Rhode Island 02864 United States
Phone: (401) 658-1464, (401) 572-6435

Links:

Providence Zen Center home page

The Kwan Um School of Zen

Community location is placed at the center of the zip/postal code, city/state, or city/country (not based on street addresses)

This page last updated:1/15/2013

Visitors Accepted

(We welcome visitors!)

Visitor Process: Please call or e-mail our director to schedule a visit. Overnight guests are welcome: the overnight fee is $40 per night: food is included. Short term residency or personal retreats are also possible: contact the director for more information or to schedule your stay.

Affiliations: Cambridge Zen Center

Statement of Housing Non-discrimination:

Our community does not discriminate in regards to housing based on race/color, national origin, religion, sex/gender, family status (i.e. having children, not having children, or being pregnant), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, ancestry, source of income, age, creed, personal appearance, political affiliation, HIV infection, military/veteran status, unfavorable military discharge, gender identity or expression, receiving public assistance, or being the victim of domestic abuse.

Comment: While our communiy is a legally sanctioned religious organization, we do not restrict residency based on religious belief or lack therof. Anyone who is willing to make a sincere effort to practice zen meditation together with others in our community is welcome as a resident.

Population Members(adults and children): 12 (We can accomodate up to 40 residents) Non-member Residents: 0 Open to new members: Yes	Government Decision Making: By a group of elders or other leaders (Many issues which arise around daily living are decided by residents at the monthly house meeting.) Identified Leader: Yes (Spiritual guidance is provided by two of Zen Master Seung Sahn's senior students who have received authority to teach from him and serve as guiding teachers for the community.) Leadership Core Group: Yes (The guiding teachers, the board of directors and managment team work together to make decisions.)	Labor and Money Financial Style: Members have independent finances Open to Members with Pre-existing Debt: Yes Labor Contribution: Expected (Primarily on a volunteer basis: we encourage a minimum of 2 hours a week.) Join Fee: No Regular Fees: Yes (Membership fee is $300 per year in addition to the $725 monthly training fee. Membership dues may be paid on an annual, quarterly or monthly basis.)
Land and Buildings Rural (Located in the township of Cumberland, but we are adjacent to a town land trust consisting of several hundred acres of forested land.) Area: 45 acres (18.2 hectares) Land Owned By: Another form of Non-profit (Providence Zen Center is a religious non-profit organization.) Number of Residences: 2 (We have a large main building and a smaller house: together these facilities can accomodate up to 40 residents.) Cohousing: No (We are considering adding co-housing and encourage interested parties to inquire about this. If there is sufficient interest the board will work together with interested parties to work out a model for financing the development of co-housing.)	Food, etc. Percentage of Food Grown: 1-5% Share Community Meals: 2-5 times/week (Meals are prepared for the community by community members several times a week. Chances are you'll always find some company in the kitchen at mealtimes.) Dietary Choice or Restrictions: There are some dietary restrictions (We do not allow meat on the grounds.) Dietary Practice: Vegetarian only (Members are not required to keep a vegetarian diet outside the Zen Center: however, we do not allow meat at the Center.) Alcohol Use: Seldom used (While alchohol consumption is not allowed on the grounds, residents may drink off the grounds if they choose.) Tobacco Use: Used Occasionally (Smoking is permitted in designated areas outside the buildings, and anywhere on the grounds more than 50 feet from the buildings.)	Social Factors Common Spiritual Practices: Yes (People of all faiths or lack thereof are welcome: we share a common practice of Zen meditiation to directly investigate the nature of the universe and our experience of it.) Which Spiritual Traditions(s): Buddhist (Korean Zen Buddhism.) Educational Style(s): Other (Parents choice of public, private, or home schooling.)

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