In an effort to bring Zen to the West, the first branch of The Zen Studies Society was established in 1956. New York Zendo was opened in 1968. This temple offers multiple facets of practice including zen meditation, chanting, and Dharma talks, with the mission to awaken all to "inner freedom and true happiness." The Zendo is one among a limited number of places where authentic Rinzai, one of three main sects of Zen, is practiced.
Today, Giun Stefan Streit is the resident minister and Shinge Sherry Chayat, whose name means “heartmind flowering,” is the abbot. The pair underscore the authenticity of what the temple offers, as NYZ is among the few places where Rinzai — one of the three main sects of Zen — is practiced.
Shinge, who encountered the Society in the 1960s when many were “hungry for spiritual experience,” has applied herself to adjusting the ancient traditions of Zen for contemporary times. To her, “NYZ has always been a hothouse for spiritual maturation. People have gained insight here into what it means to be human, what it means to dedicate oneself to a purpose that goes beyond one’s own small self.”
