Yokoji-Zen Mountain Center

Welcome to Yokoji

We are an internationally renowned, fully accredited Zen Center located in the beautiful mountains of Southern California.

Yokoji provides a place for people from all walks of life to practice Zen Buddhism. There are many ways you can do this.

Every Sunday we run introductory classes in zazen (Zen meditation). Throughout the year there are events, often on weekends, which focus on various aspects of Zen practice. We hold sesshin (silent meditation retreats) almost every month of the year, ranging from 2-7 days.

It is possible to stay at Yokoji for any period of time. You can join our residential training program and follow the schedule for a number of days, months or years. Overnight and weekend stays are also an option if you would like to join in with the programs that we offer. Check the events page for details.

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Yokoji Podcast

Latest from the monthly Yokoji Podcast

Yokoji Zen Blog

Recent posts from the Yokoji Zen Blog

  • Honey In Memoriam

    Honey In Memoriam

    With sadness and love we share the news that our dear Honey died this week on March 14th. This past year, in the Autumn, Honey lost one eye to...

    March 17, 2018 | Comments: 11

  • Walk for Yokoji

    Fundraiser to support Yokoji Zen Mountain Center

    Keen Summit to Idyllwild Saturday, July 1, 2017

    June 07, 2017 | Comments: 1

Upcoming Events

Visit our events page for the full Yokoji calendar

  • Sunday Schedule

    Every Sunday (call to check during holidays and bad weather)

    Join us every Sunday morning at 9:30am for meditation, dharma talk and lunch. Meditation instruction classes offered for beginners. More details on events page.

  • September 9, 2018 - November 18, 2018

    The Fall Training Period at Yokoji is a time of intensified practice for the whole community. It is a perfect time to spend a few days, weeks or...

  • November 11, 2018 - November 18, 2018

    The final sesshin of the Fall Training Period. Rohatsu means ‘December 8th’ in Japanese, the date of Shakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment, but we...

  • December 19, 2018 - December 26, 2018

    Yokoji will be closed to the public over the Christmas holiday period.

  • December 28, 2018 - January 1, 2019

    The annual end of year sesshin. A regular sesshin schedule builds up to new year’s eve, when we join together for different ceremonies and periods...

  • January 19, 2019

    Take this opportunity to examine your life through the lens of the precepts. During dawn zazen, the precepts are recited in a short service and...

  • January 25, 2019 - January 27, 2019

    Sesshin literally means “to unify the mind.” Sesshin is at the heart of Zen Practice - a chance to give full attention to one’s life without...