Buddhism in British Columbia's Interior

Buddhist BC and the BC interior Buddhism in Fort Steele, Greenwood, Kamloops, Kelowna, Knutsford, Merritt, Midway, Nelson, New Denver, Prince George, Slocan Park, Terrace, Vernon, Westbank, Westbridge

Copyright © 1998, 2007 Buddhist Women's Network of Toronto

Buddhist Meditation Society of Northern British Columbia
Mailing address:
1925 4th Avenue
Prince George, BC V2M 6E3

e-mail: buddhistinfohotmail.com

Interdisciplinary with subgroups: students of Eshin Godfrey of the Vancouver Zen Centre, and a non-affiliated vipassana sitting group

Since 1996

Activities: hosting 3-4 weekend retreats each year with visiting teachers; weekly vipassana and Zen sits. For more information, see Web site at www.bmsnbc.com

Contacts: Zen: Judith 250-563-4199 or Ken 250-564-4057
Vipassana: John 250-964-2685

Language: English
Updated April 13, 2006

Clear Sky Centre

PO Box 19

Fort Steele, BC V0B 1N0

250-429-3929; fax: 250-429-3951

e-mail: contactclearskycenter.org

Since 2004. Clear Sky is located at the foot of the Canadian Rockies. Retreat facility including a 5,000 sq-foot 5 bedroom main building, trailer and 310 Acres of grounds providing virtually unlimited camping space.

Founder and director: Achariya Doug Duncan Sensei, student of Namgyal Rinpoche.

Activities: Meditation retreats, universal teachings of awakening through Buddhadharma, Western Mystical Teachings and other activities. For details, see Web site: www.clearskycenter.org

Language: English
Updated June 18, 2006

Daiko-ji Soto Zen Centre 

Terrace, B.C.

250-635-1543

e-mail: awultelus.net

Director: Myozen, ordained monk; Soto Zen; affiliated with Kodo Ito Roshi Shike of Nagoya, Japan.

Since 2002.  Zazendo is located in a private home. 

Activity: Regular meditation sittings with study period afterwards including tea (Wenesday evenings: 7:30-9:30 PM).  Further meditation sitting available upon appointment. Other events scheduled throughout the year.  Call Don Philpott at 250-635-3455 or Tracy Wall at 250-635-1543 for location and details.

Languages:  English and Japanese

Contact:  Tracy Wall
Updated December 18, 2005

Gendrun Drubpa Study Group

mailing address: Box 650, 150 Mile House BC V0K 2G0

250-2963386

e-mail: gendundrubpaxplornet.com

Since summer, 2006

Spiritual Director: Lama Zopa Rinpoche; Geluk tradition, affiliated with FPMT

Activity: We offer non-residential courses of study using the Discovering Buddhism at Home program. Periodically, we also offer meditation programs. We invite visiting FPMT teachers 2-3 times/year for weekend retreats. For details, see web site at gendundrubpa.com

Language: English

Contact: Marilyn Dickson, coordinator

Updated March 20, 2007

HÜMÜH Monastery Buddhist Meditation & Retreat Centre
The Jeweled Path of Living Wisdom
Mailing address: P.O. Box 149
Westbridge, BC V0H 2B0

1-800-336-6015; phone/fax: 250-446-2022

e-mail: officehumuh.org

Founder and Spiritual Leader: Wisdom Master Maticintin, a reincarnated Buddhist master. In this lifetime, she was aroused to awakening through a Lakota Woman who was living in the Shaman Consciousness.

Since May, 2000; a retreat centre and monastery, on 220 acres surrounded by cascading mountains and bordered by the Kettle river; Brava House with 2 large rooms with private bath; log house with 8 rooms and shared baths; forest cabins; tent cabins; tent camping; bathhouse with showers; and laundry facilities.

Activities: meditation and spiritual discussion on Sundays at 11:00 AM. Retreat season year-round, but closed in November. For more details see Web site at humuh.org

Language: English, Fench, Japanese
Updated December 8, 2005

Karma Kagyu Center Okanagan

3879 Glen Canyon Drive

Westbank, BC V4T 2P8

250-768-3408

e-mail: Okanagandiamondway-center.org

Web site: http://www.diamondway-buddhism.ca/okanagan.html

Founded: November, 2002

Facilities: meetings in a private home; small library of books, pamphlets and videos

Founder: Lama Ole Nydahl; Vajrayana Kagyu

Activities: weekly Guru Yoga meditation

Language: English

Contact: Carmen and Dennis Lenihan
Updated May 17, 2005

Kelowna Buddhist Temple

1089 Borden Ave.

Kelowna, BC, V1Y 7P2

Mailing address: PO Box 22092

RPO Capri Centre

V1Y 9N9

250-763-3827

e-mail: kbtempletelus.net

Head: his Eminence Koskin Ohtani; Minister: Rev. Yasuhiro Miyakawa; Jodo Shinshu (Pure Land Japanese); affiliated with Buddhist Church of Canada 

Activities: meditation, dharma school, martial arts, special services.  For details, see Web site.

Language: Japanese and English
Updated April 22, 2005

Kelowna Zen Centre

Kelowna, BC V1X 6R8

250- 807-9550

e-mail: william.batesubc.ca

Since 1994

Director: Unsan Bates, ordained monk; Rinzai and Soto Zen; affiliated with Rinzai Zen teacher Shinzan Miyamae Roshi of Gyokuruji, Japan

Activity: Zazen and Dharma talks on Tuesdays 7 to 9pm
Updated September 9, 2005

Kootenay Shambhala Meditation Centre
location: 444 Baker St., 3rd floor

mailing address: PO Box 136
Nelson, BC V1L 5P7

250-352-5560

e-mail: infonelsonbuddha.com

Web site: www.nelsonbuddha.com

Head: Sakyong Mipham Rinpche; Shambhala Vajrayana (Kagyü, Nyingma)

Director: rotating

Since 1974

Activities: Mondays 7 - 9:30 PM: open house, with meditation instruction and practice, Dharma talk, and tea; Thursdays 5:15 - 6:15 PM and Sundays 9 - noon: meditation practice.

Contact: Jim Northcote

Language: English
Updated August 18, 2007

No Mind Zen Center
mailing address: PO Box 117
Slocan Park, BC V0G 2E0

e-mail: nomindnetidea.com

Teacher: Dae Kwang; Korean Zen, Seung Sahn lineage; affiliated with Kwan Um school

Contact: Will Dafoe
Updated April 28, 2005

Sitavana Forest Monastery

P.O. Box # 5

Knutsford, BC V0E 2A0

250-434-2555

Abbot: Ven Bhikkhu Sona, Thai Forest Tradition of Theravada

meditatebirken.ca

Since 1994. Set on 80 Acres, the Birken residence provides 10,000 sq. ft. of living space, including a meditation hall overlooking the surrounding forest and bird sanctuary. The main building has shared facilities, including 5 bathroooms, a kitchen, eating area, laundry facilities, and a library and walking meditation hall in the basement. Outdoor cabins (kutis) are used by monastics. Depending on demand, rooms may be private or shared. Men and women’s quarters are separate. Private cabins are sometimes available.

Activities: See www.birken.ca

Language: English

Updated November 29, 2007

Spring Rain Sangha West

341 Braid Street

Penticton, BC V2A 4X9

250-490-4626

deboraspringrainsangha.com

Since 2006.  Meeetings are held in private homes.  For those coming for the first time, please call Debora (250–490–4626) or Zoe (250–462–1044) to confirm location and obtain directions.

Teacher: Debora Ritchie; Theravada and Vipassana; affiliated with Spring Rain Sangha

Activities: meditation class on Tuesday nights at 7:15 - 9 PM.  Retreats.  See web site at http://springrainsangha.com/west/index2.php

Contact: Debora Ritchie
Updated November 16, 2006

Tashi Chöling Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Society
Tashi Choling Society
Gaden Tashi Choling Retreat

6425 Sproule Creek Rd

Nelson, BC V1L 6Y1

e-mail: tcskics.bc.ca

Since 1980

Spiritual Advisor: Ven. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche; Gelulgpa

Activities: Offering weekly meditaion and discussions for the beginning and advanced practitioners alike. Weekend retreats lead by Zasep Tulku as well as by guest teachers are offerered three to four times a year. For more information see Web site at tcs.kics.bc.ca.
Updated October 18, 2006

Vast Ocean Buddhist Centre
(Daikaiji)

1015 Toovey Road

Kelowna, BC V1X 6R2

250-491-9604

e-mail: daikaijimac.com or william.batesubc.ca

Founder and director: Ven. Unzan Genshin Bates, Soto Zen

Activities: Daily meditation 5 - 7 AM and 7 - 9 PM.  For more information, see web site at http://web.mac.com/daikaiji/iWeb/Soto/Daikaiji.html

Updated July 25, 2007

Vipassana Meditation Centre of British Columbia
Dhamma Surabhi

PO Box 699

Merritt, BC V1K 1B8

250-378-4506

e-mail: infosurabhi.dhamma.org

Spiritual head: S.N. Goenka; Vipassana Meditation in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin as taught by S.N. Goenka and his assistant teachers

Since 1969

Activities: the technique of Vipassana Meditation is taught at ten day residential retreat courses during which participants learn the basics of the method and practice sufficiently to experience its beneficial results. For more information about Dhamma Surabhi, see Web page at www.surabhi.dhamma.org. For more information about Vipassana, see Web page at www.dhamma.org

Language: English
Updated April 1, 2004

Yitung Buddhist Temple
Yi Tung Temple

1370 Lawrence Avenue

Kelowna, BC V1Y 6M7

250-717-8975; fax: 250-717-8973

e-mail: yitungbdtempleyahoo.com

Spiritual director: Master Xing Ru

Activities: open every Sunday from 10:30am - 12:00. Meditation and chanting every third Sunday. Vegetarian lunch at noon.

Languages: Mandarin, English
Updated January 27, 2008

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