Month: October 2024

On Sunday, many SFZC residents attended the 90^th anniversary ceremony of Sokoji in Japantown. Konjin Gaelyn Godwin, the Director of Soto Zen Buddhism International Center, and Abbot of Houston Zen Center describes Sokoji as “the temple from which hundreds of North American temples emerged after Shunryu Suzuki arrived to serve as their Abbot in 1959. The celebration was deeply moving, beautiful, elegant.”

Welcome to a new Branching Streams affiliate, Facing the Mountain Zen Group in Reno, NV. Founding and guiding teacher, Shinzan Sekibu Alice Tulloch received dharma transmission from Baika Andrea Heaton in 2018. Facing the Mountain has have had a physical location in Reno since 2014, and offers both in person and online zazen and other practice events.

As Election Day in the U.S. now less than two weeks away, many sanghas are responding to the intensity and uncertainty of this time by offering ongoing or Election Day vigils or sittings

Guiding teacher Koshin Steven Tierney writes, “Oceans Compassion Sangha (San Francisco) and friends have been sitting together for Peace and Justice in response to the world in which we live online on Tuesdays at 7:00 a.m. and Thursdays at 5:00 p.m. PDT. The format is 25 minutes of Zazen followed by a poem or verse on peace read by somebody different each time. Here is the Zoom link.

On Election Day, Steven will join me to co-host Election Day Zazen at San Francisco Zen Center, in person in the Conference Center at 308 Page Street from 4 to 8:30 p.m.

Zen Center North Shore’s (MA) Guiding Teacher Joan Amaral, writes: “we’re holding an Election Day sesshin on ZenZoom as a way to encourage grounding and connection at a particularly anxious time for many. You can log on at any time from 6am-11pm – the whole time the polls are open East-West. We’ll be sitting half-hour periods of zazen and walking five minutes in between. There will be breaks at 7:30am, 12:30pm and 5:30pm for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with chanting before each meal. But otherwise, just sitting. Sitting with it all, with ourselves and with each other.”

So’on Jim Hare, the guiding teacher of Valley Streams Zen Sangha in Sacramento, CA wrote an article, “Funding the Future,” describing the way his sangha is investing funds in a Community Foundation to provide support for future teachers after Jim retires. He offered to make it available to other Branching Streams sanghas. It’s posted on the website.

Here’s a correction to my last newsette: Dharma Heart Sangha (not Heart of Compassion Sangha) in Cotati CA began their Fall Practice Period this week, focusing on Training in Compassion, the Practice of Lojong, studying Norman Fischer’s book.

Two more programs in the SZBA’s 2024 series, Celebrating the Voices of Women in Buddhism, are coming up – on Sunday October 27.Receiving the Marrow by Bowing; and in November,  Throughout the Body, Hands and Eyes: Compassion and Bodhisattva Activism. All events are online via Zoom, and open to all on a sliding scale donation.

Autumn is unmistakably here, even in San Francisco. The air is crisper, and pumpkins and skeletons are appearing on the steps of houses in our neighborhood. Many Zen Centers have embarked on Fall Practice Periods. All have themes which can support practice in the uncertain and stressful time in which we’re living. Here are a few of the offerings:

The Fall Practice Period at Mountain Rain Zen Community in Vancouver BC focuses on “The Flower Garland (Avatamsaka) Sutra, which offers us a path inspired by the vision of Indra’s Net, a boundless net, with a jewel at each node, or intersection, which reflects every other jewel. …We will explore the richness of this text along with contemporary teachings that bring this vision into the twenty-first century.”

Dharma Heart Sangha, in Cotati CA began their Fall Practice Period this week, focusing on Training in Compassion, the Practice of Lojong, studying Norman Fischer’s book.

Brooklyn Zen Center’s Fall Practice Period began on 9/11. The sangha is exploring the relationship between Zen practice and ways of healing, referring to work by Dr. Paula Arai.

This week Austin Zen Center (TX) launched its Fall Practice Period, on the theme “We Could be Heroes and Enter the Mind of Buddha,” inspired by Tenshin Reb Anderson’s book on the paramitas, Entering the Mind of Buddha.

Preparations have begun at several Branching Streams sanghas for Sejiki and a ceremony to feed the hungry ghosts, sometimes combined with Halloween

Mountain Rain describes it: “In this ceremony we will make food offerings to the hungry ghost realm within ourselves and in the world. Costumes and masks are welcome, so that the hungry ghosts will not be too intimidated to join us. We will have a Food Bank basket at the zendo, for donations.”

Santa Cruz (CA) Zen Center’s description is: “The Sejiki ceremony has two purposes: First, we remember people close to us who have died. And second, we invite the Hungry Ghosts of ourselves to be fed, fully welcomed, and fully nourished.”

Other sangha news:

Catherine Gammon, guiding teacher of Neighborhood Zen in Pittsburgh PA, writes about a Jukai ceremony in September: “The preceptor was Korin Charlie Pokorny, who came from Brooklyn Zen Center to lead the jukai retreat and perform the ceremony — and was stricken with covid as soon as he got off the train!” Details and photos are here —https://neighborhoodzen.substack.com/p/jukai-photos. The “five newborn bodhisattvas” are Jodi Reeves –Kiko Yugen, Playful Tiger, Courageous Manifestation; Brent Nakamoto –Meikan Yugetsu, Bright Mirror, Courageous Moon; Britt Davis–Kigen Yuryu, Returning to the Source, Courageous Dragon; Varun Ravindran –Koji Yukan, Luminous Word, Courageous Investigation, and Westri Stalder –Dokai Yuzan, Servant of the Way, Courageous Mountain.

Houston Zen Center is offering a class on Preparing for Your Own Death on November 9 and 10, taught by Abbot Gaelyn Godwin and guest professionals. “An essential part of spiritual practice is to face the fact of our inevitable death and prepare for it. The classes include Buddhist meditations on death, writing advance directives, learning about the biological facts of death, and learning about palliative care and hospice.”

Long time member of Brooklyn Zen Center, Camille Shigetsu Goodison, has recently published an article in Tricycle entitled, “Letting in the Ancestors: Reckoning with her return to life outside the monastery, a Zen student finds solace in calling upon her ancestors.” It is a very moving and powerful self-reflection. You can read it here or download the PDF here. Camille presently serves as co-ino (head of the meditation hall) for BZC’s Boundless Mind Temple,where she’s been a member for over ten years.

With Richard Baker Roshi recently stepping down as Dharma Sangha (Black Forest, Germany and Crestone, CO) Abbot and Head Teacher, this time of transition marks a new beginning for him. To acknowledge and honor this turning point, several events are planned, including his teaching a six-day class on Attentionality.

From the Soto Zen Buddhist Association: We are pleased to announce three events coming this fall: October’s Hearing Younger Women’s Voices, Receiving the Marrow by Bowing; and November’s Throughout the Body, Hands and Eyes: Compassion and Bodhisattva Activism.

All events are online, fees are on a sliding scale (no one turned away for lack of funds), and are open to all. They focus on the voices of women in Buddhism, offering unique perspectives and an opportunity to continue the discussion on Celebrating the Voices of Women in Buddhism.

May you enjoy the colors and tastes of Autumn.

I am writing from Chicago, where I’m visiting Ancient Dragon Zen Gate, after a brief visit to Milwaukee Zen Center. The two centers will be co-hosting the 2025 Branching Streams Conference from September 15 to 18 at Loyola University Recreation and Ecology Center. I’ve been meeting with guiding teachers Kogetsu Laurie Belzer (in Chicago) and Reirin Gumbel (in Milwaukee) and members of their sanghas to begin forming the local committee that will work with me on logistics for the Gathering.

This trip followed quickly on the heels of a trip to the East Coast to attend the Soto Zen Buddhist Association meeting at Pendle Hill, near Philadelphia. While on the East Coast I visited Ancestral Heart Monastery in Millerton NY, connected with Brooklyn Zen Center, and Richmond VA Zen Center. These will be the last sangha visits I will make outside the Bay Area in 2024.

On these visits, I have been warmly welcomed and found it inspiring to practice with each sangha and to meet with teachers, board members, and sangha members. I gave dharma talks in Millerton and Ancient Dragon and spoke informally about the role of Branching Streams. At the SZBA Conference, Patrick …, the guiding teacher of Santa Cruz Zen Center, and Kate McCandless, co-guiding teacher of Mountain Rain Zen Community joined me to co-facilitate a discussion on how we can welcome more young people to our sanghas.

Several sanghas have recently held Jukai ceremonies. Congratulations to the new Bodhisattvas and their teachers!

In September, Karen de Kotis (third from the left) was the preceptor for a Jukai ceremony for five students at Bozeman Zen Group (MT). Their names (from left to right) are: Ryan Erickson – Yusho Kanjaku, Courageous life, Perfect Nirvana; Jack Pearson – Seigaku Seido, Sincere Study, Clear Path; Doug Beaudoin – Daiki Seisho, Great Veneration, True Vow, Marilia Librandi – Seishin Myogen, Pure Heart, Subtle Source, and Sean Tillotson – Jushin Keijo. Tender Heart, Joyous Samadhi.

Bozeman Zen Group also held its first sesshin, with Karen and visiting teacher Nomon Tim Burnett from Red Cedar Zen Community (Bellingham, WA) co- leading. On October 20^th, the Bozeman sangha will hold a formal stepping down ceremony for Karen prior to her departure to San Antonio Zen Center, where she will be the new guiding teacher.

On Sunday September 22, Taigen Leighton and Hogetsu Laurie Belzer led a jukai ceremony at Ancient Dragon Zen Gate for four dragons, Chris Cadman, Compassionate Melody, Sage Mountain; Jikyokū, Tettsuzan, Mike Evans, Bamboo Sound, True Dragon; Chikuon Shōryū, Simone Salis (Radiant Path, Gate of Determination: Kōdō Shimon, and Kerstin Schaars (Abiding in Light, Following the Stream; Jūkō Zuiryū.

At Richmond (VA) Zen on September 29 Josho Pat Phelen, Abbot of Chapel Hill Zen Center, was the preceptor for a Jukai ceremony for Blythe King, Poke Keishin and Indranil Bagchi, Kakushin Hokki.

From left to right: guiding teacher Eden Heffernan, guiding teacher at Richmond Zen, Blythe King, Indranil Bagchi, Josho Pat Phelan, and Zenki Batson, Vice Abbot of Chapel Hill Zen Center

Renshin Bunce, guiding teacher of Beginner’s Mind Zen in Eureka CA, priest ordained Marie Ferreboeuf (Sei Kyo Ji Shin, True Mirror Compassion Heart) on September 28^th..in Eureka CA. Renshin noted that “the ceremony was a true group effort.”

It’s not too late to register for Hearing Younger Women’s Voiceson October 17 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. PDT,the October offering in the Soto Zen Buddhist Association’s yearlong series, Celebrating the Voices of Women in Buddhism. The series continues through December.

May you and your sangha thrive, in the midst of a stressful time for our countries and the planet.