Use this portal to offer dana to directly support our Roshis in their ongoing work.One-time donations to the general fund, membership commitments and sesshin fees should be paid using other links. Reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions.

The practice at Windhorse Zen Community is founded on of the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Sangha, the community of practitioners, is the living expression of the Buddha Way. So being a member of Windhorse isn’t like some other memberships you might have in your life. Unlike a gym or streaming service, for example, you’re not paying in simply to get something out of an organization. Membership in the sangha, an interdependent web of relations, is an expression of commitment to join with others to bring the Buddhadharma to life. This year’s renewed focus on membership is part of an ongoing wish to further clarify and strengthen our community practice. To this end we’re encouraging newcomers to apply to become formal members after, perhaps, an initial trial period of a few weeks or months—a time to see if being a member of Windhorse feels like a good fit for them. Making a firm commitment to the community has both tangible and intangible effects. It helps to build a strong foundation on many levels for both personal and collective practice. Membership also includes priority acceptance and a reduced rate for all our retreats; and when dokusan is crowded during regular evening sittings, members who have signed up for dokusan are given priority. No doubt the greatest benefit of becoming a member, however, is something deep and powerful that arises when we make a real commitment to our own practice within the context of a caring community, one dedicated to fostering a dynamic and nurturing Zen practice for the benefit of all. What many discover is that the heartfelt willingness to give support to the Sangha, and also to receive it, has far-reaching consequences. The truth is, we’ve had years when we wondered whether Windhorse would be able to hold on to this beautiful dharma center in these ancient mountains. Each year, with no endowment to fall back on, we’ve depended entirely on people’s regular monetary contributions to build a more reliable and resilient foundation for our dharma practice and programs. These donations are what make it possible to maintain the buildings and property, and to cover the mortgage, insurance, and other costs involved in keeping a non-profit organization going. So members' financial support provides the basis for everything we're doing. Nonetheless, since circumstances vary widely, a sliding scale for membership is always available. Work service—whether in person or, if necessary, online—is another way to support the sangha. With only a small staff, such help is definitely needed and can be a great form of practice-in-activity. And of course working and eating meals together also serves to knit closer, stronger sangha relations. Ideally, being a member of Windhorse can involve both kinds of support, financial and service. What is most important, especially now in these tumultuous times, is finding meaningful ways to work together to cultivate a vital and open-hearted dharma community—a place and spirit of authentic practice that can make a real difference in this world by fostering healing on every level. With hands palm-to-palm,Sunya & Lawson

Use this portal to donate for sesshin, Zentensive and retreats at Windhorse Zen Community. One-time donations to the general fund, membership commitments and dana for our teachers should be paid using other links. Reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions.