Month: October 2016
Three new community workshops begin in November, one each month. They are each two hours long, free, and don’t require any Buddhist background or interest. A mix of explanation, meditation,… Read more »
On October 28-30 we hold our annual weekend Segaki retreat, focused on cleansing karma and releasing attachments to the past, including those who have died. The retreat is vigil-style, which… Read more »
Yesterday’s regular Wednesday work party did a lot of things undaunted by intermittent rain. Gemmon continues to work on the Japanese-style garden in front of the Sodo. She fills a… Read more »
Anthony Fujaku Stevens was ordained as a Soto Zen priest on Friday, October 21. A nice crowd of more than 50 people came to witness and celebrate this fine event.
At last weeks Sangha Forum, members requested an opportunity to talk more about succession, the abbot’s role, how this might look and why it matters. This week, Kakumyo will speak… Read more »
The Oregon Tradeswomen continue to work Thursdays on the barn. Framing up the inside will allow it to be available to us as a workshop and storage. Yesterday’s work party… Read more »
“It’s only natural to support the organization that supports my practice and development. There can’t be one without the other.” Membership is the steady foundation that allows Dharma Rain Zen… Read more »
Twice a year, the sangha has an opportunity to hear from our governing bodies and to ask questions and give feedback. This fall forum is primarily sponsored by the Board… Read more »
Wednesday was our last day of blue sky and sunshine for a while. Fujaku, Joel, Kakumyo, and Gary took advantage of it to work on the barn in anticipation of… Read more »
Anthony Fujaku Stevens is completing postulancy and moving into training as a novice monk. On Friday, October 21, he will be ordained as a Soto Zen priest in a Shukke… Read more »
“I joined Dharma Rain because I want to support the organization from which I derive life-sustaining benefit. I’d like it to continue to thrive, selfishly for my sake, but in… Read more »
Perhaps one of the hardest barriers to our Zen practice is the barrier of “self.” Attaching to self as an entity separate from others generates patterns of suffering and confusion.… Read more »
Wednesday under October skies, the work party accomplished several tasks. Here, Joel dumps a load of dirt on the Japanese Garden, which Gemmon is sculpting. Shin’yu checks it out as… Read more »
Gyoshi reports on the Mountains and Waters Sesshin in September: “Warm, clear days and cold, frosty nights. Tons of ripe blueberries and huckleberries. Elks bugling, snorting, whistling all around us… Read more »
People are sometimes surprised to learn that Buddhism has a long, rich history of confession and repentance. The flavor of this in Buddhism is quite different from what we may… Read more »