Zen teacher Laura Jomon Martin prepares the flower bower for the Buddha’s birthday celebration.
Photos by: Ruth Brenner, Kassie Ko’Un Fisk, Laura Jomon Martin, Ringo Nickel

By Kassie Ko’Un Fisk

A new Zen meditation group is now meeting weekly in downtown Vancouver, Washington, bringing an authentic, historical Zen Buddhist lineage into southwest Washington state.

Led by Laura Jomon Martin, a transmitted lay teacher in the White Plum lineage of Soto Zen Buddhism, the group meets every Tuesday evening from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The new group, which does not yet have a formal name, meets in a beautiful upstairs space originally planned for yoga classes, which is very supportive for sharing meditation, study, and community.

These gatherings mark a new chapter for the Zen Community of Oregon, a practice community originating at Great Vow Zen Monastery in Clatskanie, Oregon, and Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple, in Portland, Oregon.

The Vancouver group began meeting in person in January of this year, after years of steady interest from local practitioners who had long commuted to Portland to attend Zen Community of Oregon events. It was begun in response to the need for more Buddhist practice and community, in Vancouver and greater Clark County.

The group meets upstairs from the Bauman Chiropractic Office, which is just north of downtown Vancouver. The Washington state city of Vancouver, not to be confused with Vancouver, B.C. in Canada, is just north of the Columbia River from Portland.

Claire Johnston, a longtime Vancouver resident and member of Zen Community of Oregon, first proposed the idea of a Vancouver satellite group some years ago.

“We really needed to make Buddhist practice more accessible here in Vancouver,” Johnston said. “There is a Vietnamese Buddhist temple that offers a meditation sit in English, but only once a month. There have been other sitting groups that have come and gone over the years. I often saw people lament on different social media about not being able to find places to practice around here. A project like ours was long overdue.”

While the new group is a branch of the larger Oregon-based sangha, it’s developing its own identity, shaped by local members and by Vancouver’s rapid growth. The meetings are open to all—whether newcomers curious about meditation, or experienced practitioners seeking the support of a consistent weekly practice.

Each Tuesday evening includes some traditional elements of Zen Buddhism: Participants begin with a short chanting service, followed by two rounds of zazen (seated meditation) alternating with kinhin (walking meditation), with some light meditation guidance from Jomon Martin. The evening concludes with a short dharma talk —an exploration of Zen teachings and how they apply to contemporary life.

Plans are also underway to offer sanzen—brief, one-on-one meetings with the teacher—for more personal guidance, a hallmark of traditional Zen training.

Zen teacher Jomon Martin offers reassurance to any newcomers. “Some of the forms and words in the chants may seem unfamiliar at first. There can be a fear of doing something wrong,” she says. “But we are just glad you’re here. Everyone picks it up little by little, and the tradition begins to reveal itself over time.” 

A Teacher Bridging Practice and Everyday Life

Laura Jomon Martin brings decades of experience to her teaching role. A senior student of Zen Community of Oregon founders Chozen and Hogen Bays, she receivedlay teacher transmission—formal recognition as a teacher—in the White Plum Asangha lineage, which traces its roots through Japanese Zen Teacher Taizan Maezumi Roshi.

Jomon Martin also has a professional background as a licensed clinical social worker and therapist, a perspective that enriches her teaching. She taught secular mindfulness classes in Portland for 14 years. She lives and trains at Great Vow Zen Monastery, a Zen Community of Oregon residential practice place northwest of Vancouver.

“When Jomon called me, and said that she wanted to start teaching in Vancouver, I was thrilled,” said Johnston. ”Jomon’s background in Zen teaching, her social work experience, and her kindness and approachability, have made the Vancouver group thrive.”

Jomon Martin’s teachings combine foundational Buddhist teachings and ancestral Zen forms for a modern audience of householders, making the teachings accessible to those unfamiliar with traditional Buddhism.

Responding to Local Need

The decision to formally start a group in Vancouver came after years of interest from practitioners living in the city and nearby. Vancouver residents have long made up a significant portion of Zen Community of Oregon’s membership—often commuting across the Columbia River to attend retreats and events at Heart of Wisdom Temple and at Great Vow Monastery.

Because of activity, Zen Community of Oregon did a survey last year of Vancouver and Clark County members, as well as of residents of the area who attended Zen Community of Oregon events, to see what level of support there would be for a new Zen group in Vancouver. The survey results were very positive, and helped catalyze creation of the new group.  

“We cultivate a practice of meeting life as it is,” said Jomon Martin. “That includes recognizing when and where people are seeking practice, so we responded to that call. Vancouver is spring-loaded for this.”

Though still early in its development, the Vancouver group is already attracting steady attendance, from long-time practitioners to those trying meditation for the first time.

Building Community, One Sit at a Time

The group is an expression of sangha, or community. In Buddhist practice, sangha is one of the three jewels—the foundational supports for awakening—along with the Buddha (which includes our own capacity for awakening), and the dharma(the teachings).

While the Vancouver sangha has yet to choose an official name, its purpose is already clear: to offer a warm, welcoming space for people to gather, sit quietly, and explore the teachings of Zen.

“Community is not just a support for practice—it is the practice,” Martin said. “We practice together, learn and grow together, and awaken together – just showing up again and again is the key.  We smooth each other’s rough spots like a rock tumbler.  We can’t do this without each other.”

Plans for the group’s future include daylong retreats, occasional guest teachers, and integration with the larger calendar of events at Great Vow Zen Monastery and Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple in Portland.

For now, though, the emphasis remains steady, weekly practice.

As one attendee put it: “We are a sapling. But we’re committed to tending this dharma seedling with great care and love.”

How to Join

All are welcome, regardless of experience level or background. Chairs and cushions are provided, and a brief orientation on sitting posture is available for newcomers at 6:15 p.m.

To learn more or to attend, visit the Zen Community of Oregon’s website, or contact the organization directly at 503-728-7447