Thursday, November 16, 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 Nyoze Kwong, abbot of SMZC, following 10:30-11:00 am zazen. Open to the public.

 

 

About Speaker

Nyoze received a degree in Anthropology from UC Santa Cruz. He worked as a fundraiser in Stanford University’s Engineering Department. Nyoze has a background in Socially Engaged Buddhism and has trained with well-respected teachers in Japan and United States and has over 30 years of meditation experience. In 2012 he finished his formal Zen training at Eiheiji, oldest monastery and head temple of the Soto Zen School in Japan. In 2015 he was certified and recognized by Sotoshu as a Zen teacher in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki-roshi. Currently Nyoze serves as Abbot (the head of meditation practice) and Executive Director of Sonoma Mountain Zen Center. He lives at Sonoma Mountain Zen Center with his wife Kashin and his son Ejo.

Below: Shinsanshiki (Mountain Seat Ceremony) on September 2, 2023. Read more.

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

THIS MONTH: 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 SESSHIN: 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

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