The Zen Art of Sitting Down and Shutting Up
2–5pm Sunday 20th September 2015
Cost: £25

Brad Warner is widely regarded as one of the most exciting new voices in Buddhism, bringing an informal, witty and down-to-earth approach to meditation and life in general. Brad is certainly not your typical Zen Buddhist monk, so if your idea of a spiritual teacher is an old guy with a kaftan and a beard spouting new age clichés please look away now… 

He plays bass in the Hardcore punk band Zero Defex, hangs around with Randy Blythe of the band Lamb of God and starred in the film Shoplifting from American Apparel. In September, Brad will be visiting the UK and is coming to the Shala to talk and teach the very unconventional Zen style of meditation. 

Brad has over 30 years’ experience of meditation and spent 11 years in Japan studying Soto Zen under the respected teacher Gudo Wafu Nishijima Roshi – and paying the bills whilst he was there by working for a company that made Godzilla-style monster films. He was ordained as a monk by Nishijima Roshi and given dharma transmission (the permission to teach) in 2000, ultimately being appointed by Nishijima as his successor. Brad now lives in LA and is the author of five popular books on Zen and meditation, Hardcore Zen, Sit Down and Shut Up, Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate, Sex, Sin and Zen and There is No God and He is Always with You. In 2013 he was the subject of a documentary film Brad Warner’s Hardcore Zen. 

The workshop will be divided into two sections. In the first part, Brad will talk about Zen, trying to live a ‘spiritual’ life amidst the craziness of the modern world, and how the unique type of meditation that is taught in this style of Buddhism can alter your outlook. The emphasis will be very practical, concentrating on the way we live our everyday lives and how meditation might influence that. In the second part, Brad will teach everyone how to practice Zen style meditation and there will be a chance to practice together. 

The afternoon will be informal and there will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions and participate in the discussion. Check out Brad’s blog.

If you have a meditation cushion or bench please bring it on the day. If you don’t, please bring a suitable firm cushion or pillow that you can sit on for the meditation part of the session. If the workshop is cancelled for any reason, your money will be refunded. However, as we are contributing to Brad’s expenses to come over from the US, the fee is non-refundable in other circumstance (such as your non-attendance).

THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW FULL BOOKED. Please email Alan if you wish to be placed on the waiting list.