​The Mountains and Rivers Order (MRO) of Zen Buddhism, New Zealand is a community of Zen practitioners spread across Aotearoa. We are an affiliate of the MRO in New York, headed by our visiting teacher and abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery, Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Roshi. In Aotearoa we have several local groups that offer weekly meditation in person as well as online sits and teachings. Sitting with one of our groups offers an excellent introduction to Zen practice and provides a supportive environment in which to develop one’s zazen and connect with the MRO Sangha, teachers and the Dharma.

Each year in January and July, we offer workshops and week-long meditation intensives (sesshin) led by Shugen Roshi or Hojin Sensei, along with frequent shorter opportunities for practitioners to deepen and develop their Zen practice with the Sangha.