We are a socially-engaged Zen Buddhist organization based in Melbourne, Australia. As our main project, we are operating a small-scale community hospice service, dedicated to providing practical and spiritual outreach support to those facing life's impermanence through a life-limiting illness.

We do what we do on a voluntary basis, and we receive donations to cover our operating costs, as well as to expand our service to be able to support more people. At present, our physical home is just a small office, which means we are not yet able to offer any inpatient services, and our service consists of reaching out to patients and their carers and provide practical and spiritual home support anywhere across inner Melbourne.

zen.org.au is an organization whose founding mission is to establish and operate selected charitable programs and activities to help support the general health and welfare of individuals and the community through socially-engaged Zen Buddhist practice consistent with the approach of Mahayana Buddhism.

The Melbourne Zen Hospice is the inaugural project of zen.org.au and a program whose specific mission is to provide free, confidential, practical, dependable, and compassionate home-support and companionship to persons with an advanced life-limiting illness who are living at home, and to their carers and any family members who may be living with them.

zen.org.au was founded in 2005 by Seikan Cech, a Zen monk living in Melbourne, Australia, with a vision of developing and operating projects to help support those of us who are experiencing potentially difficult life situations, and do so in ways able to give expression to Zen Buddhist teachings and practice.

In 2006, based on input from the early supporters of zen.org.au, it was agreed to develop as the inaugural project by zen.org.au a Buddhist home hospice service, to be known as the Melbourne Zen Hospice.

In early 2007, zen.org.au became formally registered as a non-profit Pty Ltd organization, with pro-bono legal assistance having been generously provided by Melbourne law firm AllensArthurRobinson. Around the same time, zen.org.au also launched its present website.

As from March 2007, the Melbourne Zen Hospice has formally started accepting patient referrals, with an information and increased public awareness campaign about our service being gradually implemented since then.

Our approach is simple, open, and dependable. When we meet with a patient, carer, and/or family at their home, we inquire and clarify with them how we may best assist. We do not discriminate between helping with practical tasks around the house, or simply sitting with patients by their bedside and getting to know them in conversation and silence. On request, we can also provide acupuncture for pain relief, or reiki for relaxation. In most instances, we are able to assist with all of the above, and arrange with patients to visit them at regular times once or twice a week. Where appropriate and practicable, we can also provide regular respite time for carers during those times.

We approach our work with compassion and presence. In doing so, we find that we can only be compassionate and present to each other's mortality and suffering to the extent that we are aware of our own. Thus the relationships we form with those whom we support can become deeply mutual. To be caring for a person who is dying is nothing new. We have been doing it for each other for thousands of generations. This is simply another opportunity of doing so time after time, always here and now.

"During my husband's last year, Seikan was a kind and generous carer. He visited us regularly at home, bringing positive energy, inner calm, practical support, and wisdom. I can only imagine how difficult and lonely our situation would have been without his help" (Susan F., Caulfield, Victoria).

"Trevor and I met Seikan after Trevor was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. We have found Seikan to be a compassionate person. His regular visits to our home have been so welcome, and have helped us in finding trust, hope, and peace" (Joye and Trevor Scutcher, East St.Kilda, Victoria).