Becoming a student

Becoming a formal student marks a deepening of one’s connection to a Centre teacher and to the Rochester lineage of the Centre.

Once you have been a member for a year you may ask to become a formal student. Usually this request is made in dokusan.

You can become a student of Amala-roshi or you can become a student of Richard-sensei.

Once you have discussed becoming a student with Roshi or Sensei, and you are ready to proceed, a simple private ceremony will then be arranged, in which new students are accepted by their teacher, marking the commitment (on both sides) that the formal student-teacher relationship implies. There’s no pressure to become a student, and both students and non-students have the same access to all teaching.