Controlled Demolition
⚡️ACZC Happenings, 11/2 - 11/8⚡️
“If there is just one person in the world, he will always be neutral. If someone is very angry, but is the only person in the world, he's a little crazy.“ - Kobun Chino
Hello Sangha!
And let us introduce you to the newest ACZC addition, this is our brand new han! Generously donated by our great sangha friend Joshua Friedman who we know for certain spared no detail between wood, sanding, dimensions, and craft to bring us a certifiably authentic Zen instrument. And if we know our Zen traditions, there were a lot of details to consider… So, a huge shout out and thank you to Josh for this. And if you want to help us show our appreciation, and view some more great woodworking, you can join us over at the Marta Gallery tomorrow evening at 5pm for the opening of his show of exquisitely crafted wooden sculptures made in collaboration with his wife, Lindsey Muscato. See y’all there!
But what is a han you ask?? Good question! It’s one of the traditional Zen monastery (and now Zen Center) instruments, with some (again fairly intricate and detailed (we’re sensing a pattern here)) rhythms and patterns beaten out on it to mark time and ceremonies. The verse painted on it is traditional (生死事大/無常迅速/各宜覚醒/慎勿放逸) brought to us by the famously “spirited” Obaku Zen school. Personally, I was inclined to try to not muck up Josh’s work with any clumsy English wordings of our own, quite happy to hide behind painting the classic Kanji characters on there, because hey, sacred language right (and such fun and loopy lines to paint)? But then Gyokei gave me that look of “Damnit Dave, get over yourself and just do the right thing” (or that’s what I generally imagine he’s saying with that look), and told me to make the verse our own. Some translations have something more like “Great is the matter of birth and death”, which is a fair (and grand!) way to render it, but typically in Classical Chinese, “life and death” as a phrase just mean existence as a whole because of that whole cyclical rebirth situation and how nothing ever ends because nothing ever really begins either, which just kind of breaks my linear Judaeo Christian born brain in all the best ways. So we went with existence to really try to capture that feeling and not get lost in thoughts of beginnings or endings, and maybe just get ourselves lost in everything. Because it is grand, and fleeting, and thanks for sharing this blip of existence with us. We’d hate to let even a morsel of that slip through our fingers.
But speaking of not missing a moment of presence, our Fall Retreat (11/8-11/11) is next week, and registration will be closed after this Sunday 11/3. So, signup now if you haven’t already! We’ll be sending out more info to all who’ve registered this weekend and are looking super forward to seeing y’all here next weekend!
And! Tomorrow (Saturday 11/2) is our Half Day Sit, where we would be delighted to see you for a full half day of Zen (10am - 2pm (or as much as your schedule allows)), aka two rounds of zazen, a quick well being chanting service, a talk with Dave, and then! Word on the street last month was the pizza was a hit, so we’re making it a regular thing. Lunch break will be our new world famous Pizza Brunch (™), and then we’re back for two more rounds of zazen. As always come for as much or as little of the day as you’re able, and we’ll look forward to seeing y’all there.
If anyone (who you know personally) is sick or otherwise in need of good health well wishes, you can add their names to the form you see here (bottom of the page) and we’d be happy to include them in this month’s well being dedication.
But speaking of full throated well wishes, this week on the podcast we are very pleased to bring you, Controlled Demolition (Anger) w/ Chris Arnett. Chris opens up the pandoras box of trying to productively deal with anger. We get angry, we vow not to indulge it, we know we can’t wish it away. Is it wisdom, skill, or spiritual bypassing to pretend not to be angry when we actually are? Can we be a jerk without being a jerk? And was driving ever a sane thing to do?? Find out here!
Up now at http://aczc.org/aczcpodcast or on all your favorite podcast platforms.
And hey, here’s a koan for the week:
Case in point:
Great teacher Yunmen once said, “Somewhere in the universe, in between space and time, there’s a jewel, hiding like a mountain in plain sight. Take the lamp out of the temple and light up the gates!”
This Week in Zen! All times posted in Pacific time zone, all sessions hosted in person and on Zoom unless otherwise marked (email us for quick and easy Zoom access info):
Saturday - 11/2, 10am - 2:00pm
Half Day Sit w/ Dave Cuomo - Our biggest day of the month! Two half hour rounds of zazen, a short and sweet Well Being chanting service, and a talk with Dave on that one time Buddha touched some grass and found solid ground during a crisis of opportunity and at long last knew one thing for certain, and how we might be able to know something like that for ourselves. And then! We take a quick break for some delicious and healthy homemade Pizza Brunch(™) before returning for two more rounds of sweet sweet zazen. See y’all there!
Monday - 11/4, 7:30pm - 9pm
Sit & Discussion w/ Gyokei Yokoyama - One half hour of sweet sweet zazen and then our favorite far flung supporting teacher returns to the house and the hot seat to regale us with all the wit and wisdom he’s picked up from the wider wilds of Zen. Join us!
Wednesday - 11/6, 7:30pm - 9pm (Zoom Only)
Sit & Koan Discussion w/ Dave - Somewhere in the universe, in between space and time, hiding like a mountain in plain sight, is a version of you on a Wednesday night joining us to celebrate our final count down for classic koan night (T minus 9 koans to go!), to banter around some silly and serene phrases with your friends while stumbling our way artfully and blindly to a minor unspeakable clarity whether we realize it or not. We’ll see y’all there.
Friday - 11/8, 8am
Morning Chanting Service - This week! We honor the ancestors with the classic rousing old world version of our morning service with the Makka Hannya Haramita Shingyo and the Daihishin Darani. 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