Celebrating Our History In 1986, Kyogen and Gyokuko Carlson founded Dharma Rain Zen Center. The Carlsons shared a vision for a Zen temple that supported a variety of practice expressions, including both lay and monastic, family practice, and sesshin (retreats.) In the beginning, the sangha that would become Dharma Rain could fit in a living… Read more »
Several members of Dharma Rain recently went on pilgrimage to a dozen different temples and monasteries in Oregon and California. Tsuho and Sage were participants and share some of the impact it had on them here: Ashland Zen Center, as recalled by Tsuho: The schedule. That’s the first thing I noticed when we arrived. The… Read more »
Dharma Rain is committed to expressing the teachings in how we operate the temple, and are leaning into our recognition and expression of interdependence in several ways right now. We need some additional support to be able to follow through on this and are asking for some specific help. We have an excellent opportunity right… Read more »
Seminary student Karl Kanbergs recently did a lovely paraphrase of the Heart Sutra as part of his seminary project: The heart is a spiritual warrior, steadfast. The head sways with the breeze. Listen! With compassion the heart explains, while practicing wisdom — and seeing the world, of suffering free: Flower petals drop, one by one. … Read more »
Kakumyo Lowe-Charde contributed to the Winter 2022 issue of Buddhadharma in a forum exploring this topic. In an excerpt from the interview highlighted in the article, Kakumyo shared, “Part of what the teacher is using to determine whether someone’s ready to become a teacher is, is it needed? Is the community seeing them as a… Read more »
I wanted to touch on a topic that has been painful to many of Dharma Rain’s members and supporters to witness and wrestle with. We’re aware of how dire the housing situation has become in Portland. Recent county estimates suggest there are more than 5,000 homeless but with some support or shelter in Multnomah County, and more… Read more »
Peter Nichols Zen Center of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ESLT was a great, intense, exhausting experience. The schedule was packed— it felt like a sesshin with talking—but the days/evenings off, along with interspersed fun activities, provided much-needed relief from the intensity of the curriculum and sharing. The warmth and humor of participants and facilitators was a… Read more »
Sam Murphy, Board Member I recently had the opportunity to attend three DEI training sessions along with 25 other Dharma Rain leaders. It was great to engage in this work with other sangha members, especially after the relative isolation of COVID. When we first began, I wondered why Dharma Rain needed to have DEI training. … Read more »
Sokyo writes: During an in-person all day gathering, six Daoren members wrote gathas, based on Robert Aiken’s book, The Dragon Who Never Sleeps. Together we ventured into writing and sharing what was on our minds. The intention in writing them is to express the interdependence of everyday experiences in members’ personal lives. When the dark of… Read more »
Flying Fish was a teacher at Clouds in Water Zen Center in St. Paul, Minnesota for many years. About a year and a half ago, she moved here with her husband, Sam, and they have since started practicing here at Dharma Rain. In the interview below, Kakumyo talks to Fish about how this transition has… Read more »
Kakumyo wrote a description of one of our newest ceremonies, Daigen Shuri, which occurs right after our Fusatsu ceremonies, around the solstices and equinoxes. The most recent addition to Dharma Rain’s liturgy is the Daigen Shuri ceremony. This ceremony is done four times a year, following our Fusatsu ceremony, which happens on a Saturday evening… Read more »
Genko and others from Dharma Rain recently shared a sesshin with Zen West/Empty Field in Eugene. In this post, Genko shares pictures and reflections from the event. Last year’s Cultivating the Way (CTW) retreat west of Eugene was cancelled because of Covid. This year it went on as scheduled August 18-22, with modifications. Most of… Read more »
Chris Reiju Nelsen When we set out our bowls for oryoki, after chanting the places of the Buddha, we intone: Now we set out Buddha’s bowls;may we, with all beings, realize the emptiness of the three wheels:giver, receiver and gift. I’ve always loved this part of the chant and like to look for the emptiness of… Read more »
Nancy Gonzales, long time Dharma Rain member and participant at Wednesday work practice, wrote about her experiences to share with us. She notes the importance of work practice as a means to engage with sangha and the special land we are lucky to care for. I started attending Wednesday work practice around the time the… Read more »
written by Gabe Penk, Gardenmaster The land around Dharma Rain is always full of life, but this time of year it is particularly evident. If you have not been in-person recently, it is an ideal time to walk the various trails, pay regards to the chickens, or sit and enjoy the flowers in the garden.… Read more »
March 21, 2021 Compassionate Abbot, Thank you for this opportunity to come before the Sangha and officially announce that I am retiring from my public role as a lay teacher. It is time for me to step aside to make room for other teachers, although I plan to stay active in our Sangha by working… Read more »