Our Mission
A group of lay and ordained practitioners, we come together to encourage and inspire each other to be mindful and compassionate in our everyday lives. We provide regular opportunities for Zen practice and education in Southwestern Montana.
We are open to all who are interested in Zen and even those curious about basic Buddhist practice.
We are currently affiliated with Branching Streams, an organization of sanghas in the Soto Zen lineage of Suzuki Roshi and the San Francisco Zen Center. Several of our members work with Zen teachers of other lineages. We are one of the resident sanghas at the Bozeman Dharma Center. All are welcome!
Co-Leader and BZG Founder Wendy Roberts
Shu To Wa Yu,
Lamp of Practice, Peaceful and Brave
Co-Leader, Michãel Palmer
Kisen Hoshin,
Radiant Spring, Dharma Heart
Our History
Senior Dharma Teacher, Tenshin Reb Anderson, of the San Francisco Zen Center, led a retreat in Bozeman in February 1999.
Wendy Roberts founded the Bozeman Zen Group with the intention of creating an on-going and welcoming Zen sangha. She began formal Zen practice in 1991, attended a Practice Period at Green Gulch Zen Center in 1998, and received lay ordination. She invited her teacher, Tenshin Reb Anderson, to lead a Zen retreat in Bozeman in February, 1999. Following the retreat, a group of interested people began regular sitting practice in her basement. Tenshin Anderson taught consistently in Bozeman for 10 years, significantly contributing to establishing and growing our sangha.
We were pleased to be joined in 2002 by Karen DeCotis who moved to Montana and previously had been Ino (Zendo manager) of the Berkeley Zen Center. Karen was entrusted as a lay teacher in 2003, received priest ordination in 2016, and Dharma Transmission (Shiho) in 2019 from her teacher Sojun Mel Weitsman. During her time with BZG, Karen has offered Jukai (lay precepts/ordination) to four members with Sojun Roshi and to five on her own as well as priest ordination (2023) in Bozeman. Karen moved to San Antonio, TX in 2024. and leadership of the group passed to Wendy Roberts and Michãel Palmer.
In 2013 the Bozeman Zen Group joined with local Insight and Tibetan sanghas to form the Bozeman Dharma Center. We are happy to be a member of this vibrant organization, which in addition to providing a beautiful meeting space, offers classes, retreats and resources beyond a single sangha’s capabilities.
Our sangha continues to honor the Soto tradition while accommodating lay practice. Over the years our many offerings have included formal sitting practice, retreats, practice periods, ceremonies, half and full day sittings, visiting teacher retreats, and more. We appreciate the participation in Bozeman especially of Tenshin Reb Anderson, Sojun Mel Weitsman, and Gyokujun Layla Smith; whose wisdom and generosity towards our sangha immeasurably strengthened our sangha.
Currently the Bozeman Zen Group now offers programs in-person and via Zoom. We are able to come together in person to best experience the joys of sangha practice, but also accommodate our far-flung members.
