About Western Chan Fellowship
Updated: April 17, 2026
The Western Chan Fellowship is a UK-based association of lay Chan practitioners, a lay Sangha, offering Zen retreats and activities open to both Buddhists and non-Buddhists. The fellowship is registered as a charity in England and Wales, with contacts in Europe, Poland, Croatia, Switzerland, and the USA. They offer various types of Buddhist meditation retreats, including silent retreats, and have local meditation groups meeting around the UK. The Western Chan Fellowship also hosts online meditation and discussion meetings, with events held on weekday evenings and weekend daytimes. The lineage of the organization includes Linji Chan (Japanese: Rinzai Zen) and Caodong Chan (Japanese: Soto Zen), including Gongan, Huatou, Silent Illumination, and counting or following the breath.
