As much as it takes a while to feel like you understand what to do here, the people are amazingly friendly and who I now consider family. You can learn how to meditate or garden, make friends, participate in classes. If you feel like a lot of the classes are too advanced for you, I would recommend the beginners class or attend second sangha on every other Sunday of the month at 11 am. read more

I love the welcoming attitude of the people here. Also impressive is the regular schedule of group meditations. Saturday through Thursday, multiple meditations are offered, before and after working hours on weekdays. On Sundays, a lecture and social time is offered, as well. The temple building is a beautifully restored historic home. It gives me extra motivation to keep up my meditation practice. Special events include retreats, classes, and talks by priests from other temples. read more

I attended a documentary movie night at the Houston Zen Center with lovely open-minded conversation afterward. I attended an open meditation as well which was very peaceful. I wish I lived closer to attend more meditations and events. Be sure to arrive on time as they will close/lock the doors once events start to maintain peace and quiet. Street parking available around the neighborhood... be prepared to walk a block or two. I found the donation amounts of $10-$20 per event very reasonable and appropriate for maintaining the property. read more

Very friendly and welcoming folks. Been coming for a few weeks now and seems like a proper place to lay some roots down for zen practice. read more

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I'm so happy i found the Houston Zen center! What a wonderful place with wonderful people! I first started coming here because i wanted to learn how to meditate and luckily they offer an Intro to Zen Sitting on the first Wednesday of every month. I took the class and immediately signed up for their 5 week course. The instructor Gaylan is so helpful and patient. The classes seem to start you off at the very beginning but you progress quickly. I cant even begin to explain how much meditation has changed my life in this little time. I am so grateful for Houston Zen center and all the people I met. I will certainly be continuing my practice! Check out their website for the list of events, they have something for every level! and Different classes that appeal to different parts of meditation and the Buddhist Dharma. - Love and compassion! read more

Before I'd moved to New York (and then moved back to Houston), I had lived OTL. I kept getting speeding tickets, and realized that I should just take highways out of the equation and move ITL. Now that I'm back in Houston and OTL, I have to drive on highways on a daily basis. I still find Houston drivers to drive ridiculously slowly (minivans are my nemesis--I mean, really, 30mph in a 40mph zone?). I should move to Germany. Given my occasional to frequent disregard for the speed limit (okaaaaay, frequent), I thought that I should mellow out. That, combined with the desires to learn more about Zen and to work some spirituality into my life, made me decide to check out the Intro to Zen Meditation class offered at the Houston Zen Center. Presently, the Intro class is over a five-week period for 1.25 hours once a a week, though I feel as though my class, which was way back when, was longer. It costs $75, though, if you can't manage that, there are scholarships. It's taught by Gaelyn Godwin, Sensei, and Mike Keller. The class is nicely structured with a good progression. One of the first things Gaelyn said was that you can't go into meditation with any goals in mind. Oh, shit. Class started with a discussion on the homework, which is to meditate each day (progressively longer over the weeks) and to practice mindfulness on something different for that week (eating an apple, tying your shoes, opening doors, etc.). Gaelyn or Mike then discussed various things related to meditating, including Zen concepts, before we went downstairs to meditate. We meditated downstairs sitting on cushions (5 or 10 minutes the first week, and, for the last session, we were up to 20 or 25), then walking meditation. In walking meditation, you walk very slowly, still have your hands in an "o" shape (thumbnails touching on top, one hand above the other on the bottom), and focus on your breathing. One distraction was when I was sitting behind someone (who looked like he was still in college--I felt old) and his nicely defined shoulders were in my direct line of sight. Even worse was walking meditation, where I spent the period trying not to check out his nice butt. A few months after the class, I spotted him at a mall, which made him seem really young. That killed any thoughts of his nice shoulders and butt. The Zen Center is located in the Heights in a large house (the Zen priests live there), and there's plenty of parking on the street. One day, I was running late, and walked in to find everyone listening intently to a visiting priest. Oops. In the middle of his talk, I saw this guy trying to open the front door, then pounding on the door, and I thought, "What a dork, the entrance is on the left side door further back." A discussion with one of the Zen Center folks later, and someone comes in and asks, "Is someone's [at this point, I have a feeling] parked in front of someone's driveway?" Double oops. Somehow, I just don't see driveways (I have another story for another review). This guy was incredibly pissed off, but, as I walked with him to move my car, I asked him how he knew I was in the Zen Center. He said, quite tersely, that'd he'd looked in my car. How did that help? He saw lots of relaxing things. That cracked me up, because I had two yoga mats in my car. The Zen Center has an intro to sitting (meditation) session the first Wednesday of every month at 6:30pm. It also has morning meditation, which has sitting, walking, then sitting meditation (you can go to either sitting meditation or both), though it is way the frick early, from 5:50-7:15am. I would definitely be napping then, which is okay, because I don't snore, but my head nods like a bobblehead. Evening meditation is from 5:30-6:10pm, though that's for HZC members and those who are or have already taken the Intro to Zen Meditation class. HZC a more extensive program on Saturdays, which includes a talk and refreshments after. It also has visiting teachers, talks, and retreats. Dharma Punx, a younger group, is there on Sundays from 1:00-2:15pm doing meditation and a discussion. Sadly enough, I haven't kept up with my meditation. Have I mentioned that, though I haven't gotten a ticket thus far, I've had a cop gesture at me to slow down (hey, I had to accelerate to get away from those slowass mofos) and gotten pulled over another time? read more

I went there many years ago and found the people to be clique-ish. I tried to introduce myself to several people and I was largely ignored. I doubt I will ever go back. read more

While there is much of benefit here: it's a great place to learn to practice zen meditation, course offerings are interesting, and they host some wonderful speakers, there is much here that is disturbing, even "cultish." Many people don't understand that this center is run as a Soto Zen Temple, and as such is very, very hierarchical in structure, not unlike the Roman Catholic Church and other religious structures. The teacher, Zen priest Gaelyn Godwin, is most definitely in charge, and maintains tight control. She was recently installed as "abbot," even though this is not a monastery, but a zen center for lay practice. A small group of long-term members are promoted and assigned by her to all leadership positions. There is very much emphasis on "forms and ceremonies,' or rituals taken from Japanese Zen practice and highly influenced by traditional Japanese culture, e.g. bowing, chanting, ceremonies, robes, elaborate rituals at meals and other times. Observance of these forms is often rote, unreflective, and remain unexplained to newcomers, many of whom are made uncomfortable by the rigidity of these observances. Many eager newcomers arrive, stay awhile, and stop coming. Input from them reveals that while they felt initially welcomed, they were made uncomfortable by the emphasis on the forms and rituals and didn't understand them, and also by the sense that they were "outsiders" looking in. Unfortunately, they were not able to find the jewels of zen practice under all the Japanese cultural accretions. Many American zen centers are attempting to find the essence of zen practice for western practitioners that de-emphasizes the rituals and hierarchy taken from Japanese monastic tradition, and try to discover a way of zen practice for modern, American, lay practitioners. It is unfortunate that Houston Zen Center is not one of them. read more

I have never felt so graciously welcomed and cared for in a place of spiritual practice. There is just as much laughter and joy here as there is stillness and contemplation. If you are considering a visit, do so--you will be welcomed with open arms! :D read more

Love this place. Great friendly knowledgeable staff located in a quaint old house in a quaint part of Houston. Recommend this place for learning, meditation and simply taking in conversation with tea. read more

I moved to Houston in the hopes of finding a spiritual community. I volunteered at the HZC for several weeks. Folks there are kind enough, and the center they occupy is really very beautiful and peaceful. Perhaps it was the style of Buddhism that they follow - I found the organisation as a whole to be rather insular, and not that welcoming to someone like me who was interested in becoming a part of their community. I hope to go back someday though. read more

The people here are lovely and very welcoming to new comers. If you are super new- try the Wednesday class for an intro. Enjoy the beautiful architecture while you're there! read more

I have never attended any of the classes or visited the Houston Zen Center. I have listened to every online dharma talk that has been posted. I have learned so much from every speaker. I am very grateful to each of them. Every ritual and practice is carefully explained. Having been forced into Catholicism I can definitely say Zen is NOTHING like Catholicism. Zen is simply beautiful. I am fortunate to listen to the talks while I work. While Abbot Galin Godwin may be in charge she does so with intense loving care. She has the utmost respect for the ancestral history of Zen. I came across the website in one of the Buddhist magazines during an extremely difficult time that has spanned over 4 years. I recently realized that each one of these speakers were sitting amongst the flames with me. Unfortunately I am at the phase of being a donkey standing firmly in place heehawing. Abbot Galin Godwin will understand this reference. Thank you Abbott Godwin. Letha K. read more

I've found the Houston Zen Center to be warm and loving, open and flexible. They offer a variety of ways to practice from a daily meditation practice to classes in the evenings to Sunday sangha days where you can attend dharma talks, participate in work practice, and get to know the members of the community. read more