November 3rd Friday 6:30am (following Jundo and short period of zazen)

Robert Quinn to offer

Way Seeking Mind Talk

October 27th Friday 6:30am (following Jundo and short period of zazen)

ABZS Treasuer and Chidan Eric Jonas to offer

Way Seeking Mind Talk

October 19th  Thursday 7pm (following one period of zazen)

ABZS  Publishing Director John Flanagan to offer

Way Seeking Mind Talk

October 20th Friday 6:30am (following Jundo and short period of zazen)

ABZS Evening Service Doan David Sarpal to offer

Way Seeking Mind Talk

October 12th  Thursday 7pm (following one period of zazen)

2017 ABZS Shuso Myoshin Carlos Moura to offer

Way Seeking Mind Talk

October 13th Friday 6:30am (following Jundo and short period of zazen)

2017 ABZS Benji (Shuso’s assistant) Ben Ourisman to offer

Way Seeking Mind Talk 

Join us for this exploration of the way in which the time we spend looking and interacting with Screens (smartphones, computers, etc.) has an impact on body, mind and soul.

“Our growing use of screens (smartphones, computers, etc.) raises questions for each of us: What is our relationship with our screens? How do screens make us more and less connected?  How do they bear on our spiritual journey?

8am-9:30am                            Please RSVP: inryu@allbeingszen.org

Here is a basic outline of our upcoming event

Program for “The Zen of Screens”

• Ten-minute meditation
• Motivation for workshop—Surveys show that adults think they spend two hours of screen time per day, but they actually spend four hours. The dominance of screens in our life raises new questions: What is our relationship with your screens? How do screens make us more or less connected?  How do they bear on our spiritual journeys?
• Discussion 1—Each participant can say a few words on screens in their life.
• Exercise 1—Each participant spends 10 mindful minutes on their screen doing their most common activities, followed by a 10 minute body scan meditation. Discussion.
• Discussion 2—Most folks feel they are too caught up in screens, and their posture and thinking reflect excessive use. What is it that explains our excessive use? Screens could be another way for us to avoid our discomfort and naturally leads to consideration of the four noble truths.
• Discussion 3

o   Skillful screen use—Practical tips for how we use screens eg clean up apps, keep screen in different room…

o   Skillful screen time— Record your screen time; hide digital distractions; digital fasting.

• Final discussion

Shinren Mark Stone will help us develop our awareness of the influence of screens on body, mind and soul. Bring your favorite device!”

The book we’ll be reading this fall is Robert A.F. Thurman’s translation of the Vimalakirti Sutra.  The discussions  will be at All Beings on October 14th and November 4th.

There a few different ways to get this text.

It exists at a few university libraries in the area, so if you happen to have borrowing privileges at AU, GW, GM, or UMD, by all means pick up a copy there.

It’s on Amazon for $24.

But then also, it’s free as a PDF.

Join us October 14th, 2017 8-9:30am to begin our dialogue around this text.  Feel welcome to bring other translations as well.   All are welcome.

The choice is yours!  Hope that helps.  Feel free to e-mail me, Sam Reggio if you’re having trouble finding a copy.  Thanks, and happy reading.

Hoping some of you can join us for a half day meditation retreat on Labor Day September 4th, 2017

Call to Artists! All Beings Zen Sangha is announcing a call to artists for the 2018 Sangha calendar project. Submissions are now being accepted for drawings, paintings, photography, poetry, brief writings, and other forms in digital format. Please submit up to three works for consideration via e-mail to Inryu at inryubobbi@gmail.com and John  at emailjohnf@gmail.com.

 “Embracing the Inconceivable Power of Life:  The Wisdom of Motomachi”

Rev. Shojo Danny Parker is currently the resident priest at “The Zen Room” in Cocoa Beach Florida.   Rev. Shojo received priest ordination at the Berkeley Zen Center in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi in 2011.  His long time zen teacher, Edward Espe Brown was the preceptor.  In addition to being a Zen teacher, Rev. Shojo is a writer, scientist and cook.

Kin Ki Shin Sei Ilaria Tassi to offer a Way Seeking Mind Talk on Thursday May 11th at 7pm

Inspired by the book When Breath Becomes Air by Mr.. Paul Kalanithi (who was a resident in neurosurgery when he died of lung cancer before completing his residency), Ilaria will talk about her identity as a daughter to her parents and as a scientist in a corporation and how the Dharma teachings guide her in these two important aspects of her life.

Ilaria Tassi is originally from Rome, Italy and moved to St Louis, MO, in 2003 to be trained as scientist in Immunology. She began her zen practice in Washington DC with the All Beings Zen Sangha in 2012. Where she studied with Rev. Inryu Bobbi Ponce-Barger. In April of 2016 she received Jukai with Roshi Dairyu Michael Wenger and Inryu Bobbi Ponce-Barger officiating.

Since 2014 she has lived in San Francisco, where she works as a scientist in a start-up company that is working to find cures to neuro-degenerative diseases. She currently practices at the San Francisco Zen Center with Anshin Rosalie Curtis and at Dragon’s Leap Meditation Center with Roshi Dairyu Michael Wenger.

Photo by Muhammad Alhawagri

Guest Dharma Teacher,  Roshi Kotatsu John Bailes to offer  a Dharma talk on Dogen Zenji’s “Ocean Mudra Samadhi”.

Sunday April 30th 2pm

Soto Zen Priest, Kotatsu John Bailes practiced Zen at the San Francisco Zen Center from the age of 19 to 32, 1972 through 1984. He was ordained a Zen Priest by Richard Baker Roshi in 1977, lived at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, a Zen monastery, for three years, practiced at Green Gulch Farm and the City Center in San Francisco during which time he held various positions from garbage man to Abbot’s Assistant and “Head” of the Zendo.

From 1984 until 2004 he practiced as an ordinary citizen while receiving a degree in International Political Economy from Harvard University, developing the Investment Advisory and Securities Division of a regional financial planning firm in the Boston area, marrying the visual artist Jesa Damora in 1989, participating in a sailboat race around the world in 2000 – 01 and becoming a professional sailboat captain, USCG 100 Ton Sail, RYA Yacht Master Ocean, and sailing about all over the world.

In 2004 John returned to community dharma practice, received the precepts from and was recognized and acknowledged as a Zen Teacher by Zoketsu Norman Fischer who invited him to participate in the Everyday Zen Community, the Red Cedar Zen Community of Bellingham, Washington, where he was Shuso, Head Monk, and the Mountain Rain Zen Community of Vancouver BC all of whom so kindly adopted him and helped him Open to this One Heart of Being. We cannot do this alone.

Kotatsu currently resides in Somerville, MA and is the guiding teacher for the Monmouth Zen Circle/Compassion Ocean Sangha in NJ.

RSVP: inryu@allbeingszen.org

Both photos courtesy of Carlos Moura