THIS SATURDAY: Saturday Community - Join Us On Site or Online

 

THIS SATURDAY: Join Us for Saturday Community

Student talk will be given by Craig Sanmon Stepanek, a student of Kwong-roshi and SMZC resident, following 10:30-11:00 am zazen. Open to the public.   For those who are new to Zen or need a refresher, please register for meditation instruction from 9:00 to 10:00 am. If you live within driving distance, please register to attend on site. Informal vegetarian lunch will be provided at noon in Sangha House. Zen Dust Store will be open from 12:00 to 1:30 pm.   About the Speaker

Craig was born in 1960 and grew up in San Jose, CA back when it was known for its family farms and plum orchards. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the Navy to be a nuclear electrical engineer where he served four years onboard the USS California. Upon completion of his naval service, he enrolled in college as a psychology/biology major. In his second summer of college, he spent two months in India working in Kalighat with Mother Teresa and traveling around India. There, he met Fr. Bede Griffiths at his Benedictine monastery, Shantivanam Ashram, on the banks of the Cauvery River in Tamil Nadu, Southern India.

His experiences there caused him to alter the course of his life forever. Upon returning to the US, he left college to find the sort of enlivened community of simplicity, harmony, and well-being he had experienced that summer in Southern India. As he was hitchhiking and wandering around the western US looking for such opportunities, he had a chance encounter with the Rev. Joan Halifax who pointed him to Jakusho Kwong-roshi. Within a month, he was living in SMZC as a resident on a work/study program. Craig received Jukai (Mountain Gate) from Kwong-roshi in 1991. He ended up spending nearly five years as a resident before meeting his future wife and leaving residency to raise his family.    After more than 25 years working as a landscape/gardening contractor and growing his family, he has returned to living full time as a resident. He looks forward to helping actualize the Mandala Project and contribute to maintaining the spirit of strong life at the heart of SMZC’s Samgha. He enjoys sailing and gardening when time permits.

Attend On Site Attend Online

$15 admission (10-20% Member Discount: Please log in first to receive the discount.)

NEXT TUESDAY: Spring Study Group

Facilitated by Mitchell Hoden (法田) Katzel MAY 23 CHAPTER THREE: More Questions (No. 74–80), Page 209–232   A rare opportunity to explore the fundamental teachings of Buddhism and build a foundation for daily practice through discussions on the book The Lankavatara Sutra by Red Pine (the pen name of Bill Porter). Pick up your copy at Zen Dust for $19.95 (plus tax). Register by week.   About Instructor: Senior Student of Kwong-roshi

Mitchell travelled from the east coast to the west after finishing college to be a student at San Francisco Zen Center in 1977. He was a resident at the city center and later at Green Gulch Farm until 1987. After returning to school to complete graduate studies at UC Berkeley in 1990, he established a career as a fluvial geomorphologist restoring rivers throughout California. Mitchell met Kwong-roshi in 2008 and received Jukai a year later and was given the dharma name Hoden (Dharma Field). He served as Shuso (Head Student) leading the 30-day intensive practice period in the winter of 2023. He currently resides with his wife in Sonoma Valley at the foot of Sonoma Mountain.

Attend On Site Attend Online

$12 admission (10-20% Member Discount: Please log in first to receive the discount.)

NEXT MONTH: Fusatsu Atonement Ceremony

Atonement Ceremony is a Buddhadharma training—Blessing from the teacher and a ritual of chanting, bowing, purification, and renewal of vows/direction. Traditionally practiced on the full moon, Fusatsu is one of the most beautiful and profound ceremonies in the Zen tradition. Together, we acknowledge our karmic entanglements and hindrances, at-one for the beginningless greed, anger, and ignorance—restoring harmony and happiness.   7:30 – 8:00pm Zazen / 8:00 – 9:00pm Service

Read Article: "Ryaku Fusatsu—The Full Moon Ceremony” by Sheryl Gyonyo Hamilton (Reprint from Mountain Wind, October-December 2022)

Attend On Site Attend Online

By Donation | Open to the Public

My Innermost Request — A Message from Kwong-roshi

I feel these last few years have been my most profound and mature. In reflection, I’m thinking about all of the great Asian teachers that came West. Most of them died very early. Suzuki-roshi / 67, Trungpa Rinpoche / 47, Maezumi-roshi around 70, HH XVI Karmarpa early 60’s and that was still young. But I had the good karma to have had twenty more years, which greatly helped me to begin to understand what - Personally, Clarifying the Mind means. This is the cause of my Joy. I can now explain what sanzen is, as well as demonstrate it.   Since I do not have the luxury of time, I’m urging everyone who has trained with me to return to GENJOJI and Train more than ever………………   Zensan Jacksho Kwong

In order to continue to offer these programs and ensure the future of SMZC, we are asking for your support. Your donation is tax deductible. Sonoma Mountain Zen Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Tax ID #23-7304793

6367 Sonoma Mountain Road, Santa Rosa, CA, 95404 (707) 545-8105 Share on social www.smzc.org