The All Beings Zen Sangha welcomes and affirms all who come here to seek the Way, and who will work toward respectful acceptance of others across our many differences, harmonizing the one and the many. May all beings be happy!
A green, joyful Memorial Day weekend for All Beings Zen Sangha. On Saturday, we had a half-day retreat at Woodburn Hill Farm — feeling the breeze through open windows during zazen, engaging in work practice on the land, and concluding with black bean soup and more around the old wooden farm table. Then, on Sunday mid-morning, many of us spent a couple of peaceful hours forest bathing together in Washington, D.C.
Photo below of Seiryū Paula practicing baika *and* ukulele as fellow Sangha-friends at Daifukuji temple in Hawaii do! Check it out on their YouTube page: https://youtu.be/5siezWvrToI?si=5qFY5InwapVHFJek
Baikaryu Eisanka – Plum Blossom Style Hymns with bells. in person only – The current song we are learning is “Magokoro ni Ikiru” which means “Living with a Sincere Heart” Contact Zen’etsu @ zenjoyclay@gmail.com for more information.
Baikaryu Eisanka – Plum Blossom Style Hymns with bells. in person only – The current song we are learning is “Magokoro ni Ikiru” which means “Living with a Sincere Heart” Contact Zen’etsu @ zenjoyclay@gmail.com for more information.
On Sunday, March 23rd, All Beings Zen Sangha gathered for a half-day retreat at Blue Ridge Farm. Just as the sun was rising, we sat together for three periods of zazen in the ‘pig-shed-zendo,’ followed by periods of kinhin (walking meditation) across our Sangha member’s beautiful farm. After sitting in silence, immersed in the sounds of nature, we added our own voices with a short chanting service and group sharings. We concluded our time of being together with a delicious potluck on the balcony, overlooking the spring landscape of Blue Ridge Farm — sharing stories, laughter, and nourishment amidst the ever-changing world. It was a wonderful and much needed retreat into nature.
Below is a video clip of our day together. Enjoy! https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1HNHJfUDgf/?mibextid=wwXIfr.
We do not have a presenter for Dharma Tea at 2pm today. Please consider joining us tomorrow morning for a Way Seeking Mind Talk by Jim Conaway.
This past Saturday, All Beings Zen Sangha came together for a full-day Zazenkai. Pictured below is a glimpse of the intimacy within oryoki — which is the formal, ritualized Zen practice of mindful eating. We invite you to consider joining us for our upcoming week-long retreat in December, Rohatsu Sesshin, a time to dive deeply into practice that is in alignment with the anniversary of Buddha’s enlightenment.
On November 2nd 2024, All Beings Zen Sangha had its annual Sejiki Ceremony, in which we recited names of people, animals, etc. that have passed away within the past year, while having a chance to share how they have impacted our own lives or the ones around us. We honored and gave nourishment to them as well as all beings seen and unseen, here and gone, far and near, so that they may be satisfied and have all the conditions to thrive in this life and the next. Very grateful to our Sangha members who once again hosted this event at their beautiful residence, where we all shared heart-felt company and yummy sweets-n-treats afterward.
On November 1st, All Beings Zen Sangha welcomed the new month with a fun movie night, gathering to watch Suzuki Roshi’s talks on the Sandokai (Harmony of Difference and Equality). This event beautifully aligned with our practice period theme focused on the Sandokai, in which many of us our reading his talks given on this text in his book ‘Branching Streams Flow in the Darkness’. Now getting to also *watch* the talks given, allowed us not only to hear the words directly from the text, but also to glimpse the environment in which Suzuki Roshi originally delivered these teachings. After the film, we shared discussion reflecting on the aspects that resonated with each of us —Suzuki Roshi’s unique character, the elements of monastic practice, and the stunning natural scenery surrounding the freshly-built Tassajara Monastery.
