Category: Blog
By Annen Moyer I have spent much of my life as a student; I love to learn. I spent the usual years in primary and secondary school, and then went on to college and several years of graduate school. I’ve pursued many other kinds of learning, in all kinds of things — water safety, software… Read more »
When I volunteered for work practice at Dharma Rain Zen Center, I really didn’t know what I was getting into. The thought was simple enough. Gratitude. I wanted to give back. I had just become a member and felt (as I do now) that the this temple gives me so much. I wanted to give… Read more »
By Genko Rainwater (from August 28, 2010) On Saturday afternoon of the Cultivating the Way sesshin I went to sit in the Zendo before the scheduled evening sitting, and was rewarded this way. dancing leaves shadows play a symphony in light on bare zendo floor Seido lighting lamps weaving in and out around provides counterpoint… Read more »
Lotus Blooming update Our capital campaign to Plant Zen in Siskiyou Square continues. This fall and winter we are asking our membership to lead the way by making pledges. In the spring we will start looking farther afield. In the past six weeks, the following people have made donations or pledges totaling $70,050! Anonymous; Thomas… Read more »
Part of our regular Sunday morning chanting service, “The Precious Mirror Samadhi” by Dongshan Liangjie (Tozan Ryokai) is compelling, beautiful, and most find it utterly mysterious. With imagery like “a silver bowl filled with snow,” and references to “the Illumination hexagram,” it is an utterly Chinese expression of Dharma. Related to and developed from the… Read more »
On Sunday November 3rd, our Founders’ Day Festival, Kakumyo Lowe-Charde spoke about the three figures honored on our Founder’s shrine, exploring the particular juxtaposition of confidence and humility in their lives and practice as well as in our relation to them as individuals and archetypes. Those three are Keido Chisan Koho Zenji, Houn Jiyu Kennet Roshi, and Nyogen… Read more »
DRZC member and Lay Disciple Michael Gyoshi Kaplan has been in Nepal and other part of Asia on an extended trip as he begins his retirement from a career in engineering. He recently sent this email to his teacher, Kyogen, and to Getsushin Brox, with whom he works in the prison program. It is published here with permission.… Read more »
Contractors have put this pile of dirt (called a surcharge) in place on the new property in preparation for construction in the spring. It will compact the soil underneath it over the next several months. The road is also rocked in, as the property begins to take shape.
This last week has seen big equipment working on the land scraping out the road and roughing it in. The contractors will also put in the surcharge, big piles of dirt where the buildings will be, in order to compact the soil in preparation for building next spring. They have also put in a lot… Read more »
From our Archives – an article printed years ago, and used as a handout – By Kyogen Carlson Next to Jukai, which comes every spring, Segaki is the most important festival on our calendar. The name “Segaki” means “feeding the hungry ghosts,” and the rituals and practices done for this festival contain a great deal… Read more »
This summary describing the work of the temple’s three major decision-making bodies is published regularly. Each of the three major bodies of the temple mandala, the Board of Directors, the Dharma Council and the Mandala Council meets monthly and provides notes to be consolidated for a report to the general sangha. A governance notebook with… Read more »
The 2013 youth summer camp “Mandala on the Mountain” ran from July 14-20 at Camp Adams not far from Portland near Molalla. This year we had 43 campers coming from Seattle, Tacoma, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Missouri as well as Oregon. These, along with 11 counselors and four support staff, all had a great… Read more »
From our Archives: an article by Kyogen Carlson Based on a Dharma Talk Kyogen gave at Dharma Rain Zen Center August 15, 2010 and published in Still Point May 2011. I had a conversation with a sangha member a few years ago. He said he had been looking at his life, at all his difficulties… Read more »
The Buddha told his followers to “walk alone like a rhinoceros” – but he told this to people living intimately in community. What does it mean to stand alone? How do we do this together? What is true solitude? We live so close to others that it can be hard to know what one truly… Read more »
At Segaki we focus on cleansing karma and releasing attachments to the past, including those who have died. This annual retreat begins Friday, October 25 and continues through the Festival of Segaki Sunday morning, and ends with Segaki Toro on the evening of Sunday, October 27. See the schedule for more information and to register… Read more »
Our unbroken string of work parties with good weather was finally broken, as we worked in the rain last Sunday, September 29. Madison High School students oriented themselves to the site in order to find potential points for their work. They formed into teams which will include those taking water samples over a long period… Read more »