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!
Tuesday Dharma Tea at Two pm for February 8, 2022. Use this link to join. If asked use this password 784873
E. Ethelbert Miller will join ABZS for a remembrance and talk about his interview with Buddhist Author and Teacher Charles Johnson. You can read the interview by going to this link.
E. Ethelbert Miller is a writer and literary activist. He is the author of two memoirs and several books of poetry. For 17 years Miller served as the editor of Poet Lore, the oldest poetry magazine published in the United States. He hosts the WPFW morning radio show On the Margin with E. Ethelbert Miller and hosts and produces The Scholars on UDC-TV which received a 2020 Telly Award. Miller’s memoir Fathering Words: The Making of An African American Writer (St. Martin’s Press, 2000) was selected by the DC WE READ for its one book, one city program sponsored by the D.C. Public Libraries. He was also awarded the 2019 Literary Award for poetry by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association for his book If God Invented Baseball. Most recently, Miller received a grant from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities and a congressional award from Congressman Jamie Raskin in recognition of his literary activism. Miller’s latest book is When Your Wife Has Tommy John Surgery and Other Baseball Stories (City Point Press, 2021).
*ABZS does keep an attendance of participation in sangha events* this is done for the welfare of it’s members and for guidance in future programing
Use this link to join. If asked use this password 784873
Tonight we will have a short service following by one period of Zazen and a Dharma Talk by ABZS Abiding and resident teacher, Rev. Inryū Poncé-Barger, Sensei on the topic of “Tea as Medicine“. Following the talk we will have a “Pass the Feather” sharing and conclude with chanting the refuges.
Here is the link to join us via the cloud zendo at 7PM for the All Beings Zen Sangha evening program.
If you are asked for a password please use this 641260
Please put your zoom in gallery mode, and keep your video link on while muting your mic until the end of the service – Feel welcome to face away from your device camera while keeping your presence visible in the frame for others in attendance to see and know you are there. Please refrain from moving your device around while others are sitting zazen with you.
Order of Service
Greeting by the Kokyo
Enmei Jukko Kannon Gyo
Heart Sutra in English
All Buddhas Chant
25 Minute Zazen Period
Four Great Vows
Dharma Talk by Inryū Sensei
Pass the feather
Refuges in Pali
THE FOUR GREAT VOWS
Beings are numberless; I vow to save them.
Delusions are inexhaustible; I vow to end them.
Dharma Gates are boundless; I vow to enter them.
Buddha’s way is unsurpassable; I vow to become it.
Enmei Jukko Kannon Gyo
KAN ZEON
NA MU BUTSU
YO BUTSU U IN
YO BUTSU U EN
BUP PO SO EN
JO RAKU GA JO
CHO NEN KANZEON
BO NEN KANZEON
NEN NEN JU SHIN KI
NEN NEN FU RI SHIN
Heart of Great Perfect Wisdom Sutra
Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva,
when deeply practicing prajña paramita,⨀
clearly saw that all five aggregates are empty
and thus relieved all suffering.
Shariputra,
form does not differ from emptiness,
emptiness does not differ from form.
Form itself is emptiness,
emptiness itself form.
Sensations, perceptions, formations,
and consciousness are also like this.
Shariputra,
all dharmas are marked by emptiness;
they neither arise nor cease,
are neither defiled nor pure,
neither increase nor decrease.
Therefore, given emptiness, there is
no form, no sensation, no perception,
no formation no consciousness;
no eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue,
no body, no mind;
no sight, no sound, no smell, no taste,
no touch, no object of mind;
no realm of sight… no realm of mind consciousness
There is neither ignorance nor extinction of ignorance…
neither old age and death,
nor extinction of old age and death;
no suffering, no cause, no cessation, no path;
no knowledge and no attainment.
With nothing to attain,
a bodhisattva relies on prajña paramita,⨀
and thus the mind is without hindrance.
Without hindrance, there is no fear.
Far beyond all inverted views, one realizes nirvana.
All buddhas of past, present, and future
rely on prajña paramita ⨀ and thereby attain
unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.
Therefore, know the prajña paramita ⨀ as
the great miraculous mantra,
the great bright mantra,
the supreme mantra,
the incomparable mantra,
which removes all suffering
and is true, not false.
Therefore we proclaim the prajña paramita ⨀mantra,,
Tuesday Dharma Tea at Two pm for February 1, 2022.Use this link to join. If asked use this password 784873
Randy Shingler will lead a discussion about Black History, which is really American History. Randy published an article entitled “I lived Southern Racial Integration” on Medium.com. Please take a few minutes to read the article here. Randy will share other experience’s following the period described in the article for the Tuesday Dharma Tea. He will then lead a discussion on the topic during this first day of Black History Month.
Randy Shingler is long time Washingtonian and was senior leader in the DC business community until 2015 when he turned his energies to writing. His work can be found on www.medium.com
Born and then educated through his university years in the state of Georgia. Randy became active in civil rights and anti-war efforts both in Georgia and later when he moved to Washington DC often finding fellowship and refuge in the Presbyterian and Catholic circles who aligned with these struggles.
The faint beginnings toward practicing meditation and an interest in Buddhism began in 1996 when he purchased a book titled Anger by Thich Nhat Hanh. This led to a solo meditation practice until learning about and joining the Vipassana meetings led by Tara Brach. In 2017 he began reading and studying more about Zen and joined All Beings Zen Sangha.
Here is the link to join us via the cloud zendo at 7PM for the All Beings Zen Sangha evening program. Tonight we will have short service followed by two periods of Zazen. We will close by chanting the Refuges.
If you are asked for a password please use this 641260
Please put your zoom in gallery mode, and keep your video link on while muting your mic until the end of the service – Feel welcome to face away from your device camera while keeping your presence visible in the frame for others in attendance to see and know you are there. Please refrain from moving your device around while others are sitting zazen with you.
Order of Service
Greeting by the Kokyo
Enmei Jukko Kannon Gyo
Heart Sutra in English
All Buddhas Chant
25 Minute Zazen Period
5 minute Kinhin (slow walking) or stretch
25 Minute Zazen Period
Four Great Vows
Refuges in Pali
THE FOUR GREAT VOWS
Beings are numberless; I vow to save them.
Delusions are inexhaustible; I vow to end them.
Dharma Gates are boundless; I vow to enter them.
Buddha’s way is unsurpassable; I vow to become it.
Enmei Jukko Kannon Gyo
KAN ZEON
NA MU BUTSU
YO BUTSU U IN
YO BUTSU U EN
BUP PO SO EN
JO RAKU GA JO
CHO NEN KANZEON
BO NEN KANZEON
NEN NEN JU SHIN KI
NEN NEN FU RI SHIN
Heart of Great Perfect Wisdom Sutra
Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva,
when deeply practicing prajña paramita,⨀
clearly saw that all five aggregates are empty
and thus relieved all suffering.
Shariputra,
form does not differ from emptiness,
emptiness does not differ from form.
Form itself is emptiness,
emptiness itself form.
Sensations, perceptions, formations,
and consciousness are also like this.
Shariputra,
all dharmas are marked by emptiness;
they neither arise nor cease,
are neither defiled nor pure,
neither increase nor decrease.
Therefore, given emptiness, there is
no form, no sensation, no perception,
no formation no consciousness;
no eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue,
no body, no mind;
no sight, no sound, no smell, no taste,
no touch, no object of mind;
no realm of sight… no realm of mind consciousness
There is neither ignorance nor extinction of ignorance…
neither old age and death,
nor extinction of old age and death;
no suffering, no cause, no cessation, no path;
no knowledge and no attainment.
With nothing to attain,
a bodhisattva relies on prajña paramita,⨀
and thus the mind is without hindrance.
Without hindrance, there is no fear.
Far beyond all inverted views, one realizes nirvana.
All buddhas of past, present, and future
rely on prajña paramita ⨀ and thereby attain
unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.
Therefore, know the prajña paramita ⨀ as
the great miraculous mantra,
the great bright mantra,
the supreme mantra,
the incomparable mantra,
which removes all suffering
and is true, not false.
Therefore we proclaim the prajña paramita ⨀mantra,,
Offered with permission from www.morethanlupus.com and the author
Lupus and Meditation
To Sit or Not to Sit, That is The Question:
Believed to have originated in India thousands of years ago, meditation has become increasingly popular in the U.S. at a time when the impact of technology on work has meant an increase in the rate of production and the speed at which we get things done, even despite the challenges of an almost crippling pandemic—maybe, especially so.
People want ways to relieve stress they haven’t tried. They want to feel well.
The use of meditation and mindfulness as an adjunct to conventional medical therapies for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and chronic pain, as well as in some patients’ fight against cancer, has also been on the rise.
Quoting data from the National Health Interview Survey in an article for the LA Times in 2018, Science and Medicine Editor Karen Kaplan notes that
“The proportion of adults who at least tried meditation more than tripled over five years, while the proportion of children who meditated at least once increased by a factor of nine.”
The National Health Interview Survey is a long-running study of the National Center for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As far as the types of meditation practice themselves, the study included “transcendental meditation or other forms of mantra meditation; mindfulness meditation, such as Zen Buddhist meditation or mindfulness-based cognitive therapy; and spiritual meditation based on prayer.”
While meditation is central to some religions, you don’t have to change your beliefs (agnostics and atheists included) or the way you worship to reap the benefits. And there can be many benefits. Meditation can help to:
reduce stress and manage pain;
control anxiety;
increase focus and self-awareness;
support addiction recovery;
improve age-related memory loss; and
generate an overall sense of wellbeing.
But where to start? Meditation styles, preferences, and practices vary widely. Some people find it best to focus on their breath and others to chant a mantra. Some prefer listening to guided meditations while others prefer to stare quietly at a point on a wall. Some like to stand, others to sit, and some turn to walking meditation. Others are driven by their chronic health conditions to lie down.
However you choose to meditate, the more often you practice, the more comfortable you’ll become at doing it and the more benefits you’ll reap.
Here are some tips to help you get started:
Cultivate curiosity in your search for what feels right and works best for you.
If you think you’d prefer to meditate in community rather than alone, look for a workshop or group that may be part of a yoga or healing arts center, a healthcare facility, or a nondenominational place of worship.
You can also look for a Zen or meditation center near you. Many cater to beginning meditators.
At the outset of the pandemic, many meditation groups and organizations took their practices to Zoom. Joining online from home may help you take the leap sooner rather than later.
Some groups and workshops are free to join, and a contribution of a size you can afford may be expected. Others charge a small fee to cover expenses related to gathering.
Be wary of anyone who expects you to pay large amounts of money, promising to turn you into an overnight yogi and the like.
If you’re a tracker like me, apps can be great helpers in building good habits. You have plenty to choose from when it comes to meditation, and some of them feature free versions. I’ve used Sattva’s (https://www.sattva.life) for several years and love its timer and tracking features.
That said, the opportunity to practice in a community of like-minded people who support your efforts is a great gift.
Above all, start small and be consistent. Pat yourself on the back for showing up, even if it’s for a single minute. And, of course, don’t give up. You’ve got this.
Written By:
Naomi Ayala
Naomi Ayala Poet, Teacher, Writer
Naomi Ayala has published three books of poetry. Her most recent, Calling Home: Praise Songs and Incantations, was published by Bilingual Press/Editorial Bilingüe. Meditation is a part of Naomi’s everyday life. In 2018, she took her precepts as a lay practitioner in the Soto Zen lineage.
*All resources provided by this blog are for informational purposes only, not to replace the advice of a medical professional. MTL encourage you to always contact your medical provider with any specific questions or concerns regarding your illness. All intellectual property and content on this site is owned by morethanlupus.com. This includes materials protected by copyright, trademark, or patent laws. Copyright, More Than Lupus 2022.
**The author has protection under these copyrights; however, the words belong to the author and can be used for other creative purposes or for personal archive’s.
Tuesday Dharma Tea 2pm, This discussion will be led by our Abiding and resident teacher, Inryū Poncé-Barger on the topic of “Tea as Medicine”. We will begin with 5 minutes of silent tea drinking. Inryu Sensei will play a short interview which was recently recorded for an upcoming exhibit at the Freer Museum to launch our conversation . Use this link to join. If asked use this password 784873
Traditional Japanese style tea bowl made by Bill Togei Kruvant
“The International Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism announces that our beloved teacher Thich Nhat Hanh has passed away peacefully at Từ Hiếu Temple in Huế, Vietnam, at 00:00hrs on 22nd January, 2022, at the age of 95.
We invite our global spiritual family to take a few moments to be still, to come back to our mindful breathing, as we together hold Thay in our hearts in peace and loving gratitude for all he has offered the world.”
Saturday January 22, 2022 – 2:30pm : Rev. Seigaku Amato will lead an online workshop on carving a “chop” (hanks) or name seal. Use this link to join. If asked for a password use 412621
Practice carving can be done with vegetables such as a carrot or potato!
Tuesday, January 18: Dharma Tea at 2pm led by our most recent former Shuso, Shōryū Christopher Leader on the topic of “Act in the Moment”. Shōryū will I’ll discuss acting now rather than trying to schedule one’s kindness/compassion/generosity. Use this link to join. If asked use this password 784873. As the norm we will begin with 5 minutes of silent tea drinking. All are welcome
