Ring of Bone Zendo is a rural, lay Zen Buddhist community in the Diamond Sangha tradition. In style, practice, and lineage, Ring of Bone Zendo has roots in both the Rinzai and Sōtō schools of Zen. Year-around instruction is available from Nelson Foster, who is a Dharma heir of the late Robert Aitken Rōshi. We are a small, all-volunteer organization and do not host a residential program.

The zendo (meditation hall) sits on the edge of a small meadow in the Yuba River watershed, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. The land, a little below 3000 feet in elevation, lies within the home territory of the Nisenan people and today is heavily forested and rich in wildlife. Ring of Bone draws its most active members from the local area, with friends from elsewhere in California, other states, and other countries joining in major events. All are welcome to visit and to practice with us, Buddhist or not.

I saw myself

a ring of bone

in the clear stream

of all of it

and vowed,

always to be open to it

that all of it

might flow through

and then heard

“ring of bone” where

ring is what a

 bell does

 

Lew Welch (1926-1971)

  • Come sit with us.

    Look at our calendar for upcoming zazen, sesshin, and other events.

  • Read our stories.

    Read our newsletter for zendo musings, stories, and insights.