Best Zen Meditation Centers In Minneapolis Near Me

4worldlovers:
We welcome all who want to learn more about Zen Buddhist meditation. Our vibrant community is committed to Zen practice and teachings, and offers daily sitting meditation, weekly classes and lectures, and monthly intensive meditation retreats.


Our Center is located on the eastern shore of Bde Maka Ska in south Minneapolis. People from all over come here to listen to talks by teachers, attend classes and workshops, participate in retreats, attend services, and most importantly, to do sitting meditation (zazen).

​We welcome everyone who seeks to do Zen practice. Our vibrant community is committed to relieving suffering through ethical living, meditation, and Buddhist teachings. We work to remove barriers based on race, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, economic class, sexual orientation, age, and ability.

We can help guide you. A good place to begin is our Introduction to Zen Meditation class. Each session includes meditation instruction and teaching on how meditation and ​Zen relate to daily life.

Zazen (seated Zen) is traditional Zen Buddhist meditation, and the primary type of meditation that you'll find at MZMC. It is practiced in silence, with no guidance offered. It's simple but profound, taking only a few minutes to learn but a lifetime to master.

MZMC has daily meditation Monday through Thursday in the morning; Mondays through Wednesday in the evenings; Saturday morning, and Sunday morning. The daily practice schedule is open to the public by donation.

The Minnesota Zen Meditation Center offers numerous options for practicing Zen Buddhist meditation. Our community offers a host of classes to support and encourage meditation, compassion, and joyful living. Our curriculum provides structured support for exploration of Buddhist teachings to clarify the fundamental questions of our lives.

4worldlovers: Common Ground is a community meditation center dedicated to the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of being present with the moment and learning to be at ease with the unfolding conditions of life. With practice, mindfulness reveals deep wisdom, compassion, and freedom. Common Ground is an independent center founded on the teachings of the Buddha. This center follows in the spirit of Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California and is part of the greater insight meditation movement. Common Ground welcomes skillful means from all Buddhist traditions as well as other spiritual traditions dedicated to wisdom and compassion.

Click here to see our complete calendar of online and in-person offerings.

Visit our Youtube channel to view previously recorded talks and programs.

All programs are offered free of charge in the spirit of generosity.

4worldlovers:
Diamond Way Buddhist Center Minneapolis belongs to an international non-profit network of over 600 lay Diamond Way Buddhist centers of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, founded by Lama Ole Nydahl and under the spiritual guidance of H.H. the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Trinley Thaye Dorje.

Diamond Way Buddhism offers practical and effective methods to realize mind’s inherent richness for the benefit of all. With an accessible and modern style, it works with people’s confidence and desire, using every situation in life to develop fearlessness and joy. We always present a basic introduction for newcomers, and the meditations are guided in English.

Our public program consists of a short talk on a basic and practical Buddhism topic, followed by a guided meditation with explanation. Newcomers are invited to come. No previous experience with Buddhism or meditation is required to attend, and questions are always encouraged.

The regular meditation is the Guru Yoga meditation on the 16th Karmapa and is guided in English.

Every first Thursday of the month. Short talk on a Buddhist topic and guided meditation.

4worldlovers: Compassionate Ocean Zen Center is dedicated to the central practice of awakening for the benefit of all. The activities of the Center cultivate awareness of the essential beauty and dignity of life coming from full engagement with life-as-it-is.


Compassionate Ocean Zen Center is named after Jikai Dainin Katagiri Roshi, the root teacher of Joen and Michael O’Neal. Jikai (Compassionate Ocean) refers to reality itself, which always holds us and bathes us with compassion. Even in times of great suffering, we are held in the great ocean of Buddha’s compassion.

The Center offers programs in Zen practice and study. We also offer the nationally-acclaimed Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program quarterly.

4worldlovers:
Blooming Heart Sangha is a community joyfully studying and practicing mindfulness in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh.

We are located in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. People of all ages, faiths, backgrounds and levels of experience are welcome to join us. Participation is free of charge and open to all.