Tucked away in a Pittsboro forest one finds Brooks Branch Zendo, operated by the North Carolina Zen Center.  This serene setting for meditation was chosen by the center's Zen priest, Gentei Sandy Stewart. Stewart, who studied with Japanese Zen master Roshi Sasaki, has been practicing Buddhism for more than three decades. Along with some of his many assistants including, Barbara, Joe, Drew, Jason, and Woody, Sandy leads services Sundayand Tuesday mornings as well as  Thursday evenings. Seated meditation (zazen), chanting, and walking meditation (kinhin) are all important parts of the practice there. So is dokusan, or the traditional private encounter between Zen student and teacher, which at Brooks Branch is now held in a room in the newly completed kitchen building (formerly practitioners met in a cozy tent on the grounds).  There are approximately ten core members--all but one are of European-American descent--but some services attract as many as twenty-five practitioners of varying degrees of commitment. During the regular weekly sessions, incense burns in front of an elegant, but simple, carving of the Buddha. Hard wood floors, wild flowers on the altar, and a wood stove burning in the zendo all add to the rustic atmosphere. With fifteen acres of forested land, Brooks Branch Zendo also provides an ideal setting for sesshin or retreats, which last up to one week

The temple was originally established in 1974 by the efforts of Sandy's wife, Susanna Holzman. It has moved from Holzman's backyard to a wooded area donated by one of the members. The first Zen center in North Carolina, Brooks Branch's expanding membership has caused the community to seek a larger building and a new location. Once construction is completed on the new temple, which will include a kitchen and living area, the group will sponsor longer retreats, and practitioners will be able to stay for longer periods of time.

MC, AC, and JW

Updated 11-14-06