Sunrise Zazenkai

Led by Doug Jacobson & Eric Remington

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Our "First Saturday" Zazenkai is a day-long dive into intensive, silent practice, deepening our Zen meditation. And this month, our special Sunrise Zazenkai begins with a gentle pre-dawn walk up to the ridge, where we'll sit outdoor zazen (sitting meditation) and greet the morning sun over the Santa Cruz Mountains, before returning for breakfast and the start of our traditional Zazenkai schedule.

All are welcome to join us for all or part of the day.

If you're thinking about attending a sesshin or extended retreat, Zazenkai is a wonderful way to discover the basics of intensive practice. Breakfast and lunch will be served. More information.

 
 
 

Kobun’s Recommendations for Sitting Outside the Zendo

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We don't know where Zen is.  Sometimes Zen doesn't exist in the Zen temple or Zen monastry.  In a strange place you find Zen still alive.  It can be questioned whether we always need to be sitting indoors, facing a wall.  Under the Bo Tree was a protected spot, lots of oxygen, shade, no direct wind or rain.  These are things common to the way we build a house, instead of sealing yourself in a solid concrete building.  Staring at a cliff, tree trunk, or water could be like facing a wall.  A river bank, or other outdoor spot, could have objects which excite you, but soon they become a blank wall again.  The Buddha needed a stable rock and munja, a grass which can be bundled to make a soft cushion. The point is what sitting is.  

You do not necessarily carry zazen around.  When we travel in unknown places from one spot to another, we have to stay still for some time, to find out where we are, to find zazen.  If you have an address to find, there is already a goal, so it's not a completely unknown place, yet, in the confused, chaotic bundle of burning life, itself, there is no address, so to speak.  There is no one spot, no person, no particular matter from which you always measure your location...  read more

 

 

 
 

MAY 5
Zazenkai

A one day intensive retreat with Doug Jacobson.

June 21-24
GENZO-e Sesshin

Exploring the world of Dogen's Zen with Kokyo Henkel

APRIL 29, 2-4pm
SCIENCE & BUDDHISM

Science, Buddhism, and the natural world with Eric Remington