This Newsette includes celebratory news from three Branching Streams centers, information about three training opportunities, and recommends an article about the meaning of Jukai.
Red Cedar Zen Community in Bellingham WA celebrated the Lay Entrustment of Reizan Bob Penny on May 10th in a ceremony conducted by guiding teacher Nomon Tim Burnett. Reizan Bob is the co-founder of their sangha and the creative energetic force behind their Wilderness Dharma program over the past 25 years.

Josho Pat Phelan, Guiding Teacher of Chapel Hill Zen Center (North Carolina) sent news of recent ceremonies for her student Kunro Kuden, Paul Boyle who is the guiding teacher of Forest City Zen Center in London, Ontario, Canada. These ceremonies will enable Paul to visit and participate in Zuise at Eiheiji and Sojiji in Japan. Konjin Gaelyn Godwin, Zenki Nishimura, and Tenmyo Dojima from the North American Soto Zen International Office based in San Francisco, as well as Inryu Bobbie Ponce-Barger from All Beings Zen Sangha, in Washington, DC, and Choro Carla Antonaccio from Austin Zen Center attended to support the ceremonies.
Soko Chris Fortin, who is both the guiding teacher of Dharma Heart Zen in Sebastopol CA and a senior teacher at Everyday Zen, gave dharma transmission to students in both sanghas on May 7 and 8, supported by Rinsho Norman Fisher, founding teacher of Everyday Zen and Kanho Chris Burkhart, teacher at Red Cedar Zen Community. The students are Hofu Mary Ann Sacksteder, Eryu Debi Papazian, and Kodo Mary Koopman. Chris also gave Menjuhai to Myoko Iva Slone.
Brooklyn Zen Center’s May newsletter includes an article by BZC’s director, Ryan Lee Wong, “Inside the Jukai Process” that explores the meaning of Jukai. I highly recommend it to any of you that have received Jukai or given Jukai to students.
Training that may interest you:
Anlor Davin, founding and guiding teacher of AutSit, will offer an online conversation with Ben Connelly on June 21, from 1 to 3 p.m., Voices on Inclusion and Practice. They will explore how Zen practice can be made more inclusive and supportive for neurodivergent individuals,
The Sati Center for Buddhist Studies is now taking applications for its yearlong Buddhist Chaplaincy Training programs that start in the fall. “There are two programs – an in-person one for folks who can make it to the monthly workshops in Redwood City, CA; and an online program for those living further afield. Both programs deliver the same level of training and are suitable for those wishing to engage in spiritual care on a voluntary basis, or as the first step in a professional trajectory.” For more information, contact Vanessa at bct@sati.org. To apply, use this link.
Zen Buddhist Organizational Consultant Thomas Bruner is offering a series of onlineworkshops beginning in June. He writes, “My hope is for our institutions to not only be spiritually and ethically sound but organizationally healthy and robust as well.” Each workshop meets four times: Fundraising for Buddhists: From Hesitance to Confidence in June; Effective Boards: Good Governance for Buddhists in July, Charting our Future: Strategic Planning for Buddhists in August, and Ensuring our Future: Planned Giving for Buddhists in September. See the attached flier for dates and other details.
I will be spending the next two weeks at Tassajara, first participating in a Poetry and Zen retreat with Naomi Shihab Nye and Paul Haller, then co-leading a Queer Dharma Sangha Week. The next Newsette will come to you in the first week of June.