Sunday, Feb. 1 , 2026 · 10:00 AM MT · Live & Online
Craft of Zen - Essentials
Chapter Two - Essentials of Meditation
What Is Meditation — Really?
A free talk on the essence of practice beyond techniques
with Tatsudo Nicole Baden Roshi
„Imagine being born right now, completely fresh, out of nothing, into this very moment.“ - Baden Roshi
In this open talk, Tatsudo Roshi invites us to look beyond the framework of Buddhism and explore meditation at its core.
We explore how to skillfully set up the mind of meditation, and, once established, how to navigate all the inevitable questions and challenges that still arise. Subtle questions, like what does it mean to turn our minds toward stillness? How can this practice continuously transform us?
Whether you're new to practice or have been sitting for years, Tatsudo Roshi will share insights and a practice inspiration to support your meditation journey.
When: Sunday, Feb. 1 , 2026 · 10:00 AM MT · Live & Online
Duration: approx. 90 minutes
Join the Opening Event if…
…you are interested in an introduction to the foundations of Zen practice
You are curious about Zen teachings but are not sure where to begin. This event offers a clear and accessible point of entry.
...you have been practicing for a little while,
and now are starting to question just what it is you’re doing when you sit down on the cushion. You have the sense you’d like to go deeper, and are looking for help with how.
... you’re interested in continuing to study with Tatsudo Roshi and the Dharma Academy.
You’re feeling resonance, or the possibility of resonance, here and are wanting to follow where that leads.
...you’d like to receive practical advice for practice.
You’ve been stuck thinking about what do with your thinking, where to put your hands, how to relate to your feelings, and you are looking for some support.
Everything you need to know about the event
📅 Date: Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026 · 10:00 AM MT (Live & Online)
What to expect:
An introduction to Zen practice
A practice suggestion for everyday life
An overview of the Craft of Zen – Essentials series, with a focus on Essentials of Meditation (Chapter Two)
Live Q&A – space for your questions
We look forward to practicing with you.
Testimonials
" When I first saw and heard Nicole speak, something about her resonated with me. I felt an immediate connection and innate trust in her wisdom and compassion. I was drawn in by this experience of what she later termed “shared aliveness.”
- Debra M.
"Zen is easy and not-easy the same time. This was no real news, but this helped me a lot."
- Matthias F.
"Even from my little corner of the world, I am gratefully touched. I am glad and happy and thankfully joyful for your truthful way and effort to share it - it really does make creating and sensing and feeling, living, more beautiful, more alive."
- Rika H.
Tatsudo Nicole Baden Roshi,
is a Dharma successor of Zentatsu Richard Baker Roshi and has been practicing with the Dharma Sangha since 2001. She studied psychology at the University of Oldenburg until 2009, while simultaneously training in the somatic therapeutic method Body-Mind Centering©.
Following her studies, she spent four years at the Crestone Mountain Zen Center in Colorado, USA. Since 2013, she has been active at the Zen Buddhist Center Schwarzwald, moving fluidly between the two centers as part of her ongoing practice and teaching. Nicole is also the founder and guiding teacher of the Dharma Academy, bringing her vision and experience to its development.
In September 2024, she officially succeeded Richard Baker Roshi and has since been serving as Abbot, guiding the spiritual direction of the Dharma Sangha.
