“I never really knew what I was doing, either. I just kept showing up.” - Shakyamuni Buddha
Hello Sangha!
Greetings from Sozenji temple, where the ACZC Spring Retreat is underway!
We have just a quick update for you this week, and an encouragement to check out the podcast for some bodhisattva fan fiction (is that a thing??) our shuso Sara Campbell wrote as part of her training ango.
See you soon!
🎙️ This week on the podcast we are excited to present “Waiting for Vairocana” 🎙️
Sara Campbell closes out our first official training ango with a flash fiction final - a celebration and study of our favorite Buddha and Bodhisattva archetypes.
Up now at http://aczc.org/aczcpodcast or on all your favorite podcast platforms.
⚡️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 - 6/7, 10am - 12:15pm
Sit & Talk w/ Gyokei Yokoyama - Our biggest day of the week! Two half-hour rounds of zazen, and our beloved supporting teacher Gyokei joins us live from the ACZC retreat to tell us about the kissei practice period and dharma combat ceremony for novices, and what they’re all about. See you there! Note that our regularly scheduled programming will be happening at ACZC city center as usual (and on Zoom).
Monday - 6/9, 7:30pm - 9pm
Sit & Discussion w/ Henry Zander - One half hour of zazen and then our favorite visiting Nebraskan returns to the hotseat to regale us with tales of Shaolin and what he’s learned about intimacy via ritual form and martial arts. Come on out!
Wednesday - 6/11, 7:30pm - 9pm
Sit & Zen Lit Night - Once again our fearless facilitators Dave & Sara team up to take us through a classic passage chosen specially from the wilds of the Zen canon. Let’s discuss!
Thursday - 6/12, 7:30pm - 8:40pm
Evening Zazen - Join us for two simple 30 minute rounds of serene evening sitting to wind down your day and week. See y’all there!
Friday - 6/13, 8am
Morning Chanting Service - This week we chant the Heart Sutra followed by great ancestor Shitou’s Straw Hut Song and the lineage ancestors. 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