August 11, 2023
Ordination of Dhara-sensei This past Sunday, Sensei Donna Kowal was ordained by Bodhin-roshi as a Zen Buddhist priest and received the Dharma name Dhara (pronounced DAH-RAH). Dhara is a Sanskrit name that means continuous flow or stream. It also means earth, as in that which sustains and upholds. If you missed the ordination ceremony, it…
August 3, 2023
This Saturday, August 5: Annual Picnic and More At Arnold Park we’ll have the usual formal morning sitting from 6:30 to 7:30 am (no chanting). Later, at Chapin Mill, we’ll have our annual picnic. All are invited – Sangha, friends, children, and dogs! We’ll get underway at 11 am with games, then have lunch at…
July 22, 2023
Joining the 7-day Sesshin on Zoom (July 22-29) While sesshin is underway at Chapin Mill, you can still join the in-person sittings at Arnold Park. Refer to the weekly schedule here for the days and times. (Chanting, dokusan, and Private Instruction are not offered at Arnold Park sittings during sesshin.) The regular schedule for morning and evening…
July 14, 2023
July In-Person Sesshin: FULL With 57 participants and 7 on the waiting list, we’ll be at maximum in-person capacity for the July 22-29 sesshin. This means that the zendo will be nearly full and that accommodations will be tighter than we’ve seen at Chapin Mill in a long time. The bedrooms in the Retreat Center…
July 7, 2023
Saturday Dokusan with John-sensei, July 8, 10:00 am Saturday-morning dokusans are occasionally offered to accommodate members who can’t attend regular sittings with dokusan during the week. To participate, take a seat on the left side of the Arnold Park zendo, near the Kannon Room, any time before 10:00 am. An announcement will be made before…
June 30, 2023
Sunday Morning Sitting, July 2 This Sunday morning we’ll sit for three 30-minute rounds with kinhin in between; there will be no teisho or Dharma talk. As usual, the sitting will be broadcast on Zoom, as well as on the Center’s audio live stream. Soon after the sitting ends, Zen of Living and Dying will…
June 23, 2023
Sangha Activities on Saturday, June 24 10 am, Dokusan (John-sensei) 11 am, Finding Your Seat 3 pm, DepreshZen Zazen and Teisho by John-sensei: Sunday, June 25 At 8:30 am in the zendo at Arnold Park, we’ll have one extended round of sitting with a bell at the half-way point for a posture change, followed by…
June 22, 2023
Dear Sangha, I am writing today to announce and explain the Board’s recent decision to reverse its earlier decision – at the October 2021, trustees meeting – to hang a Black Lives Matter flag on the Center’s Arnold Park building. The Board recognizes that this is a complicated and emotionally charged issue in today’s extremely…
June 9, 2023
The Summer 2023 Calendar Is Available here. Saturday Dokusan, June 10, 10:00 am Saturday-morning dokusans are offered to accommodate members who can’t make it to the regular dokusans held during the week. To participate, take a seat on the left side of the Arnold Park zendo, near the Kannon Room, any time before 10:00 am….
June 2, 2023
Calling All Bodhisattvas Sangha member Chris Maley’s mother experienced major medical complications after a routine surgery last week. Chris has played a vital role in leading the Center’s Youth Program and now he needs our support. We’re collecting cards from the “Zen Kids,” and they may be dropped off at Arnold Park (place them in…