Dear Friends and Members of All Beings Zen Sangha,
With your support All Beings Zen Sangha continues to thrive. Recently, we completed our Spring practice period focusing on “Dogen’s Instructions for the Cook”. Activities included a book discussion and guest speaker Gesshin Claire Greenwood on being Tenzo at Zen Niso-do Temple in Japan. Other guest speakers over the past six months included Barbara Wenger, Yoku Okumura, Rehshin Bunce, and Jisan Tova Green. Our final Shuso Hossen Ceremony was well attended both in person and on zoom with prominent Senior Dharma teachers in attendance.
Our Tuesday afternoon teas have focused on a variety of themes from physical activity as meditation to artistic creation.
Seiryu Paula Chiplis on her experience of being Benji
Suzanne Ernhalt on the Summer Solstice
Myoshin Carlos Moura on Dogens writings on simplicity
Seido David Sarpal on Zen Practice and Artistic Creation
Betty Mooney on the Alexander Technique and Zen
Inryu Sensei on “What to Keep” and also on “Tassajara Sangha Week”
Nine sangha members traveled to Tassajara Zen Mountain Center for Sangha week.
ABZS now offers a weekly Meditation and Recovery Healing Circle on Sundays.
ABZS Sangha members demonstrated Oryoki practice and provided a food gift for attendees at the Smithsonian Asian Art Museum Film event.
Generosity is the practice of wholehearted giving and is the first paramita, a quality of mind of a Bodhisattva. Your contributions provide a humble stipend for our guiding teacher, support our practice spaces at the urban zendo and at Woodburn Hill Farm, and cover our other operational expenses. Regular monthly contributions are particularly supportive because they provide a broad base of dependable support for the Sangha, which enables us to plan for future expenses with a clear picture of our projected revenues, increasing our financial resilience. We ask that you donate only if you feel comfortable doing so at this time, and to place your circumstances first when deciding whether to contribute.
If you have not yet had the opportunity to join us for our services, you are always welcome. Our Sangha’s schedule page contains our service schedule and details on how to participate via Zoom
Also please be aware that Dokusan, a private meeting with our resident teacher (Inryū Sensei) to discuss practice, is available upon request, as well as practice discussions with our Practice Leaders.
Yours in the Dharma.
Shinren Mark Stone
All Beings Zen Sangha, President
Please find All Beings Zen Sangha Donation Page information here: https://allbeingszen.org/contact/
Please direct questions about one-time donations or becoming a monthly donor to: Shōryū Christopher Leader at treasurer@allbeingszen.org
Shōryū treasurer@allbeingszen.org can also be contacted about Estate planning and any questions regarding Charitable Giving accounts, including assistance in setting one up with your brokerage, and in-kind stock donations.