ABZS Current COVID-19 Precautions

ABZS Current COVID-19 Precautions for Practicing with All Beings Zen Sangha – The Zendo has re-opened for in-person practice. The online zendo will be open simultaneous. Please feel welcome to join via zoom or in person has your health and vaccination status allow. Please let Inryū Sensei or Seido (our Ino) know if you plan to attend in person so that we can set up the zendo for proper spacing.

Current as of July 1, 2022

We are aware that needing to use the online services may be difficult for some of us. If you need help navigating or have any issues with Zoom, please reach out and we will do our best to assist you. Inryu-Sensei will continue to be available for dokusan. If you would like to have a 1-on-1 meeting with Sensei please send an email to:  inryu@allbeingszen.org. Our former Shuso’s can also offer Practice Discussion see our website for how to make an appointment with one of them.

Effective December 22nd, 2022, the following updates were made to our COVID policy:

  1. To attend in-person events, you will need to have received a booster shot in addition to the two-vaccines.

Ensuring your health and safety in our practice space is important, especially during this season of increased travel and potential exposure. We will continue to support your practice however we are able, and we will continue to post a link to our online practice events at  www.allbeingszen.org. We hope to see you there!

When we return to hybrid in-person/cloud zendo gatherings, below is our ABZS COVID policy:

Our ABZS COVID policy aligns with the current public health policies of the District of Columbia, home of our urban zendo in Adam’s Morgan, and St. Mary’s County, Maryland, home of our rural retreat space at Woodburn Hill Farm. The ABZS Board of Directors will continue to monitor and update this guidance periodically as new regional and CDC guidance becomes available. This ABZS COVID Policy applies to everyone, including first-time attendees, long-time sangha members, and our spiritual director and abiding teacher, Inryu Sensei.

Cloud Zendo

  • You are welcomed to attend all sangha events in our “cloud zendo” on Zoom and we will continue to have a hybrid online and in-person sangha presence moving forward.

 In-Person Attendance at ABZS Events –

  • Vaccination: You must be fully vaccinated and have received a booster, symptom-free for at least two weeks, with no known exposure to a COVID-positive individual, and affirm this in writing.
    • If you are not fully vaccinated, join us on Zoom!
  • If you are fully vaccinated and have had known exposure to a COVID-19 positive individual, we ask that you inform the sangha (e.g., Inryu, a member of the board of directors), do not attend in-person events, and get a COVID test within 5 to 7 days of exposure. If your COVID test is negative, you can return to in-person events. This policy is broadly consistent with current CDC recommendations.
  • For indoor events (e.g., zazen, retreats):
    • KN95 or N95 masks are optional. Consistent with DC’s guidance for low risk exposure (at this time)
  • For outdoor events (i.e., our rural retreat space in St. Mary’s County):
    • There is no limit for the number of attendees.
    • Mask wearing not required

Zendo Etiquette During COVID

  • Follow good hand hygiene etiquette. Please use hand sanitizer or wash your hands when you enter the Adam’s Morgan zendo and refrain from touching your hands to your face and mouth.
  • Only the Doanryo should handle instruments to ensure that they are in contact with as few hands as possible.

General thoughts on the risks of in person zazen for our Sangha:
Strains, like Omicron, may continue to spread and our currently available vaccines may offer reduced protection. The ABZS board of directors and our abiding teacher will monitor the situation and be prepared (if necessary) to re-close the zendo in the event that the vaccines lose efficacy against new strains of the virus. As such, ABZS’s COVID-19 guidelines will be updated as new information and new circumstances arise.

Answers to logistical questions

  1. How will we verify that zendo visitors are vaccinated? Inryu will ask visitors to affirm in writing that they have been fully vaccinated, symptom free for at least two weeks, and indicate they have not knowingly been in contact with people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19.There will be a chart at the front entry for people to initial this affirmation.
  2. Should practitioners. be asked to wear masks? See our current mask guidelines above which align with DC and St. Mary’s County recommendations.
  3. How far apart should Zafus be spaced? Three feet apart to minimize risk of transmission and observe safe distancing.
  4. Should kinhin take place? Yes, with everybody making their best effort to remain six feet apart.
  5. Should chanting take place? See our current guidelines above which align with DC and St. Mary’s County recommendations.
  6. How can we ensure the space remains sanitized? Hand sanitizer is available at the entrance to the urban zendo, all who enter are encouraged to make use of it, and handwashing is also available in the bathroom.
  7. What should a Sangha member do if they feel unwell or have knowingly had recent contact with someone who is symptomatic/has confirmed Covid? That person should stay at home and join via Zoom (ABZS Cloud Zendo)..