Please join us this Saturday morning for a Dharma talk by Rev. Cynthia Kear. Cynthia received Jukai from SFZC Abbot Paul Haller in 2004. In 2008 she was given Shukke Tokudo (priest ordination) by Darlene Cohen, her heart and root teacher, and was shuso (head student) in 2009. In December, 2010 Darlene gave her Dharma Transmission. In 2009 Cynthia graduated from the Shokagu Zen Institute, a three year Zen seminary training program. She is the founding member of the Wild Geese Sangha, a group that has met for over 8 years. She leads the Upstairs Sangha, a study group (both of which meet at her home zendo), and co-leads the Women’s Meditation & Recovery Sangha which meets monthly at HSZC. Zazen (seated meditation) is at 9:25 as usual, with the talk at 10:15, and refreshments afterwards. Everyone is welcome.
Sangha Council Meeting – 3 November, 12:30PM to 2:30PM
The Hartford Street Zen Center Sangha Council: We’ve formed council as a forum to continue to talk of and discuss with each other – and with the sangha at large – issues, concerns, questions and conflicts which have been challenging – or downright hard to talk about. We’ll use a practice model of working with each other with the most skillful speech we can access. This is a great opportunity also for those who haven’t been around lately to reengage and be a part of the present and future Hartford Street!
Our next meeting will be on Saturday 12:30pm to 2:30pm, November 3rd 2012 for 120 minutes (with a break included).
We’re continuing this format that is flexible enough for a diversity of needs. This session will be facilitated by Beata Chapman, a long time member and Board president of the Santa Cruz Zen Center. She is knowledgeable about many aspects of zen communities. The scaffold we’ll be working from is based on the Council process developed by the Ojai Foundation.
You do not need to have an ‘issue’ or overt concern to attend. Council is sangha building, connection and healing. All are welcome!
If you have questions regarding this, call Peter Goetz at 510.595.1281. If you’d like a copy of the Ojai Foundation guidelines for Council process, email Peter at goetzpj@aol.com
Zen Conferences and Western Practice (Rev. Myo Lahey)
Rev. Myo Lahey talks about the issues that came up at two Soto Zen conferences he attended in Oregon and discusses the current state of Zen in the West, comparing it to the transmission of Zen from China to Japan and how Zen has developed in Japan in modern times.
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Saturday 20 October – Sejiki Ceremony, feeding the hungry ghosts
Saturday 20 October – Sejiki Ceremony: Following a short 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 11:00 a.m.)
13 October: reminder for a charitable opportunity addressing hunger
Join some of us and fellow SF Queer and Allies, and Buddhist organizations in general. You can contribute and walk with us, contribute alone or just join us for the walk and to meet others and tour the temples or centers and support the effort and intention. This walk will tour many Buddhist temples in SF including the city’s oldest and one housing a Buddha Relic that wil be open for vieiwng and will end at SFZC. View the link (click on above image) for more details. We hope to see you there!
A Bow of Gratitude
Fundamentals of Just Sitting (Rev. Jordan Thorn)
Rev. Jordan Thorn describes what happens when one sits zazen and how to deal with the challenges that arise from doing so. There is an unexpected opportunity for interfaith dialogue partway through as a Christian minister attempts to interrupt the talk to speak out against “false doctrines.”
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Guest Speaker, Sat. 6 Oct.: Shokan Jordan Thorn
Please come and join us this Saturday for a Dharma talk by Shokan Jordan Thorn. Jordan has been at SF Zen Center for 30 years. Ordained by Richard Baker 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 he even played in a rock band briefly with a famed beat poet (being in a rock band an area of interest his daughter carries on touring and perfoming currently). He has lived at all three practice centers, has served in a variety of roles on senior staff and as an officer, and was shuso at Tassajara. Recently he served as City Center Tanto (Head of Practice) and became SF Zen Center’s Treasurer/CFO in September 2011 and he is the teacher of a few of the HSZC Sangha. Zazen will precede as usual at 9:25, then the talk at 10:15, and the ever-popular tea and cookies will follow. All are welcome.