Wednesday, November 29, 2023

COMIMG UP: Tetsuya: All-Night Sitting & Founder's Sunrise Ceremony | Saturday Community | New Year

 

 

COMING UP: Tetsuya & Founder's Sunrise Ceremony

Tetsuya: All-Night Sitting

In the spirit of Buddha’s enlightenment, on Friday night we will be in tetsuya, which means we will “sit through the whole night,” from 12:00 am to 4:00 am. Open to the public. View Schedule

 

*Sangha members are welcome to attend the Founder's Sunrise Ceremony at 6:00 am and join for breakfast by donation.

 

$50 on site / $25 online (10-20% Member Discount: Log in first to receive the discount.)

NEXT WEEK: Saturday Community Talk - On Site or Online

Dharma talk will be given by Jakusho Kwong-roshi, founder of SMZC, 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 (8:50 am check-in at the Sangha House).

  • If you live within driving distance, please register to attend on site.

  • Informal vegetarian lunch will be provided afterwards in the Sangha House.

  • Zen Dust store will be open from 12 noon to 1:30 pm. 

 

About Speaker

Jakusho Kwong-roshi is the founder of Sonoma Mountain Zen Center - Genjoji temple, authorized by the Sotoshu in Japan. He is a successor of the late Shunryu Suzuki - roshi’s lineage. Kwong-roshi travelled and taught throughout America and Asia as well as Poland and Iceland where Zen practice places have been established. Also he has deep connections with the Theravadin, Shambhala/Drala Mountain Center, Rinzaiji, Soen-Korean Zen with Christian Carmelite and Benedictine traditons. He had the good karma to meet all the great Asian teachers who came West. His publications include Mind Sky: Zen Teaching on Living and Dying, No Beginning, No End: The Intimate Heart of Zen, and Breath Sweeps Mind. Jakusho continues to deepen his insight prior to the present to share with many international sincere people.

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

LATER THIS MONTH: Ringing in the New Year - ON SITE

A wonderful chance to get together and renew our commitment to practice for the New Year. Join the community for traditional informal noodles in the Sangha House. At exactly midnight following a short period of zazen to close the year, everyone will get a chance to ring SMZC's great bell 108 times to welcome in the Year of the Dragon. Bring a small piece of paper inscribed with any Karmic hindrances you wish to burn away during the ceremony. Refreshments offered following the ceremony. View Schedule

$25 admission (10-20% Member Discount: Please log in first to receive the discount.)

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

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

COMIMG UP: Saturday Community Talk - Join Us On Site or Online | Fusatsu Ceremony | Rohatsu 5-Day Sesshin

 

 

COMING UP: Saturday Community Talk - On Site or Online

Dharma talk will be given by Kaiin Chybicki, chairman of Kannon Sangha in Gdańsk, Poland, following 10:30-11:00 am zazen. The talk will be given on Zoom from Poland. Open to the public.

 

 

About Speaker

Kaiin has been a dedicated Zen student of Jakusho Kwong-roshi since 2004. In 2012, Kaiin received Tokudo ordination from Kwong-roshi. In 2016, he was entrusted with the title of Hoshi (Dharma Holder). He served as Shuso (Head Student) leading the 30-day intensive practice period in the winter of 2017, giving talks, providing interviews and guiding students through the daily schedule.

Currently, he serves as a Hoshi in GdaÅ„sk, Poland. He works as a psychologist and wrote a couple of books "How to Chase Away the Clouds that Obscure the Sky. Zen Photography" and "Focus: Mindfulness for Employees."

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

THIS FRIDAY: November Fusatsu Ceremony

Traditional Monthly Renewal of Vows

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 Ceremony

Beaver Moon: November is when beavers prepare for the cold: they build dams and stock up on food in their lodges. Maybe that’s why the Native Americans named the Full Moon in their honor, observing the activity of these industrious animals. The other possible reason is that during this month, the hunters traditionally set beaver traps to get the fur.

—excerpt from an article "Beaver Moon: When to See the Full Moon in November 2023"

By Donation (Please support SMZC to sustain our practice on the mountain.)

NEXT MONDAY: Rohatsu 5-Day Sesshin

Sesshin, literally “to touch the Mind,” is a period of time set aside for an intensive meditation retreat to let go of the conditioned self and resume our original nature. This special time of practice will allow us to dive into the core of Zen training. This silent meditation intensive to still the mind from moment to moment, manifesting the realization of the Way is for experienced practitioners who have done multi-day sesshin in the past.

 

Each day, the schedule begins at 5:00 am, includes 11 periods of meditation, chanting, and mindful work, and ends at 9:00 pm. The retreat begins at 7:30 pm on Monday and ends at 4:00 am on Saturday. You are welcome to attend partially if you cannot attend the entire retreat due to work commitments. In the spirit of Buddha’s enlightenment, on Friday night we will be in tetsuya, which means we will “sit through the whole night,” from 12:00 am to 4:00 am.

 Onsite retreat begins with informal dinner in the sangha house on Monday at 6:00pm (check-in between 5:00 and 6:00pm) and ends on Saturday at 8:00am (or after closing breakfast in the sangha house). You are welcome to attend partially as long as you can close with us on Saturday. View Sesshin Schedule

Photo: David Kaiun (開雲) Busch

$85/night & up (10-20% discount for members)

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