Housing a New Generation at Chozen-ji by Cristina Moon
Since last Fall, we've successfully raised $1.4 million to construct short-term and long-term housing on the empty lot across the street from the Dojo at 3570 Kalihi Street. We're sharing this news with the Chozen-ji network now to invite members and supporters around the world to join us to raise the remaining $400,000 to break ground and complete construction.
Over the past four years, our many experiments trying to share Chozen-ji's unique method of spiritual forging with a new generation have yielded plentiful fruit. We know this, in part, because we keep running out of space.
We still have strong, young live-ins for whom sleeping on the floor of the kitchen and the Dojo is appropriate. But we have also found a growing number of accomplished professionals in their 30s, 40s, and 50s who want to train deeply in Zen to be able to approach any circumstance with wisdom and take away people's fear.
The new housing slated to be built across the street will provide accommodations for a new generation of live-ins staying for several weeks up to several years. It will also facilitate the expansion of short-term, introductory programs like our successful Zen & Politics program, which helps young professionals seeking to turn public leadership into a Way to realize their True Selves. Long-term housing for teachers and Dojo members who are anchoring day-to-day training and programs is also included in the designs.
Thanks to the generosity of foundations and individual donors—led by major gifts from the Island Insurance Foundation, Colbert Matsumoto, the Omidyar ohana, all Chozen-ji Board members, Richard Lim, and Michael Kangen and me—we have already raised the lion's share of funds needed for construction. Special thanks go to the members of our volunteer Capital Campaign Committee: Colbert Matsumoto, Vernon Char, Mike Tokunaga, Christine Cordero, and April Nishimura.
We humbly invite you to join our capital campaign by making a tax-deductible donation. Together, we can build the infrastructure needed to continue sending Chozen-ji's unique approach to Zen training out into the world through more and more people experiencing training and doing shugyo.
