This month is both Earth Month and National Poetry Month. If you enjoy poetry, you may wish to participate in the Academy of American Poets’ Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 29th.
I’m reminded of a short poem by Jane Hirshfield, which Austin Zen Center has printed on the back of their t-shirt:
Everything changes
Everything is connected.
Pay attention.
Gaelyn Godwin, Abbess of Houston Zen Center, is updating her presentation on Soto Zen in the U.S., which she showed at the 2019 Branching Streams Conference and will be showing at this month’s conference in Austin. She is requesting photos of your meeting places, in particular:
- Several outdoor photos of your place
- Several photos of a ceremony or gathering of members
Please send them to gaelyngodwin@gmail.com, and, if you would, copy me at branchingstream@sfzc.org so we can include some photos on the Branching Streams website.
Earth Month: Please let me know of any teachings or programs that your sangha is offering related to Earth Month, which I will feature in next week’s Newsette.
You may be interested in a rare brief online training on social and environmental transformation with Joanna Macy, supported by Stephanie Kaza, and Wendy Johnson. offered by Upaya Zen Center on May 15 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 Mountain Daylight Time. The training is free and donations are welcome.
Kannon Do Zen Meditation Center in Mountain View, CA has two offerings for Branching Streams sangha members: a free downloadable printable image of the precepts and Kannon Do’s Oryoki Instruction pamphlet prepared by Les Kaye. The dual interpretation of the Buddhist precepts offered through their website was created by Kobun Chino, the first teacher at Kannon Do, and Les Kaye, the current abbot. Kobun contributed the traditional, prohibitory precepts in green, while Les provided the updated version in black, representing how practice needs to be expressed in the modern world.
This week ends with Good Friday, Passover, and Easter, opportunities to celebrate life and renewal in a country and world in which there is so much suffering.