Welcome to the Zen Contemplative Studies (ZCS) webpage, a unique branch of contemplative studies in the humanities committed to cultivating an enlightened community. ZCS critically examines contemporary unsustainable cultural practices through an integrated and interdisciplinary approach that combines Zen philosophy, Zazen (sitting meditation) practice, textual analysis, and creative exploration.

Drawing from the rich and diverse history of Zen Buddhism, both premodern and contemporary, ZCS invites you to embark on a transformative journey that is both epistemological and experiential through koan study, guiding you through the passage of the “Three Gates of Zen” (or the "Three Natures of Reality" articulated in Yogācāra Buddhism). This exploration of the emancipation narrative, or rite of passage, facilitates a profound inquiry into fundamental questions of self-identity, consciousness, and our existence in a world increasingly shaped by the climate emergency and other global crises.