Midnight at Dawn
ACZC Happenings, 2/18 - 2/24
”I don't want to do these things. I don't want to bear witness to the things you bear witness to. But I have to go through these things or I'm missing the whole thing. This is just something that you understand through the doing.” - Sara Campbell
Hello Sangha!
First, we just wanted to take a moment to give a big sangha shout out to all of you who’ve been joining in the new volunteer program over here. As most of you know, our usual caretaker is going off for three months of training soon, and in the meantime you may have noticed some friendly new faces running the zooms, ringing the bells, dishing out the dirt on koan night, and (most importantly) sweeping the dang dirt around here. It’s been a real joy to see everyone step up and take on the shared stewardship of this little ship. It’s what sangha dreams are made of, and is turning into much more of the community lead model we’d always hoped this center to be. So thank you to everyone pitching in! And thanks to all of you for being so welcoming and supportive to everyone running the show. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, y’all are just the best.
But speaking of attentively tending to the needs of the time beings we hold most dear, this week on the podcast we are very pleased to bring you Sara Campbell w/ Midnight at Dawn. Shitou once said, “If you don't understand the way right before you, how will you know the path as you walk?” And Sara reflects on those challenging lines to help work through medical troubles and end of life issues in her family, while Shunryu Suzuki and Huangbo shed some light on the dawns and midnights that always seem to go hand in hand. How does practice help in the times we’re most reticent to sit down to it? Does insight best arrive in a flash or a slow dawning drip of emotion? Can 1000 year old poetry offer any cool comforts in times of crisis? 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:
One time, when Yunyan was sweeping, Daowu said, “You work too hard.”
Yunyan said, “You know there’s no one here working hard.”
Daowu said, “So there’s a second moon?”
Yunyan held up his broom and said, “How many moons is this?”
Daowu bowed his head and left.
Xuansha heard about it and said, “Now that’s what I call a second moon.”
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 - 2/18 at 10am
Sit & Discussion w/ Erik Andersen - Our biggest day of the week! Two half hour rounds of zazen, one five minute walking meditation in the middle, and then Erik is back to take us on another thrilling ride through the wordless wonders of the one bright mind. We’ll see y’all there.
Monday - 2/20 at 7:30pm
Sit & Talk w/ Dave Cuomo - One half hour of zazen and then Dave is back in the hot seat making much ado about nothing with a little talk and tea. Join us!
Wednesday - 2/22 at 7:30pm (Zoom Only)
Sit & Koan Discussion w/ Mota Mynttinen - This week! Mota walks us through case 21 of the Book of Serenity: Yunyan’s just trying to get a little work done, but Daowu’s in the kitchen ready for some old fashioned dharma combat fun. Can Yunyan’s broom fend off Daowu’s moons?? Let’s find out.
Thursday - 2/23 at 7pm (Zoom Only)
Yoga & Zazen w/ Nina Snow - Join us for a perfect wind down Thursday with one hour of easy flow yoga perfectly tailored to open up those hearts and hips for one half hour of rousingly restful zazen. See y’all there.
Friday - 2/24 at 8am
Heart Sutra Chanting Service - This week! We chant the Heart Sutra in English, followed by the sweet song singing to you from that great lookin’ reflection in the mirror, the Song of the Jewel Mirror Samadhi. 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