Introduction to Zen 4-Week Course & Saturday Community Online

 

Join Us This Week | Saturday, March 6th, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Week 2: Buddhist Thought You will be introduced to Buddhist thought, beginning with Eihei Dogen, the monk who founded the Soto Zen lineage in 1247, Japan. Dogen taught Zen Buddhism as a practical mysticism for everyday life. We will talk about the principles of no self in Mahayana philosophy. You will learn the origins of Buddha’s noble truths: life is suffering, all things are impermanent, and liberation is possible for all beings. Wednesday, March 3, 10 & 17 7:30 to 9:00 pm (Online) & Saturday, March 27 1:00 to 2:30 pm (On-Site Tour)   Open to All by Donation $70/4 wk, $55/3 wk or $20/wk Donate to reserve your spot today!   About Instructors (March 10)

Kaian (海安) John Jennings came to Sonoma Mountain and become a student of Kwong-roshi in the spring of 2002. In 2007 he received the precepts from Kwong-roshi. In 2008 he served as Shuso (head student) for the Winter Ango. In 2012 he was ordained as a priest. He lives on Cobb Mountain in Lake County, California with his wife, Lia, his 3 grown children, and 9 grandchildren—not in the same house but within a few miles of each other. He has co-facilitated meditation at Harbin Hot Springs in Middletown, CA. He is an artist and musician and active in both capacities in his community.

Genzen (現前) Ed Cadman became a member of SMZC and a student of Kwong-roshi in 2006. Usually every year thereafter, Genzen, a resident of Seattle, would travel to SMZC to attend the Winter Ango in February and the Rohatsu Sesshin in December. In February 2019, he served as Shuso (head student) for the Winter Ango. In February 2020, he was ordained along with Kanzenchi Peter Pocock, Jibun Jesse Brunette, and Totai Michał Czernuszczykj.   Donate to Register

SMZC Online Programs Are Open to All by Donation Our temple gates are always open to those who wish to practice Zen.

Saturday Community, March 6       10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.   Zazen 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.   Talk       Dharma Talk by Jakusho Kwong-roshi, founding abbot of SMZC   DONATE to Saturday Community To sustain SMZC, please donate for the Saturday Community online program ($10 suggested for non-members).   Left: Photo of Roshi in Wilga, Poland in 2005 by Marian Schmidt, Polish sangha member who passed away on March 7, 2018.   Saturday Zoom Link

Saturday Intro to Meditation 9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.   Drop in for the complimentary meditation instruction, designed for those who are new to Zen or need brushing up. Taught by Kevin Shindo (心土) Souza in Berkeley, CA on March 6, 20 & 27th.   Intro to Meditation Link

Morning Zazen Reflection Across the World I have been sitting online with Sonoma Mountain Zen Center Genjo-ji a few times and find it to be a wonderful practice experience. My name is Seigaku Amato, and I am a Soto-Shu priest in the Iwoji lineage of Gyokei Yokoyama Sensei who is a friend of Nyoze Kwong through the Association of Soto Zen Buddhist of North America. I serve as the Assistant Minister of Long Beach Buddhist Church, a non sectarian Buddhist temple started by the Soto Shu priest Kosai Eishin Dai Osho in 1957. While Long Beach Buddhist Church is a nonsectarian temple, all of the priests that have served the temple have been Soto-Shu priests..

My Zuise was scheduled to happen in March, 2020, but due to the global pandemic it was canceled.Thus, I was unable to attend Eiheiji and Sojiji but find great comfort in sitting with SMZC sangha. In a time when so many things are put on the back burner or canceled, I find so much relief in knowing that practice at SMZC is still continuing to benefit all beings and the great earth. Thank you! I truly hope to practice with the sangha of Genjo-ji in person when it is safe to visit.   —Seigaku Amato Artist/Designer/Monk Long Beach, CA

Daily Meditation Schedule 6:30 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.   Morning Zazen 7:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.   Evening Zazen   Please enter the virtual zendo a few minutes early to get settled (seated and logged in before the starting bell).   Join Us Online

It takes many volunteers to move the Dharma Mountain that is inexplicably wordless, wide, great and bottomless. Become a part of this Mountain building and journey by volunteering. Please email the office to get involved and offer your support!

Weeding the temple garden a hummingbird comes eye to eye Photo and Poem by Russ Jakushin(寂心) Flynn, Lafayette, IN   Volunteer Now

SMZC Sangha Treasures   Thank you, Benja's Thai Garden Sushi in St. George, UT for donating to cover the cost of replacing our several year's old office computer with an external hard drive, additional memory, software upgrades, and database consulting service. Thank you, Kevin Shindo (心土) Souza for donating to cover the cost of another zoom account for one month so that we can offer the Intro to Zen and evening zazen at the same time.   Poem and artwork by Joan Scott, Vernon, BC Canada (SMZC Member since April 2020)   Membership Info

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   DONATE ONLINE

We welcome submissions of your zazen reflections and Zen-related poetry, prose, photo and art.

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