Date Title & Details Speaker Listen Download
03/12/2023
Equanimity: The Gift of Impermanence

The work of the heart can feel frightening and tender. It challenges all that we hold dear and breaks down the barriers that make us feel safe but that also separate us from life. By cultivating the practice of the divine abodes, we begin to see the boundless capacity of our heart to open up to life in the face of death.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Flying Fish Murphy
03/08/2023
Practicing with Vow

In this series of six classes, we discuss the history of vow practice in Buddhism, ways of working with vow, and go into depth with exploring our personal relation to the four Bodhisattva Vows. The classes are highly participatory and emphasize personal experience with the content more than information about it. The classes are led by three of our lay teachers: Gyoshi, Kengan, and Sosetsu.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Mark Sosetsu Stauffer
03/05/2023
Taking Refuge in the Sangha

We recite the vow to take refuge in the Three Treasures quite often. But what is refuge? How do we find this elusive place in a diverse community of human beings? 

Categories: Dharma Talks

Sallie Jiko Tisdale
02/26/2023
Bowing

Categories: Dharma Talks

Jyoshin Clay
02/19/2023
Jukai Ceremony
During the Jukai ceremony, individuals receive the Bodhisattva precepts and formally become Buddhists.
From left to right, back row: Will, Dan, Emily, Sarah, Kyle, Kyle, Jay, Gabrielle
From left to right, middle: Amy, Jyoshin (preceptor), Alice, Sasha, Charlie
Kneeling in front: Georgia, Brigitte

Categories: Dharma Talks

No Dharma Talk
02/12/2023
Dharma Spring

Midway between winter and spring, we have our Nehan Festival, in which we commemorate the Buddha’s passing into Parinirvana. Immediately after, we have our Jukai retreat and celebrate the transmission of the precepts. It is a time for renewal and budding of practice after personal and community reflection and application of precept study. The talk is about the regenerative force of our personal and collective efforts and practice.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Mark Sosetsu Stauffer
02/08/2023
Precepts 6

This class is about the 16 Bodhisattva Precepts, the ethical guidelines of Zen practice. The class prepares those who wish to take Jukai in February, as well as allowing everyone to explore how to work with these in everyday life. This year’s preceptor is Jyoshin.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Jyoshin Clay
02/05/2023
What Do I Know?

Consider how you relate to opinions, both your own opinions and those of others. What comes up for you? In what ways do you feel empowered or obstructed by your opinions? What makes an opinion helpful or harmful? What effect do opinions have on your practice? How do they relate to your experience of dukkha? And dive deeper, if you wish, to consider that question “What do I know?” Then drop all that, and come participate in this talk.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Mike Gyoshi Kaplan
02/01/2023
Precepts 5

This class is about the 16 Bodhisattva Precepts, the ethical guidelines of Zen practice. The class prepares those who wish to take Jukai in February, as well as allowing everyone to explore how to work with these in everyday life. This year’s preceptor is Jyoshin.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Jyoshin Clay
01/29/2023
The Heart of Who We Are

Many of us confront questions about how one individual’s spiritual practice can make a tangible difference in our world, especially when faced with the enormity of the collective problems before us. In her talk, guest speaker Caverly Morgan explores how meditation, mindfulness, and contemplative technologies designed for the realization of personal freedom can—and must—be applied collectively.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Caverly Morgan
01/25/2023
Precepts 4

This class is about the 16 Bodhisattva Precepts, the ethical guidelines of Zen practice. The class prepares those who wish to take Jukai in February, as well as allowing everyone to explore how to work with these in everyday life. This year’s preceptor is Jyoshin.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Jyoshin Clay
01/22/2023
How to Be Sick

The Buddha spoke of a list of four aspects of suffering that humans are subject to: birth, sickness, old age, and death. Genko draws on her recent experience with Covid, as well as earlier experiences with illness to examine suffering and how to work with it.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Genko Rainwater
01/18/2023
Precepts 3

This class is about the 16 Bodhisattva Precepts, the ethical guidelines of Zen practice. The class prepares those who wish to take Jukai in February, as well as allowing everyone to explore how to work with these in everyday life. This year’s preceptor is Jyoshin.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Jyoshin Clay
01/15/2023
Repent

This is our season for studying the Precepts. An important and early part of preparing for the Precepts is examining the meaning of repentance. Many of us struggle with feelings of guilt, shame and unworthiness. Buddhist repentance allows us to acknowledge the mistakes of the past without injuring the self of the present, and leads us to real liberation.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Sallie Jiko Tisdale
01/11/2023
Precepts 2

This class is about the 16 Bodhisattva Precepts, the ethical guidelines of Zen practice. The class prepares those who wish to take Jukai in February, as well as allowing everyone to explore how to work with these in everyday life. This year’s preceptor is Jyoshin.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Jyoshin Clay
01/08/2023
Measuring Merit

Many people encounter a self that compares and critiques our spiritual capacity and worthiness. Sometimes it’s easy to see the frailty of that self and the tenuousness of its influence. But it can also be very disruptive and painful. Kakumyo talks about how Buddhism practices with this kind of distortion and doubt.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Kakumyo Lowe-Charde
01/04/2023
Precepts 1

This class is about the 16 Bodhisattva Precepts, the ethical guidelines of Zen practice. The class prepares those who wish to take Jukai in February, as well as allowing everyone to explore how to work with these in everyday life. This year’s preceptor is Jyoshin.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Jyoshin Clay
12/11/2022
Shuso Hossen

The Dharma Talk was replaced by Shuso Hossen, for Sonja Rinsho Aikens.

Categories: Dharma Talks

No Dharma Talk
12/04/2022
Actually, You Can Do Everything You Need To Do Right Where You Are

What do we need to do? What is wise action when we feel stuck, tormented, or otherwise lost in our dukkha in our various life situations? Gyoshi received the advice that’s the title of this talk near the beginning of his Zen practice many years ago. He’s still learning how it informs his practice and will share with you some of the nuances that have emerged for him. We’ll be dipping into many of the foundational teachings as well as a few very old stories as we explore this together.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Mike Gyoshi Kaplan
11/30/2022
Foundational Teachings 10

This annual class looks at Buddhism’s foundational teachings, covering things like the Buddha’s life, the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, Karma and Rebirth, and on into Dependent Origination, Emptiness, Thusness, and Suchness. A seminary requirement, and pre-requisite for many other seminary classes. Kakumyo is leading this class, along with Sokuchu.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Sokuchu Mader, Kakumyo Lowe-Charde
11/27/2022
Form and Vow

Dogen prescribed exactly how to sit down, how to walk, how to wash your face and brush your teeth, offer incense, and eat a meal. What is the purpose of our prescribed forms? We will explore our many different reactions to these rituals of Zen.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Sallie Jiko Tisdale
11/20/2022
That is Not Your Mind!

Guest teacher Bob Rosenbaum of Meadowmind Sangha gave the dharma talk. He discusses how all our sensations, feelings, thoughts and even the “real world” we take for granted are delusions — and the gates of liberation. This talk introduces the Surangama Sutra‘s teaching of the Matrix of the Thus Come One, unlimited by “is” and “is not.”

Categories: Dharma Talks

Sallie Jiko Tisdale
11/16/2022
Foundational Teachings – 9

This annual class looks at Buddhism’s foundational teachings, covering things like the Buddha’s life, the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, Karma and Rebirth, and on into Dependent Origination, Emptiness, Thusness, and Suchness. A seminary requirement, and pre-requisite for many other seminary classes. Kakumyo is leading this class, along with Sokuchu.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Sokuchu Mader, Kakumyo Lowe-Charde
11/13/2022
Thank You and I’m Sorry

Genko explores the Dharma of these and other frequent polite expressions. When are they necessary? To what extent are they sincere and to what extent are they superficial or uttered for other reasons? What are some cultural assumptions we make about these? And, just to keep it interesting, what about the politics of Thanksgiving Day celebrations?

Categories: Dharma Talks

Genko Rainwater
11/09/2022
Foundational Teachings 8

This annual class looks at Buddhism’s foundational teachings, covering things like the Buddha’s life, the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, Karma and Rebirth, and on into Dependent Origination, Emptiness, Thusness, and Suchness. A seminary requirement, and pre-requisite for many other seminary classes. Kakumyo is leading this class, along with Sokuchu.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Sokuchu Mader, Kakumyo Lowe-Charde
11/06/2022
Founders – Lineage

Kakumyo fills in for Jiko on Founders Day and talks about our Lineage and why it’s important.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Kakumyo Lowe-Charde
11/02/2022
Foundational Teachings 7

This annual class looks at Buddhism’s foundational teachings, covering things like the Buddha’s life, the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, Karma and Rebirth, and on into Dependent Origination, Emptiness, Thusness, and Suchness. A seminary requirement, and pre-requisite for many other seminary classes. Kakumyo is leading this class, along with Sokuchu.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Sokuchu Mader, Kakumyo Lowe-Charde
10/23/2022
Bodhidharma’s Original Dharma Body

The body we have is no different from the original Dharma Body. Using excerpts from Bodhidharma’s Blood Stream Sermon, Zen Master Nie will explore the personal and practice insights that come from exploring this teaching.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Rebecca Nie
10/19/2022
Foundational Teachings 6

This annual class looks at Buddhism’s foundational teachings, covering things like the Buddha’s life, the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, Karma and Rebirth, and on into Dependent Origination, Emptiness, Thusness, and Suchness. A seminary requirement, and pre-requisite for many other seminary classes. Kakumyo is leading this class, along with Sokuchu.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Sokuchu Mader, Kakumyo Lowe-Charde
10/16/2022
Sangha Forum

Twice a year, the sangha has an opportunity to hear from our governing bodies and to ask questions and give feedback. The Sangha Forum takes the place of a dharma talk. In the fall, the Board of Directors sponsors forum and gives detailed updates. The Dharma Council and DEI give updates as well.

Categories: Sangha Forum

Board of Directors
10/12/2022
Foundational Teachings 5

This annual class looks at Buddhism’s foundational teachings, covering things like the Buddha’s life, the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, Karma and Rebirth, and on into Dependent Origination, Emptiness, Thusness, and Suchness. A seminary requirement, and pre-requisite for many other seminary classes. Kakumyo is leading this class, along with Sokuchu.

Categories: Wednesday Classes

Sokuchu Mader, Kakumyo Lowe-Charde
10/09/2022
Untangling Karma

Byakuren’s approach to trauma integrates deep spirituality with directly facing your pain. She explores the establishment of a healing container for a traumatized emotional body by deeply entering our narratives, recognizing these formative conditions and healing the root causes of our suffering.

Categories: Dharma Talks

Byakuren Judith Ragir
Date Title & Details Speaker Listen Download

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