MWA Newsletter, Zen, -  May 28, 2024

MWA – Notes from the heart, plus schedule updates – June 2024

“Not knowing is most intimate.”

Life continues to be uncertain. It seems more so than usual these days – with climate change, U.S. politics and fears, the actuality of genocide, and civil liberties issues. Relatively safe, I don’t know what to do. Some people have chosen a course and are pursuing it wholeheartedly, and I thank them. Meanwhile, Zen Master Dizang’s “Not knowing is most intimate” is here for me. My advisory group recommends avoiding distractions, sitting more zazen – a lot more – and waiting for clarity, intimate with uncertainty, allowing Life to create me.

I can’t say much more to you. If your direction is clear, please follow it with all your heart. If you are like me, you’re welcome to join me in allowing intimacy, waiting for clarity. If you’d like to connect in that space, feel free to send me your name.  I’ll chant for you, as I do for myself: may we find wisdom, peace, and commitment. May we know our next step, and be willing to take it.

You’re also invited to morning sitting, 6 am Central Time: no zoom, just sitting together wherever we are. Any morning; I’m usually there, and others may be too. We might even call or email each other, for support and encouragement. Or we might take a walk in the woods, or put our hands in the dirt, and listen inwardly and physically, allowing all beings to create and teach us. Here, now, the lilacs are blooming and the iris promise; nettles are offering food and morels are already done. Green and blue, bird song and sun and shade, everywhere says summer.

Zen classes and talks:

June and July: Classes Monday evening again, on Dogen’s writing about the work of the Zen cook. Registration please, donations encouraged but not required.

Thursday evening classes, co-teaching at Zen Center North Shore, Beverley, Massachusetts, Mountains and Waters Sutra. June 6-August 1. Note that the times for zazen and talk are in Eastern Time. In Central Time, zazen begins at 5:30 pm and the talk starts at 6:15 pm. You are strongly encouraged to register and make a donation to support ZCNS, which will give me an honorarium.

Zen classes here will return to Wednesdays in September; we’re not quite sure about August.

Saturday, June 15: online talk with No Barriers Zen.  Two half-hour zazen periods starting at 9 Central Time, followed by talk and discussion. There will be an ASL interpreter; this group is committed to inclusivity. Having spent a year working within the Deaf community, I’m delighted to spend the morning with them.

Retreats:

July 19-21: Earth Apprentice Retreat. (fee, registration required)

August 16-18: Weekend sesshin. More information later.

Nov 30-December 8: Rohatsu sesshin, sitting in silence, honoring Buddha’s enlightenment. More information later.

Things I’m going to attend that might be of interest:

June 19-23, “Practicing the Way in this very moment” Zen retreat at Hokyoji (SE Minnesota) https://hokyoji.org/event/practicing-the-way-in-this-very-moment-2/  registration required

September, wild rice gathering in northern Minnesota with Honor the Earth. More information later.

November 1-10, online class with Shohaku Okumura, ten days, 2 hours each day.

With love,

Shodo

For Mountains and Waters Alliance