Support Zen in New Orleans
Mid City Zen is funded entirely through donations. All contributions are greatly appreciated. And if you like what you've found in our community, consider becoming a member.
Please sign up for our email list for the latest updates, or see our Spring 2025 Sangha News.
About Us
MCZ’s Purpose
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MCZ’s purpose is to offer the practice of Zen Buddhism to all who are interested. Please take advantage of whatever you find helpful.
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The zendo (meditation hall) and our schedule of meditation.
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Study groups with the Sangha, the community of people walking this path together.
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Dharma talks by visiting teachers.
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Classes on Buddhism and Zen practice.
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Half-day, weekend, and week long retreats.
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A full library of books of a wide variety of Buddhist traditions (check-out privileges for active members).
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Practice periods of intensive meditation and study.
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Current Leadership
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Mid City Zen is a lay-led sangha. We have an eight-person board of directors, a group of lay practitioners that operate the temple, and a practice committee that oversees the ceremonial aspects of temple life. We receive guidance, spiritual support, and guest teachings from Zenshin Greg Fain and Shinchi Linda Galijan, as well as support from the Branching Streams affiliate sangha network.
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​Outreach
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Mid City Zen also has several Socially Engaged Buddhist programs including teaching meditation in prisons and jails. Support for this has been made possible by individual supporters and the Frederick P. Lenz Foundation for American Buddhism (fredericklenzfoundation.org). If you would like to donate to this initiative just make a note "prisons" in the Paypal memo when you donate on this site.
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Brief History
Mid City Zen was founded by Kogen Keith and Lauren Dito in 2010. In the middle of 2011, they converted the front rooms of their Mid City shotgun into a meditation hall with a schedule of daily sitting.
In November 2011, two priests came from the San Francisco Zen Center to lead Mid City Zen in formal practice, Koji Acquaviva Dreher, who was here through 2016, and Rev. Michaela Bono who led the sangha until 2020. We are affiliated with the Shunryu Suzuki Roshi lineage of Soto Zen, and are a member of the Branching Streams affiliate network.
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