Category: Ceremonies

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Saturday March 15 @11am, two ceremonial events

121This 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!

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25 January – Observance & Celebration of Dōgen Zenji’s birthday

Dogen_scrollsmJoin us to celebrate the birth of the founder of our particular school of Zen, in Japan. 814 years ago born in Kyōto, Dōgen founded the Sōtō school of Zen in Japan after traveling to China and training under Rujing, a master of the Chinese Caodong (Chinese Sōtō Zen) lineage.

He is widely respected for his  beautiful writing and thorough documentation of how a monastery should operate. Click here to read more about Dōgen.

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 tea and cookies.

Please join us this Saturday for this celebration and we hope to see you often!

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11 January, Full (Wolf) Moon Ceremony 11am

purplemnWe’ll have the monthly Full-Moon Ceremony renewal of our Bodhisattva vows Saturday morning after the Dharma talk. According to the Farmer’s Almanac the Wolf, Old or After Yule Full Moon.

The ceremony takes about a half-hour and involves some thirty full prostrations, but simple standing bows are also all right if prostrations are too strenuous. All are welcome to join in this ceremony/celebration.

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. We wrap up with a dharma talk at 10:15 am followed by tea and cookies.

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Winter Solstice – Dec 21st

yuzu-bath-winter-solstice-japanDecember marks multiple activities in the Zen Buddhist calendar and Japan’s traditional events. Winter solstice occurs on the shortest day and longest night of the year based on the seasonal rotation of the earth, (to occur this Saturday) & has multiple Japanese traditions including a Yuzu bath!

We will have a combined celebration for our recent full moon (Full Cold or Full Long Night) & mark this point in the year where we begin to start to see more sunlight again.

All are welcome to join in this ceremony/celebration.

Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation @6:30am), morning service, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We wrap up with a dharma talk at 10:15 am (ceremony if applicable) followed by tea and cookies.

 

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Sunday Dec 8 @11:30am – Jukai Ceremony

pinestitchTwo of our dear and beloved Sangha members will have a Jukai (lay initiation) ceremony immediately following the Sunday morning Dharma talk and end of Winter Light Retreat/Sesshin. This public ceremony is to celebrate and formally mark a practitioner receiving the sixteen Bodhisattva precepts (3 refuges, 3 pure precepts, 10 essential precepts) and vowing to work to live their life in accordance with these precepts.

Please join us for this wonderful event to celebrate Henry’s & Chris’ vows, renew our own, to congratulate Henry & Chris and all on the Soto Zen path!

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Bodhi Day / Rohatsu Ceremony Sun. Dec 8th @7:20am

buddhamountainsPlease join us to take part in this ceremony to celebrate the enlightenment of Shakamuni सिद्धार्थ गौतम बुद्ध Buddha ගෞතම බුදුරජාණන් වහන්සේ on Sunday Dec 8, 2013 at 7:20am.

 

Please come to celebrate both the ceremony and be of visual and expressed in presence positive intention and support for the individuals in sesshin/retreat!

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RESCHEDULE: Nov 9th Sejiki Ceremony @ 11am

SpiritSaturday 9 November – Sejiki Ceremony:  Following the Dharma talk we’ll celebrate the ancient ceremony known in Japanese as Sejiki, or “Feeding the Jiki (wandering spirits)”. This ceremony addresses our connection to the “unseen world”, typically overlooked in the West. All aspects of our life that have been disowned, disrespected and denied are invited to come forth from exile and be nourished, a gesture that may have particular significance for members of the LGBTiQQ community, whose own place in the social order has been undermined by fear, prejudice and violence. Costumes and sundry noisemaking devices are encouraged, and everyone is invited to participate. (Time approximate after the Dharma talk, but about 11 a.m.)

Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We wrap up with a dharma talk at 10:15 am followed by tea and cookies.

Please join us this Saturday and we hope to see you often!

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26 October 2013: Sejiki & Guest Speaker

mahakala_detailSaturday 26 October – Sejiki Ceremony:  Following a Guest Speaker Dharma talk from Rev Jeffrey Schneider, we’ll celebrate the ancient ceremony known in Japanese as Sejiki, or “Feeding the Jiki (wandering spirits)”. This ceremony addresses our connection to the “unseen world”, typically overlooked in the West. All aspects of our life that have been disowned, disrespected and denied are invited to come forth from exile and be nourished, a gesture that may have particular significance for members of the LGBTiQQ community, whose own place in the social order has been undermined by fear, prejudice and violence. Costumes and sundry noisemaking devices are encouraged, and everyone is invited to participate. (Time approximate after the Dharma talk, but about 11:10 a.m.)

Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We wrap up with a dharma talk at 10:15 am followed by tea and cookies.

Please join us this Saturday and we hope to see you often!