For those who may have missed it, Shinren Mark Stone’s talk about zen practice and technology was recently profiled by NPR. It’s an excellent write up.
Author: samuelreggio
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Dharma Tea on Tuesdays at Two pm EDT – All are welcome
Please join us for a cup of tea and dharma discussion today at 2pm EDT.
Use this link to join. If asked for a password use 003961
Guest Teacher Kotatsu John Bailes will open and lead todays discussion.
Kotatsu John Bailes is the Founder and President of One Heart Zen, the Buddhist Chaplain at Wellesley College in Wellesley Massachusetts, and the Guiding Teacher of the Monmouth Zen Circle in Monmouth, NJ. He trained at the San Francisco Zen Center from 1972 through 1984 and received full Dharma Transmission from Zoketsu Norman Fischer.
All present can unmute after the first five minutes and dialogue on the topic can be open
Conclusion at 2:45pm
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Statement from SFZC Speaking Out Against Anti-Asian Violence
Statement from San Francisco Zen Center Leadership, in collaboration with the Central DEIA Committee and CAIC
With deep sorrow and grave concern, we acknowledge and bear witness to the alarming surge of hate crimes against Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities across the US and in the Bay Area since the start of the pandemic.
In 2020, Stop AAPI Hate recorded nearly 3,000 reports of incidents against Asian Americans nationwide, and there have been over 700 reported attacks on people of Asian descent in the Bay Area alone. We understand that these attacks are vastly underreported by the victims, often due to language and cultural barriers. These attacks of hateful speech and physical harassment include the deaths of two elderly men, as well as the vandalism and burning of a Buddhist temple in LA.
Acts of violence and slander are being perpetrated against our neighbors, families, friends, and colleagues. Sadly, such acts of ignorance have been growing and encouraged to spread through the coded language of racism and xenophobia.
We understand there exists a long and painful history of racism and exclusion of AAPI communities in the US, compounding the trauma of recent events. And, like other marginalized groups, AAPI have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, due to many being nurses and other health care workers, or low-wage workers in hard-hit sectors of the economy.
The leadership of the San Francisco Zen Center denounces acts of hatred against people of Asian descent, as well as against Black, Indigenous, and all people of color, who have suffered from centuries of systemic racism, oppression, and exclusion in a white supremacy culture.
Some actions we are taking ourselves, and which we encourage you to do, include: becoming more informed about racism in general, and about how racism has specifically impacted AAPI; checking in with our neighbors, friends, and students of Asian descent and offering support; and, most importantly, finding ways to interrupt hateful acts whenever and wherever they occur. (See below for a list of further actions and resources.)
The Buddha taught, “The pathway of compassion for all is a 10,000 mile-long iron road.” This road often feels hard and unyielding, especially as we encounter difficulties and resistance within ourselves, in our relationships, and in the world.
But this long journey is also one of wisdom, love, and the deep joy of mutual generosity, as we work together for the benefit and healing of the world. We are grateful to walk this path with you.
With bows,
San Francisco Zen Center Leadership,
in collaboration with the Central DEIA* Committee and CAIC**
*DEIA = Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
**CAIC = Cultural Awareness and Inclusivity Committee
Things you can do
1. Reach out to friends and family members of Asian descent
- You might say something like, “Are you OK?” or “Would you like to talk” or “This must be tough and I’m sorry you are going through this” or ‘”I don’t know exactly what you are going through, but I am always here to help” or “You really matter to me” or “How can I help, if at all.”
- What leaders can do – The simplest thing managers and organizational leaders can do for their Asian American employees is to use their privilege to acknowledge the recent news of anti-Asian violence, and give space for impacted individuals to process, grieve and heal. (Read: How to support Asian American Colleagues by Jennifer Liu, CNBC)
- Hold a ceremony to honor and remember victims of anti-Asian hate crimes
- Support Asian-owned local businesses (e.g., SF Chinatown is struggling)
2. Raise awareness, speak up, and condemn anti-Asian racism
- Read and share these articles on the rise of recent anti-Asian violence
- Watch / Listen and share these video and audio
- Watch “We are dying to be heard” (Video)
Interview with Activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Amanda Nguyen - Listen to The surge of anti-Asian violence (spotify) Today, Explained with Jeff Chang
- Listen to Anti-Asian Hate Crimes Rise Dramatically Amid Pandemic(podcast) NPR
- Watch “We are dying to be heard” (Video)
- Sign and share these petitions to raise awareness and stop anti-Asian racism
- Participate in non-violent protests and spread the word about when they are happening
3. Report Instances of anti-Asian violence
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- Report them at StopAAPIHate.org
4. Receive Bystander Intervention Training
5. Learn about AAPI and discrimination
- ‘Model Minority’ Myth
- ‘Model Minority’ Myth Again Used As A Racial Wedge Between Asians And Blacks
By Kat Chow, NPR - The mental health toll of being a ‘model minority’ in 2020
By Kimmy Yam, NBC
- ‘Model Minority’ Myth Again Used As A Racial Wedge Between Asians And Blacks
- History
- America’s long history of scapegoating its Asian citizens
National Geographic - The history of attacks against Asian Americans is complicated
By Harmeet Kaur, CNN - The Muddled History of Anti-Asian Violence
By Hua Hsu, The New Yorker (PDF) - The long history of racism against Asian Americans in the U.S.
PBS - Watch PBS Documentary “Asian Americans”
- America’s long history of scapegoating its Asian citizens
- Asian Women
- Why Asian women are uniquely vulnerable to violence
By Harmeet Kaur, CNN
- Why Asian women are uniquely vulnerable to violence
- Solidarity, Allyship
- Opinion/We Need to Put a Name on this Violence
By Jay Caspian Kang, The New York Times (PDF)
- Opinion/We Need to Put a Name on this Violence
- American Buddhism
- Anti-Asian Violence Is an Attack on Us All
By Cristina Moon, Lion’s Roar - Searching for Asian American Buddhists
By Chenxing Han, Lion’s Roar - We’ve Been Here All Along
By Funie Hsu, Lion’s Roar
- Anti-Asian Violence Is an Attack on Us All
6. Support, donate, and volunteer with organizations working to overcome racism towards AAPI
- Stop AAPI Hate serves as the leading aggregator of anti-Asian hate incidents, shares informational reports and press releases, and offers a range of supports to the AAPI community
- Hella Heart Oakland supports mental health and wellness initiatives for Asian/Asian American women and girls in Oakland who may suffer from mental illness and other hardships.
- Oakland Chinatown Safety Fund is raising funds for security cameras, community ambassadors and safety awareness programs.
- Compassion in Oakland provides the Oakland Chinatown Community with a resource for promoting safety and community to the forgotten, underserved, and vulnerable.
- Hate is a virus – started as a grassroots movement to combat racism and xenophobia against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) fueled by COVID-19, Hate is a virus has evolved into a sustainable organization that addresses xenophobia and hate in the AAPI and BIPOC communities.
- Act To Change – a national nonprofit organization working to address bullying, including in the AAPI community. They published “The Racism is a Virus Toolkit” to support the community in combating racism.
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice – a national nonprofit organization that focuses on housing rights, immigration, civil rights, labor rights, and others for Asian Americans
- National Council of Asian Pacific Americans – a nonprofit organization that serves to represent the interests of the greater Asian American (AA) and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities through a coalition of 37 national Asian Pacific American organizations around the country.
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One Day Meditation Retreat – Zazenkai ending our Spring Practice Period March 27, 2021 6:30am-8:30pm
Join All Beings Zen Sangha on Saturday, March 27th, for a full-day meditation retreat (or “Zazenkai”) in our cloud zendo to end our Spring Practice Period! Practice will begin at 6:30am and conclude at 8:30pm. There will be ample breaks for meals and rest throughout the day. The schedule for the Zazenkai is listed below.
If you can participate for some amount of time, either small or large on Saturday March 27th please do. We will enjoy seeing your face in our cloud zendo for however long you are able to land there.
Use this link to join. If you are asked for a password use 413633
Photo by Inryū Sensei
March 27th Zazenkai Schedule
6:30 – 7:10 AM: Zazen
7:10 – 8:00: Morning Service
8:00 – 9:30: Breakfast & Morning Break
9:30 – 10:30: Morning Walk or Indoor Exercise
10:30 – 11:00: Dharma Talk offered by Inryū Sensei
11:00 – 11:30: Zazen
11:30 – 11:40: Kinhin
11:40 – 12:20: Zazen
12:20 – 1:15 PM: Lunch
1:15 – 1:45: Outdoor Kinhin or Dharma Study
1:45 – 2:00: Break
2:00 – 2:30: Work Practice
2:30 – 3:15: Tea with Discussion
3:15 – 3:30: Break
3:30 – 3:45: Kinhin
3:45 – 4:15: Zazen
4:15 – 4:25: Kinhin
4:25 – 4:50: Zazen
4:50 – 5:00: Service
5:00 – 6:30: Dinner & Evening Break
6:30 – 7:00: Zazen
7:00 – 7:10: Evening Service
7:10 – 7:40: Zazen
7:40 – 7:50: Kinhin
7:50 – 8:20 Full Moon Ceremony
8:20 PM: Refuges in Pali
Next week:
We will enjoy our regular 6:30am EDT morning practice on Monday the 29th and Wednesday the 31st. And also enjoy Dharma tea at 2 on Tuesday March 30th lead by visiting teacher Rev. Kotatsu John Bailes (Guiding Teacher at One Heart Zen, Somerville, MA).
Sending you blessings and the vitality of spring each day
Inryū Sensei
May all beings be happy.
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Dharma Tea on Tuesdays at 2pm on March 22nd, 2021
Please join us for a cup of tea and dharma discussion today at 2pm EDT.
Use this link to join. If asked for a password use 242898
Order of Practice
5 minutes of quiet tea drinking
Mike will open and lead todays discussion on using and writing gathas as a means to practice right where we walk. A gatha is a verse recited (usually mentally, not aloud) in rhythm with the breath as part of mindfulness practice, either in daily life, or as part of meditation or meditative study
All present can unmute after the first five minutes and dialogue on the topic can be open
Conclusion at 2:45pm
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Practice for March 21, 2021 6:30am EDT – Half Day Zazenkai
Sunday, March 21st, 2021 at 6:30am-12noon : Half Day Zazenkai (meditation retreat) in the cloud zendo. Join the members of All Beings Zen Sangha for a morning of meditation and dharma study. Zazen periods will be 30 minutes with 10 minute kinhin (walking meditation) periods. Sensei Inryū will offer a Dharma Talk at 10:30am.
Use this link to join at anytime. If you are asked for a password use 521583
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.
If you cannot participate for the entire retreat good times to join are: 6:30, 9 & 10:30. May All Beings Be Happy!
Half-Day Zazenkai Schedule
6:30 – 7:10: Zazen7:10 – 7:20: Service7:20 – 8:00: Breakfast8:00 – 9:00: Exercise or Outdoor Walk9:00 – 9:30: Zazen
9:30 – 9:40: Kinhin9:40 – 10:10: Zazen
10:10 – 10:30: Break
10:30 – 11:00: Dharma Talk11:00 – 11:30: Zazen
11:30 – 11:40: Kinhin
11:40 – 12:00: Zazen12noon Refuges -
Saturday March 20, 2021 1pm EDT – Guest Speaker Author Barbara O’Brien
Saturday, March 20th, 2021 at 1-2:30pm : Guest speaker, author Barbara O’Brien will answer questions about her book Circle of the Way; A Concise History of Zen from the Buddha to the Modern World
Use this link to join. If you are asked for a password use 504410
Barbara Hoetsu O’Brien’s adventures in Zen began in 1988, when she first made a formal commitment to study with a Zen teacher, the late John Daido Loori of Zen Mountain Monastery, Mount Tremper, New York. In the years since she studied with other teachers in other Zen lineages, most notably the late Jion Susan Postal, who taught in New Rochelle, New York. Jion’s transmission lineage was from the San Francisco Zen Center. Over the years Barbara struggled with fitting Zen practice into a life of child-rearing and job-holding. Eventually, long after the children were grown, she chucked it all and lived in the Fire Lotus Zen Temple in Brooklyn, New York, for a time.
Along the way Barbara noticed that even senior Zen students have only vague ideas about how the school of Buddhism called Zen originated and developed. Further, these days the word Zen is tacked on to a variety of commercial products, from computer processors to soap, which suggests most people in the West still have no idea what Zen is, other than some exotic Asian thing. So, she committed herself to explaining Zen ― as much as explaining Zen is possible ― and explaining Buddhism as well.
Barbara has written about Buddhism for Tricycle, Lion’s Roar, and the Guardian Comment Is Free website. She gained a considerable following while serving as the resident expert on Buddhism for About.com from 2008 to 2016. The Circle of the Way is the fruit of years of research and direct experience that tells the story of Zen.Barbara originally is from the Ozark Plateau region of southern Missouri, where she is currently riding out the epidemic. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and worked for many years in the book publishing industry.
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Zen Movie Night – March 19th, 2021 7pm EDT – and Saturday and Sunday events
Friday, March 19th, 2021 at 7pm : Zen Movie Night
Use this link to join
If a password is requested use 613357
“ZEN FOR NOTHING” tells of the experiences of Sabine Timoteo from Switzerland, as a “Zen novice” in Antaiji Zen Temple in Japan in Autumn, Winter and Spring
Director: Werner Penzel
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Dharma Tea on Tuesdays at 2pm March 16th, 2021
Please join us for a cup of tea and discussion today at 2pm EST. Use this link to join
If asked for a password use 242898
Order of Practice
5 minutes of quiet tea drinking
Alex will open and lead todays discussion with a focus on “Posture”.
All present can unmute after the first five minutes and dialogue on the topic can be open
Conclusion at 2:45pm
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Guest Speaker for Saturday March 13, 2021 at 1pm EST – Tilde Carbia
Saturday, March 13th, 2021 at 1-2:30pm ET (12pm CT) : Guest Speaker Tilde Carbia will speak about The Death Penalty and Zen”
Use this link to join. If you are asked for a password use 883001
One of the core precepts in Buddhism is to not kill or to refrain from taking a life. The death penalty in America is government-sanctioned killing under the guise of justice and is one of the starkest violations of this precept. It tarnishes our government and our justice system, and everyone touched by it is harmed. Beyond the obvious harm of the taking of a life, the death penalty exposes overlapping systemic failures to provide for the basic needs of all people. Join us for a talk on capital punishment and Zen for a personal look at the death penalty and its intersection with our Soto Zen practice.Tilde Carbia is a capital defense attorney in Louisiana. She has been representing people on Louisiana’s death row since 2009 and has been part of legal teams for two clients whose cases were reversed by the Supreme Court of the United States and a third client whose death sentence was reversed by the Louisiana Supreme Court. Tilde is also a Zen practitioner and member of Mid City Zen in New Orleans.
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Tuesday Dharma Tea at Two – 2pm EST
Please join us for a cup of tea and discussion today at 2pm EST. Use this link to join
If asked for a password use 242898
Order of Practice
5 minutes of quiet tea drinking
Shōryū will pose a question or topic for discussion
All present can unmute after the first five minutes and dialogue on the topic can be open
Conclusion at 2:45pm