Angel City Zen Center in Los Angeles offers traditional Soto Zen meditation and discussion.

Angel City Zen Center (ACZC) is an independent Soto Zen Center located in the Echo Park area of Los Angeles, founded in the tradition of Gudo Wafu Nishijima. The center provides traditional Zen practice, specifically zazen, within a casual atmosphere based on the belief that no one needs to do or become anything other than what they already are. ACZC welcomes everyone to all events without registration, though they particularly recommend the Monday 7:30pm and Saturday 10am sessions for first-time visitors due to included instruction, orientation, and Q&A. Services are available both in person and on Zoom, with in-person sitting open to all. The weekly schedule includes morning meditation sessions from Tuesday to Friday from 7 to 8 am, featuring one hour of zazen with an optional five-minute stretch break, and evening sessions on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7:30 to 9 pm. Evening sessions consist of 30 minutes of zazen followed by a dharma talk or discussion, with Wednesday also featuring a Zen Lit Discussion component. For those interested in learning how to meditate, the center advises bowing once to the cushion and once to the room before sitting, keeping knees on the ground, eyes open, and back straight while trying to remain still.