The East-West Meditation program at Mercy Center celebrated its 20th year in 2004. It was founded by Father Thomas Hand, SJ, known to the community as “Hando.” Hando’s approach to spiritual practice uniquely honored both Christian contemplation and Zen meditation.

During the 29 years Hando lived in Japan, he studied Zen with Yamada Koun Roshi, a lineage holder in the Sanbo Kyodan Zen school. The special flavor of the Mercy Center East-West meditation program has always been its Christian foundation and influence from the East. Our focus is on "Handokai," the meditation community’s Japanese name: "The Crossing Over (DO) Together (HAN) Community (KAI)." Meditation leads us together to a whole new way of seeing Reality and to a richer life.

In early 2005, following Fr. Hand’s retirement for health reasons, the East-West Meditation Community was blessed to welcome a new resident teacher, Fr. Greg Mayers. A priest in the Redemptorist order, Fr. Greg studied Zen meditation with the German Benedictine Willigis Jäger, a "Roshi" in the Sanbo Kyodan Zen lineage. Fr. Greg is the award winning author of “Listen to the Desert”, on the wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers of the early Church. He is equally conversant in the mystical language of Christian spirituality and the wordless essentials of Zen practice.
Please read this recent article by Fr. Greg on the subject "What is Kensho?" 

Wednesday evenings from 7:00–9:00 p.m., and during his intensive retreats and Zen-style sesshins, Fr. Greg leads the community in an engaged dialogue on the immediate experience of meditation, offering new visitors and long-time meditators alike a safe space in which to explore the spiritual path.

For more information on our meditation and retreat offerings, click here.

Copyright   ¦  The Mercy Center  ¦ 2004 All rights reserved.