Guest Speaker, Sat. 28 Jan.: Rev. Cynthia Kear
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.
Movie night is being moved from routine Sunday of the month for February.
Retreat Morning and Full-Moon Ceremony: Sat. 4 February
Our retreat for the month of February will begin at 6:00 a.m., and conclude by noon with the monthly ceremony of renewal of our Bodhisattva Vows. Refreshments for all will follow. The day will feature periods of sitting (zazen) and walking (kinhin), a Dharma talk at 10:15 a.m., and morning chanting service as well as some brief temple cleaning (soji). Our style is quite mild, so no one needs to fear that the day will be too difficult, and retreats such as we have at Hartford Street provide a great opportunity just to settle more deeply and quietly into our practice of Buddha’s Way. A simple breakfast will be served, but to join the meal you must sign-up ahead-of-time, either by sending email to hszc108@yahoo.com, or leaving a phone message at (415) 863-2507. We are asking for a donation of $15 from non-members, and $10 from members, but no one will be turned away because of lack of funds.
MLK Holiday: Mon. 16 Jan.
Movie Night Date to be announced soon!
Board of Directors Meeting: January 11th 2012
New Years – 2012
Just so you can be sure your calendars are marked, remember that there won’t be the usual Saturday morning schedule this week (Sat. the 31st., 9:25 a.m. zazen (seated meditation), 10:15 Dharma talk etc.). Rather, we’ll begin our traditional New Year’s Eve observance at 7:30 p.m. with temple cleaning, followed by a light snack, and then repair to the zendo (meditation hall) for quiet sitting. The densho (large hanging bell) will begin to be struck as midnight approacheth, ending just at 12:00 a.m., when we’ll have the New Year’s toast with sake and/or apple juice, and the Fire Ceremony in the back yard. (Just think of all that good karma…) Everyone is welcome! Oh, but DO try to give us a heads-up if you think you’ll be here for the whole program, so we can keep enough food on hand: Send us email via the website, or to hszc108@yahoo.com, or leave us a phone message at (415) 863-2507, and please remember, we depend completely on donations. Thank you!