Welcome

Pathway Zen hosts weekly meditation and mindfulness practice groups in Brisbane. Our purpose is to offer a structured program that integrates and personalises Zen, as a practice-path in daily life.

Our purpose...

The goal of Pathway Zen is to guide anyone who is serious about the discovery of their true-nature and the cultivation of Zen, as a practice-path in their life. This is facilitated through a systematic program that includes introduction to Zen courses, weekly sittings, monthly daylongs, residential retreats and koan introspection. All activities are grounded in both Soto and Rinzai Zen practices within a lay householder lineage.

As a secular and non-profit organisation, everyone is welcome irrespective of their tradition, religious affiliation or none. Please feel free to come along to one of our regular events, in Spring Hill or feel free to participate via Zoom online. Our Samford venue is still closed due to Covid restrictions. Newcomers are encouraged to participate in an introduction to Zen session, which is held concurrently in a separate room to our regular practice group on Thursday evenings in Spring Hill. A comprehensive introduction to Zen course is also offered online on an ongoing basis.

Pathway Zen is guided by Arno Hess, an Australian and Brisbane based Dharma and Zen Buddhist teacher, certified both in Australia and through the Sanbozen lineage in Kamakura Japan.

Community engagement:

Inside Mindfulness - Prison project

Pathway Zen is a founding member of Inside Mindfulness Inc., which facilitates weekly mindfulness based rehabilitation programs in Queensland correctional centres. Volunteer facilitators are always welcome to participate. For more information please contact Arno Hess.

Carbon Footprint

Pathway Zen is a carbon neutral organisation. We are committed to a continued strategy to maintain carbon neutrality through identifying, reducing and offsetting our carbon emissions.

Upcoming Events and News:

Every evening - Moonlight Zazen

Please feel free to join our daily online evening sitting group for Moonlight Zazen. 8:00 PM to 8:30 PM

This Zoom link also joins the Thursday in-person Spring Hill event.

To join click here

Thursday meditation (Zazen) via Zoom and in Spring Hill.

Note that due to the Sesshin residential retreat, there will be no in-person sitting in Spring Hill on Thursday evening the 21st of October.

Newcomers to Zen will be given an introduction to Zen on request. Please arrive by 6:55pm. 7:00pm to 8:30 pm - Zazen

Thursday program & Zoom link: View more

Foundations of Zen Buddhism: 5-week online introductory course.

The next online course starts November 3rd, then every Wednesday evening until Dec 1.

To register for the next online course, please fill in the registration form on this website:

Introduction to Zen lectures - view more

Zenkai (daylong retreat) Spring Hill

21.11.2021

A silent daylong retreat will again be held in our Spring Hill venue as well as online via Zoom. Please arrive at 9:15 AM for a 9:30 AM start. All welcome.

Newcomers will be given instructions on arrival.

Online retreat & Zoom link. View more

Dharma talk.

28.10.2021

Our regular monthly dharma talk will be presented during the evening (8:00 PM) in lieu of the third meditation period, followed by Q&A. All welcome. This talk is also available to Zoom participants. To log-in, please click on the Thursday evening Zoom link:

Zoom link - view more