Essays, MWA Newsletter, Zen, -  Apr 09, 2022

Mountains and Waters – April announcements and notes

Events

On April 10, 2022, I’m pleased to invite you to a dharma talk online at Hokyoji Zen Monastery. Hokyoji is dear to my heart from early practice and also a year of individual retreat in the early days. They are now a thriving community, and because of internet they’re able to invite speakers. I’ll be talking about the well-known lines from the Genjo Koan: “To study the Buddha Way is to study the self.”

Here is information and a link: https://mountainsandwatersalliance.org/event/dharma-talk-sunday-april-10-2022-hokyoji/

There are some other schedule changes, mostly shown on the website.

Changes and uncertainties are for two reasons: I’m nearing the end of writing the book, and the house is under construction.

• May will have some opportunities to come to the farm and practice with the land, including the land care retreat May 20-22. Things are a little flexible because of the construction. Watch for further information, and if interested be sure to email me.
• In June, instead of a 5-day sesshin here at the farm, I will be leading sesshin at Sanshin Zen Community, my home temple, June 1-5. Information is here: https://www.sanshinji.org/sesshin.html. You can join online (no fee, donations welcome); in-person spots are limited due to covid cautions.
• There will probably be an event at the farm June 18-19. With luck, we might be celebrating both book and the new look of the place.
• Monday, August 1, is a one-day retreat at Midtown Atlanta Zen. Zazen, talk, private interviews, outdoor walking meditation – this is not on the website yet.
• The next 5-day sesshin here at the farm will be September 22-27, and then December 1-8, Rohatsu sesshin. May and November I will be at teaching retreats with my teacher, Shohaku Okumura.
• Email me for Wednesday online Zen group, Sunday online “Gift of Fearlessness” group, occasional local potlucks, and general volunteering – including gardening and heavy labor!

Notes

The war between Russia and Ukraine is still going on. The stories are heartbreaking, People around the world are mobilizing in amazing ways. A few people are pointing out that most of us have been complacent about tragedies in other places in the world – perpetrated by the U.S. or our allies, or against Black and brown people. It’s overwhelming. As is the change in the weather, the likelihood of widespread hunger in the coming year or soon after, the level of polarization within the U.S., and a lot more. My personal Facebook page tracks a lot of these things, and hopeful responses, if you care to follow. Here, I try to avoid distractions and encourage wholehearted engagement in each one’s life.

And last night, after a week of rain, I stepped out the door to a clear night sky with a last-quarter moon shining brilliantly above. Just a breath.

With love,

Shodo Spring

for Mountains and Waters Alliance