As we struggle to get by and overcome obstacles, we can get confused, angry, and sad. As we develop our practice and self-awareness, subtle changes in outlook have the capacity to transform our view of life and suffering in radical ways. This talk was given Sunday, October 8.

A new practice this year is having Dharma School children, teachers and parents come into the zendo at the end of Dharma Talk. They practice putting their shoes straight on the engawa before entering, then bow and find a place (quietly!) in the zendo. We all chant the Tisarana (the Three Refuges in Pali) together,… Read more »

We often put karmic themes and their resolution in a vague category that adds lots of extra noise and opinion and dilutes the teaching about how to affect change. This Sunday the talk will focus on some specifics about seeing through our afflicted habit patterns. This talk was given Sunday, October 1.

Taking advantage of the warm sunny weather and a lot of enthusiastic volunteers, we have finished the siding on the duplexes. Here, Kakumyo explains a procedure to Zonnyo, with Natalie and Gary looking on. Some people are also doing work on the inside to get two rooms ready for Dharma School this Sunday. We could… Read more »

This Sunday we celebrate the Two Ancestors Memorial, honoring Eihei Dogen and Keizan Jokin. As part of that, we chant the “Life Span Chapter” of the Lotus Sutra, which describes the Buddha enlightened since the remote past, or the eternal Buddha. As the seasons change, time passes, people are born, sicken, and die, and yet… Read more »

The sudden change in weather means that we’re dealing with mud and weatherproofing. The first steps have been taken in roof repair and repainting (both roofs will match the Sodo roof soon). The priority now is finishing the siding and outside to weatherproof the duplexes before the steady serious rains set in. Some inside work… Read more »

How do we carry our deepest intentions with us as we move through our daily life, including when at work? Last week, many in the sangha participated in the Heart of Work retreat. Each day, the retreat started and ended with meditation in the zendo, but the main venue for the retreat was our individual… Read more »

We want to be “more” aware, but doing so is not actually a process of becoming aware of more. It’s more a matter of lessening the obstacles to awareness. As we clarify mind, the play of arising phenomena includes some that were previously submerged. On Sunday we explore this dynamic, and see how it might… Read more »

The photo shows the difference between the north duplex (to the left), which has new siding around the bottom half, and the south duplex, which doesn’t yet, but is being prepped to receive it. This week’s Wednesday work party was sparse, likely because of heat and smoke and generally unhealthy conditions to be outside. Still,… Read more »

The Sun Face Buddha lives for 1,800 years. The Moon Face Buddha lives for one day. But the length of the life is not what makes either a Buddha. This talk was given Sunday, August 27.

As a lay person, sometimes it is a challenge to integrate practice into our lives. How do we practice with what is? How do we allow the unique experiences of our lives to unfold with the awareness and attention of practice? Carrie Schulz offers a student talk exploring this. This talk was given Sunday, September… Read more »

Painted Mountain corn was developed by Dave Christensen in the 1970s to withstand the cold temperatures and arid soil of Montana. It was created by open pollinating up to 70 different varieties of ancient corn from northern tribes of Native Americans (particularly the Mandans) and also heirloom stock from the homesteaders of the plains. For… Read more »

We’re looking for a small rowboat or canoe to put in the Dharma Rain playground. It should be in fairly good condition, not rotting or splintery, but it definitely doesn’t have to be sea-worthy! Please contact Shin’yu [shinyu at dharma-rain.org] if you have such a boat to donate. We can arrange pick-up. This week work… Read more »

by Jyoshin Clay Editor’s Note: This talk was given August 20, 2017. The recording failed for it, so Jyoshin graciously shared her notes. “Hide and Reveal,” by Ken Arnold What you cannot see, What sunlight hides in the artful Tangle of spring, Draws you in. Notice how the moss on this stone Layers down its… Read more »

We habitually locate ourselves, or rather our sense of self, at the center of our own story, our own narrative, the center of our drama. Often when people come to practice, there is a sense that giving up our story is part of the task of the practitioner and fear of losing ourselves arises. However,… Read more »

Work on the duplexes continues. This week we’ve been working on utilities, especially plumbing, and removing some siding that we are replacing with other siding. The torn-up land with caution tape will likely continue to be a presence for another week or so, until we can get some inspections completed. Wednesday Work Parties We have… Read more »

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