Once each month, we’ll be taking a Monday as a rest day for the residents here at Issan-ji. On months when there is a national holiday, the legal holiday will be the Monday we’re closed. Otherwise, please keep an eye out for an announcement letting you know on which Monday the usual zendo (meditation hall) schedule will be suspended; this month, we’ve chosen Cesar Chavez Day, Monday, 31 March. Please join us again for practice the following Tuesday morning, bright and early at 6 a.m. Blessings and peace to all!
Spring Equinox: Higan-e
In Japanese, there is a proverb that says “Hot and cold weather last until the equinox”.
Higan is the teaching that leads people from the world of delusion to the world of awakening. There are six components of this teaching: giving, precepts, perseverance, diligence, zazen, and wisdom. It is taught that if we carry out these practices we will be blessed with happiness and good fortune.
On the day before Higan, it is the custom in a Japanese home to clean the Buddha altar, to straighten up the various Buddha implements, and to change the flowers on the altar. It is also customary to make offerings of rice dumplings, rice cakes covered with bean jam called ohagi or botamochi. And once again on the final day of the week, dumplings made from rice flour are offered. During this time, offerings of food, special sweets, and fruit are also made. It is customary at this time to visit the temple to present offerings of pounded-rice cakes (mochi), sweets, fruit, and so on to the principal image of Buddha as well as the family ancestors.
It is also the custom at Higan to visit the family grave to express our gratitude to the family ancestors. In Japan the temple priest is then asked to chant a sutra at the grave, at this time, we join our hands in wholehearted prayer.
Following the visit to the gravesite, it is proper to remove the food offerings. No one likes to see spoiled offerings and they are also unsanitary. It is also good to clean up the special gravesite for graves that are no longer tended by family members and offer incense and flowers. In Japan, this is thought to express the beauty of one’s heart and mind.
Robina Courtin event – April 1 at 7pm
Robina Courtin, is in the Bay Area for a brief visit and would like to connect with her students, friends and followers at Hartford Street Zen Center on Tuesday, April 1. You do not need to RSVP for this event, however, seating is limited and we will accommodate you on a first-come, first-served basis. Here are the details:
Tuesday, April 1, 2014, 7pm
“Unravelling our Negative Emotions“
57 Hartford St., San Francisco, CA
Seating Limited, No RSVP, First Come, First Served
Donation of $10-15 welcomed
Contact: Albert.Kaba@gmail.com
22nd of March @10:15am – Guest Speaker Shokan, Jordan Thorn
Please join us this Saturday for a Dharma talk by Shokan Jordan Thorn. Jordan has been at SF Zen Center for 30 years. Ordained in 1977, later received Dharma Transmission from Zoketsu Norman Fischer, he lives at SFZC’s City Center. He came to SF Zen Center as a result of the beat poetry movement that was of interest to several Zen students in it’s early years and met as he arrived his soon to be friend, Issan Dorsey upon his arrival. He has lived at all three SFZC practice centers, has served in a variety of roles on senior staff and as an Officer, and was susho (head student) at Tassajara. Recently he served as City Center Tanto (Head of Practice) and became SF Zen Center’s Treasurer/CFO in September 2011 (a role he held before) and he is the teacher of a few of the HSZC Sangha members.
Saturdays include the early morning sitting & service beginning at 6:30am, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We are offered a Dharma talk at 10:15 am followed by tea and cookies and socializing.
Please join us this Saturday and we hope to see you often!
Saturday March 15 @11am, two ceremonial events
This Saturday is both the annual observance of Mahapajapati‘s life a great opportunity to celebrate women in Buddhism through the first female nun. And it’s our monthly full moon ceremony for the Worm, Crust (of snow), Lenton, Crow, or Sap Moon (Farmer’s Almanac full moon names) which is for us the ceremony to renew our Bodhisattva vows. Come and join us for double the fun this Saturday morning!
Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), morning service, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. Dharma talk at 10:15 am followed by ceremony (when we have one) and then tea and cookies. We also have a regular schedule 6 days each week.
Please join us this Saturday for this celebration and we hope to see you often!
Sat, Mar. 8th; Guest Speaker – Jeffrey Schneider
Jeffrey Schneider is a priest at SF Zen Center, where he has lived, worked and practiced since 1978. He has taught and led retreats at a number of Buddhist centers, including ones in Texas, Missouri and North Carolina. The founder of the SF Zen Center recovery programs, he is currently the Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator.
6 days a week we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), morning service, and Soji.
Saturdays include the early morning sitting, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We are offered a Dharma talk at 10:15 am followed by tea and cookies and socializing.
Please join us this Saturday and we hope to see you often!
Saturday, Mar 1st – Higan-e
Equinox Ceremony (Higan-e) March and September
In Japanese, there is a proverb that says “Hot and cold weather last until the equinox”. This week-long ceremony takes place on the spring and fall equinoxes, the middle of an important week when the weather is usually very good.
Higan is the teaching that leads people from the world of delusion to the world of awakening. There are six components of this teaching: giving, precepts, perseverance, diligence, zazen, and wisdom. It is taught that if we carry out these practices we will be blessed with happiness and good fortune.
On the day before Higan, it is the custom in a Japanese home to clean the Buddha altar, to straighten up the various Buddha implements, and to change the flowers on the altar. It is also customary to make offerings of rice dumplings on the first day of the week. On the equinox (the middle day of this week) rice cakes covered with bean jam called ohagi or botamochi are offered. And once again on the final day of the week, dumplings made from rice flour are offered. During this time, offerings of food, special sweets, and fruit are also made.
http://global.sotozen-net.or.jp/eng/event/autumn/hig_ryou_daru.html
Saturdays at Hartford Street
Join us Saturday each week for a 6:30am *Zazen sitting, *Morning Service, *Soji, followed by *Zazen Instruction at 8:30am (ideal for the new attendee, beginner or a great refresher course). *Zazen 9:25am sitting, *Dharma Talk (normally offered by Rev. Myo Lahey unless promoted as a Guest Speaker) at 10:15am and if a *ceremony is scheduled, ceremony finally followed by *Tea, Cookies and social interaction!
Zen is a Sangha sport so please join us on Saturdays including all you urban hermits!