Membership
Membership Subscriptions
Choose the monthly donation plan that is right for you. Click "Subscribe," and you will be taken to our PayPal page to complete set-up. Scroll down for more information on the various levels, their corresponding thank-you gifts, and the value of your contribution. Thank you for your generous support!
Standard Monthly Membership Levels
The following levels allow you to set up a monthly contribution ranging from the inkin student rate of $15 up to taiko levels reaching $300.
Odaiko Monthly Membership Levels
The odaiko levels allow supporters with additional discretionary income to give even more.
Levels and Gifts Explained
Inkin Level - for Students - $15 per month
Inkin-level members receive the following gift:
- Small box of Nippon Kodo Morning Star incense - 50 sticks (Choice of Sage, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Musk, Frankincense, Myrrh, Lotus, Vanilla, Lavender, Jasmine, Green Tea, or Gardenia)
Umpan Level - Standard - $35 per month
Umpan-level members receive the following gifts:
- Small box of Nippon Kodo Morning Star incense - 50 sticks (Choice of Sage, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Musk,
Frankincense, Myrrh, Lotus, Vanilla, Lavender, Jasmine, Green Tea, or
Gardenia)
Shōkei Level - $50 per month
Shōkei-level members receive the following gift:
- Large box of Nippon Kodo Morning Star incense - 200 sticks (Choice of Sage, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Musk, Frankincense, Myrrh, Lotus, Vanilla, Lavender, Jasmine, Green Tea, or Gardenia)
Han Level - $75 per month
Han-level members receive the following gifts:
- Book selections of your choice up to $20 (Browse our selections in our online bookstore)
Mokugyo Level - $100 per month
Mokugyo-level members receive the following gifts:
- Book selections of your choice up to $30 (Brows our selections in our online bookstore)
Taiko Levels - $150-$300
Taiko-level members receive the following gifts:
- Zafu sitting cushion (From our onsite or online cushion store)
Odaiko Levels - $400-$600
Odaiko-level members receive the following gifts:
- Gaiam Zafu and Zabuton cushion bundle (From our onsite or online cushion store)
How to Receive Your Gift
Using emails on file with PayPal, ZFB staff will reach out to all eligible financial supporters toward the beginning of each new year to confirm addresses and gift selections as necessary. The ZFB will then send items direct. Gifts left unclaimed after one month's time of the email query will be considered donated to the ZFB.
The Value of Your Support
The Zen Fellowship of Bakersfield is a 501 3(c) organization, which
means that your contribution is fully tax deductible. All membership
level benefits include:
- Tax deduction for charitable giving to a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization
- Eligibility for training and participation in traditional Soto Zen chant ceremony
- 10% off most events, including local and New Orleans Zen Temple sesshins and days of Zen
- One or more gifts for your charitable contribution
Your generous contributions allow the Fellowship to continue
- Developing and maintaining a traditional and accessible dojo for zazen practice
- Reaching out to inmates through Zen prison ministry
- Developing new forms of ministry such as meditation for medical patients
- Offering community and school introductions to meditation practice
- Providing travel support scholarships to those in need of financial assistance
- Attracting visiting teachers to our community
- Planning for future growth
