SOTOZEN-NET > Soto Zen Temples > Organization and temples outside Japan > Zen River-Zensenji
Zen River Temple (禅川寺) is an international residential training centre that offers a year round programme under the guidance of abbot Tenkei Coppens and his wife Myoho Gabrysch. As dharma heirs of Genpo Roshi and Maezumi Roshi, they are representatives of the USA-based White Plum Lineage and work together to transmit the teaching of this lineage in Europe.
The temple is located in a beautiful property on the outskirts of Uithuizen, a small village on the northern coast of The Netherlands. It enjoys the spaciousness and tranquillity of the country-side and yet is easily accessible by public transportation. It takes about three hours to travel from Amsterdam Airport to Uithuizen, and trains leave every half hour. The local train station is in walking distance of Zen River.
The programme of Zen River is based on four elements of training: zazen, ritual, study and social interaction. Aimed at accommodating monks as well as lay-people it provides a schedule of daily practice and a calendar of retreats and related events. The overnight accommodation has a capacity of forty participants. Sesshins of two to seven days are held every month. Annually there is a ninety-day Winter Ango and a one-month all sesshin Summer Ango. The Summer Family Week particularly caters to the buddhist education of children.
While the continuity of every day practice is being maintained by about twelve full-time practitioners, Zen River members join regularly for longer or shorter periods of time. In general the value of cohesive sangha receives strong emphasis. Yet since Tenkei Coppens and his wife live in the temple, there is - besides group instruction through dharma talks and study classes - ample opportunity for individual guidance. Roughly one third of participants come from abroad and the general language is English.
4:55 Wake up / 5:30 Zazen / 7:30 Service / 8:00 Breakfast / 9:00 Samu / 13:00 Lunch / 16:00 Study / 17:00 Exercise / 18:00 Supper / 19:30 Zazen / 21:15 Four Vows / 22:00 Lights out
Thursday & Friday: Optional zazen / 8:30 Service / 19:00 Supper
4:55 Wake up / 5:30 Zazen / 7:30 Service / 8:00 Oryoki Breakfast / 9:15 Samu / 11:30 Zazen / 12:00 Teisho / 13:10 Service / 13:20 Oryoki Lunch /16:00 Zazen /17:50 Service / 18:00 Oryoki Supper / 19:30 Zazen / 21:15 Four Vows / 22:00 Lights out
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