Guest Speaker: Rev. Daigan Gaither

Saturday 9 November, 10:15 a.m.

Rev. Daigan Gaither began Buddhist practice in 1995 in the Vipassana (Insight) tradition, and then began to study Zen in 2003 with Ryushin Paul Haller Roshi. He received Lay Ordination in 2006 where he was given the name Daigan or “Great Vow”, and received Priest Ordination in July 2011. Daigan speaks internationally on a variety of topics particularly around gender, sexuality, social justice and their intersections with the Dharma. He has a BA in Philosophy and Religion from San Francisco State University, and an MA in Buddhist Studies from the Graduate Theological Union and the Institute of Buddhist Studies.

Come for zazen (seated meditation) at 9:25 a.m., and stay for tea-and-cookies after the talk. All are welcome!

Guest Speaker – Sat. 10/26: Rev. Ryuei Michael McCormick

Please join us this Saturday for a Dharma talk by Rev. Ryuei Michael McCormick, who was ordained to the Nichiren-shū (Lotus Sutra School) ministry in 2001 by Rev. Ryusho Matsuda, of the San Jose Nichiren Temple. Rev. McCormick is also a long-time practitioner of zazen (seated meditation) and a student of the writings of Dōgen-zenji. We’ll have zazen at 9:25 as usual, and our beloved tea-and-cookies afterward the talk. Everyone is welcome.

Guest Speaker – Sat. 10/12: Rev. Steven Tierney

Please join us for a Dharma talk by Rev. Steven, priest-ordained by Rev. Dairyu Michael Wenger, and who is a psychotherapist and frequent consultant to 12-step programs, as well as group facilitator for our Issan-ji Sangha (community of practitioners). We’ll have zazen (seated meditation) as usual at 9:25, with the talk to follow, and afterwards tea and cookies will be on offer in the living room. Everyone is welcome!

Guest Speaker – Sat. 9/27: Rev. Steven Tierney

Please join us for a Dharma talk by Rev. Steven, priest-ordained by Rev. Dairyu Michael Wenger, and who is a psychotherapist and frequent consultant to 12-step programs, as well as group facilitator for our Issan-ji Sangha (community of practitioners). We’ll have zazen (seated meditation) as usual at 9:25, with the talk to follow, and afterwards tea and cookies will be on offer in the living room. Everyone is welcome!

Zen and Poems: a talk on Mitsuo Aida’s poetry by Koki Takei – Sat. 9/14, 10:15am

After practicing at Sojiji temple, Koki Takei studied Buddhism and Zen as a trainee of the Education and Dissemination Division of the Center for Soto Zen Studies in Tokyo. He is researching about dissemination work using the poems of Japanese poet and Zen student Mitsuo Aida. Takei has deeply studied Aida, whose poetry is very simple with unique handwriting. This talk will focus on Aida’s work.

Holiday Closure: Labor Day

We’ll observe the national Labor Day holiday tomorrow, Monday 2 September. Our usual schedule will be suspended until the 6:30am period of meditation on Tuesday 3 September. Have a good holiday, and please remember to honor labor.