“This practice is not about me. I love noticing that - bowing and realizing that however it’s going for me is not the point of being here.
The beautiful thing about retreat is that it’s not really about your experience. You go up there, go into silence, try not to be late for things, stumble along, do the ceremonies and chants, eat in silence together... The whole thing takes on the character of its own living organism. It's a small way of tasting what it's like to live without it being about what you're getting out of it or what you're going through. That's letting go of the ultimate attachment, the ultimate illusion. That's the benefit.” - Dave Cuomo
ZEN CENTER HAPPENINGS - WEEK OF 10/15 - 10/21
Hello Sangha!
Yes, tomorrow is the 3rd Saturday of the month which means we’ll be hosting the Zen Writing Workshop tomorrow at 1pm after the morning sit. Yay! Join us for an afternoon of free writes and reflections all in our boundlessly supportive judgement free zendo (and zoomdo). Don’t know what you’d write about? That’s the beauty y’all, we don’t either! But we’re sure looking forward to finding out. All are welcome!
Also, our friends over at Sozenji Temple (3020 W Beverly Blvd, Montebello, CA), home temple of our favorite supporting teacher Gyokei, will be celebrating their 50th Anniversary next month on Sunday, November 6th with a large and lovely ceremony with all the bells, whistles, and wonder, including guests from Sojiji Temple in Japan. The fun starts at 9:30am, all are welcome! No registration required for the ceremony. There will be lunch to follow at University of the West, ($35) which will be RSVP required. You can RSVP for that here, and we’d look very forward to seeing you there.
And now, coming up very quickly, is our Fall Mount Baldy Retreat! (November 11th - 14th). There is still time to register! But no time like the present. Registration and info is posted up here. Zoom option is available. And don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
But hey, speaking of reasons you might want to attend said retreat, this week on the podcast we are very pleased to bring you Dave Cuomo with “Bursting the Bubble”. Dave gives us a pep talk for retreat (and zazen in general) with a brass tacks talk on meditation. Armed with a smattering of his favorite meditation instructions throughout history, we look at their evolution from precise and seemingly sensible earlier teachings, to the perfect inexpressibility of later Zen. How do we make sense of a practice that’s trying to free us of the need to make sense? What do they mean by reversing the direction of our hearing inward? Or as Manjushri so poetically puts it, how do we stand up in empty space when space disappears and the bubble bursts?? Find out here!!
Up now at http://aczc.org/aczcpodcast or on all your favorite podcast platforms
This Week in Zen! All sessions hosted in person and on Zoom unless otherwise marked (email us for quick and easy Zoom access info):
Saturday, 10/15 at 10am
Sit & Discussion w/ Erik Andersen- Our biggest day of the week! Two half hour rounds of zazen, one walking meditation in the middle, and then Erik is back to regale us with another comforting conundrum from the Book of Serenity. We’ll see y’all there.
Saturday, 10/15 at 1 pm
Zen Writing Workshop - Join us for a little poetry and play designed to awaken the artist in all of us. All (including no) experience levels welcome, no pre-written work required, no judgements allowed: it’s a self contained afternoon of zazen, free writing, personal reflections, and on the spot found poetry waiting to be plucked from the air in front of our eyes. We can't wait to hear what you have to say.
Monday 10/17 at 7:30pm
Sit & Talk w/ Gyokei Yokoyama - One half hour of zazen and then our favorite supporting teacher is back in the hot seat with stories of temple life, the small selves that die off, and the boundless ones that thrive. Join us!
Wednesday 10/19 at 7:30pm (Zoom Only)
Sit & Koan Discussion - This week! Case 5 of the Book of Serenity - A monk wants to know what the point of Buddhism is and, for the right price, Qinyuan just might be willing to spill the beans (and rice!). Will these monks’ haute cuisine be able to give us a taste of the truth? Let’s find out.
Thursday, 10/20 at 7pm (Zoom Only)
Yoga & Zazen w/ Nina Snow - Our favorite yoga director returns for one hour of wind down slow flow yoga to ease us into our bodies and out of our worries before sending us off to the cushion for one half hour of the sweetest zazen you will sit all week. See y’all there.
Friday, 10/21 at 8am
Heart Sutra Chanting Service - This week! We chant the Heart Sutra in English, followed by Shitou’s ode to the enlightenment of a good afternoon nap - The Straw Hut Song. Poetry for the ages! Come on out and lend us your voice.
Tuesday - Friday, 7am - 8am
Morning Sit - One simple hour of what we do best - just sitting. Optional five minute stretch break offered in the middle.
See y’all soon!
Love,
ACZC