Join Us @ SMZC | Sunday, July 31, 2021 | Ango Opening Ceremony

Saturday, July 31, 2021 | Ango Opening Ceremony

Summer Ango Practice Period in Person at Gaitan or Online Kevin Shindo (心土) Souza is appointed to serve as Shuso (head student) for the Summer Ango. The position of Shuso is a great honor that comes with a significant responsibility of leading by example and serving the sangha. He is excited to carry on this revered position. View Ango Schedule.

In-Person Practice Open to Fully Vaccinated Public Gaitan (front zendo hall) is available for those who are fully vaccinated to participate in on-site practice during the ango by registration. Download our fillable COVID-19 waiver form and email us the signed waiver & proof of vaccination (a copy of your vaccination card).   Email to Register NOW

Saturday Community, July 31       10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.   Zazen 11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.   Ceremony       Ango Opening Ceremony will be offered by Kevin Shindo (心土) Souza, Shuso (head student) for Summer Ango. He is a student of Kwong-roshi and a SMZC sangha member since 2008. Kevin started practicing in Phoenix AZ in 2007 right around the time his son was born. He was at a point in his life where he had to make significant changes in order to be the father his son deserved. In 2008 he moved to Carson City to be closer to his son where he led a sitting group on Thursday nights.

He would travel back and forth from Carson to SMZC to practice on weekends whenever he got a chance. He received Jukai from Kwong-roshi in 2009 and was given the dharma name Shindo which means “Mind/Ground.” He currently lives in Berkeley, CA with his wife and 13-year-old son and works full time. He loves spending his free time outdoors in the mountains backpacking in the summer and skiing in the winter. He looks forward to connecting with old friends and new at SMZC this summer.   Saturday Zoom Link

Donate to Saturday Community. To sustain SMZC and its program offerings, please donate for the Saturday Community online program ($10 suggested for non-members).

On August 1 Sonoma Mountain Zen Center is reopening with a limited capacity and covid safety protocols for in-person sittings at Gaitan (front zendo hall) and for long-term retreats of one month or longer in the zendo for fully vaccinated sangha.   Reopening Protocols

Saturday Community Dharma Talk replays are available on YouTube. Please add your comment and share with your family and friends!

Join SMZC Sangha Today   SMZC is a lay residential training practice center. We rely on membership dues, income from our programs, and contributions to support and maintain the Dharma on this ancient mountain. Please consider joining SMZC Wisteria Sangha. Your generosity makes it possible for us to survive and serve.    Become A SMZC Member

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

Join Us ON SITE @ SMZC | Sunday, July 18, 2021 | Summer Workfest

 

Join Us ON SITE @ SMZC | Sunday, July 18, 2021 | Summer Workfest

Summer Workfest | Preparing for August 1 Reopening! Breathe new energy into the center with friends and family of the Sonoma Mountain Sangha. Come and join us in maintaining temple grounds in the spirit of together-action. We will work at the Stupas clearing the path, brush hauling, raking and weeding. Also, we will do some deep cleaning in the Zendo if we have enough work-festers signed up.

Help Realize the Dharma! Download our fillable COVID-19 waiver form. Sign and date the form. Email the signed waiver & proof of vaccination if not done already. Arrive at 8:30am on Sunday. Bring a pair of work gloves if possible. Light lunch will be provided outside at 12:30pm.   Email to Register NOW

Saturday Community, July 17       10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.   Zazen 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.   Student Talk       Student talk will be given by Nancy Seiko Reder, a student of Kwong-roshi, following 10:30 am zazen. She has been practicing with the Wisteria Wind sangha since 2008. She took jukai with Kwong-roshi in 2011. Nancy is a wife, mother, mother-in-law, friend, sister, psychotherapist and teacher. Someday she hopes to sculpt, paint, write, and finally study percussion.   Saturday Zoom Link

Donate to Saturday Community. To sustain SMZC and its program offerings, please donate for the Saturday Community online program ($10 suggested for non-members).

Daily Meditation Schedule You are welcome to sit one period of zazen as your schedule permits.Participate in the daily schedule as much as you are able. Continuous daily practice helps strengthen your resolve. If attending partially, please leave or enter during kinhin (walking meditation). Download daily sutras to partake in the service.   Practice Online

5:15 a.m. Morning Zazen 5:50 a.m. Kinhin 6:00 a.m. Zazen 6:35 a.m. Sutra Chanting & Service 7:30 p.m. Evening Zazen 8:10 p.m. Kinhin 8:20 p.m. Zazen 8:55 p.m. Recite Bodhisattva Vows

Online Zazen Reflection The Zoom zazen experience has been such a gift to me in the rural mountains of Oregon where our closest store or medical clinic is over 20 miles away. My isolation in a mountainous rainforest is very tranquil for meditation, but trying to meditate alone would have been a lonely, if not impossible, undertaking.

The 40-minute zazen in the morning and evening with an ending chant is exactly the right length of time. When I first began this practice, it was challenging to last even 30 minutes. It became possible for me when I realized I am sitting in community with others, and thus I never feel alone in meditation. The virtual nature of the Zoom zazen does not lessen the feeling of community. This Zoom zazen really has been one of the gifts of the pandemic.

—Jennifer Johnston, Birkenfeld, OR SMZC Sangha Member since 2021     COOL CLEAR WATER & fireflies that vanish that is all there is………...   by Fukuda Chiyo-ni (福田 千代尼) Japanese Poet/Buddhist Nun (1703-1775) Photo by Fred Setsuzan (雪山) Jacobs

Join SMZC Sangha Today   SMZC is a lay residential training practice center. We rely on membership dues, income from our programs, and contributions to support and maintain the Dharma on this ancient mountain. Please consider joining SMZC Wisteria Sangha. Your generosity makes it possible for us to survive and serve.    Become A SMZC Member

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