Valley Sounds, Mountain Colors Ango
Fall 2025 Ango Calendar of Events
Theme: Dogen Zenji’s “Valley Sounds, Mountain Colors” fascicle Keisei Sanshoku 谿声山色
Ango Period: Thursday, September 11 – Sunday, December 21
ᨒ September ᨒ
Thursday, September 11 7pm : Shuso Entering Ceremony & Start of Fall Ango 2025
Tuesday, September 23: Tuesday Tea at 2pm “Valley Sounds, Mountain Colors: Introduction and Comments” – by Seiryū Paula
Saturday, September 27, 2pm: Foraging Workshop, led by Sven Andes, location: All Beings Zen Library (near Urban Zendo location). Please RSVP by contacting zenjoyclay@gmail.com
“Nature is bountiful if we take care of it! Come learn about the wonderful things we can forage in nature from the DMV area. The workshop is an introduction to foraging with respect to the land, including how we can build understanding of our surrounding environment and cultivate positive relationships with land through the art of foraging. Participants will be able to test out their new knowledge through a hands-on activity, and get to try tasty, foraged mushrooms.”
Sunday, September 28: Forest Bathing led by Zen’etsu Clay – Rock Creek Park (meet up at red dot – see map below). Parking is available adjacent to the Rock Creek Community Garden, time 2pm – Please RSVP by contacting Zen’etsu via email zenjoyclay@gmail.com
ᨒ October ᨒ
Thursday, October 9, 7:00pm: After a shortened period of zazen, Zen’etsu Clay will give a Way Seeking Mind Talk. In person and online. To join via zoom use this link. If asked for a password use 613535
Tuesday, October 14: Tuesday Tea at 2pm “Direct Experiencing and Gestalt Awareness Practice” – led by Glen Bradley (they/Glen). Online only
Glen, who is a Gestalt psychotherapist (Licensed Professional Counselor) in Washington DC, will present on an awareness process from Gestalt psychotherapy called Gestalt Awareness Practice. It’s a secular spiritual practice inspired by the Zen philosophy of “direct experiencing” through somatic embodied expression without (or with minimal) verbal language. The process is a path toward accessing emotions and energetic content through somatic means and embodied expression.
Friday, October 17: Dharma Movie Night 7pm: “Wendy” Urban Zendo
Saturday, October 18: Zazenkai, 10 am – 4 pm, Urban Zendo
9:00 Welcome and explanation of the Jundo and then people will begin the first period of Zazen
9:10am Robe Chant follwed by 40 minute peirod of Zazen
9:40am Kinhin (slow walking)
9:50am Zazen
10:20 Kinhin
10:30 Zazen
11:00 Outdoor Kinhin, Dharma Study or Zazen
11:40am Kinhin indoors
11:50 Zazen
12:15am Oryoki instruction
12:30pm Lunch –Formal Oryoki
1:30pm Lunch clean up/break
1:40pm Outdoor walk (weather permiting) or Dharma study
2:15 Tea and Cookies/Dharma Discussion
3:10pm Kinhin (slow walking meditation)
3:20pm 30 minute period of Zazen
3:50pm Closing Chant
4:00 End of Zazenkai
Tuesday, October 21: Tuesday Tea at 2pm “The Vanishing of Rose B” – Book talk led by the author Nancy Garruba. online only
ᨒ November ᨒ
Sunday, November 2: Sejiki Ceremony 4pm Eastern – Bringing Peace to the Departed,
This yearly ceremony honors everyone who has passed away, all our friends and loved ones, all those we revere, and all those who are forgotten by others. We especially want to name and honor those who have passed away over the last year. During the ceremony, we dedicate the merit to those who are at rest. It brings comfort to those who may be ill at ease and unsettled. Outdoor afternoon ceremony in Van Ness NW DC neighborhood with potluck meal following.
Tuesday, November 4: Dharma Tea on Tuesday Tea at 2pm- 2:45pm Shinren Mark will discuss Eihei Dogen’s teaching that every moment is a full expression of all existence, containing past, present, and future simultaneously. This perspective may offer valuable insights into the felt experience of our zazen meditation. Shinren, a longtime member of All Beings Zen Sangha, shares meditation practices with the underserved in DC. online only Use this link to join If asked for a password use 493323
Friday, November 7: Dharma Movie Night: “Amongst the White Clouds”
7pm Dharma Movie Night: “Amongst the White Clouds” Urban Zendo. This documentary by writer/director Edward Burger is a beautiful, contemplative journey exploring the practices of Chinese hermits living in the Zhongnan Mountains.
Saturday, November 8: ABZS Board of Directors meeting, online only. Use this link to join If asked for a password use 493323
Saturday, November 8: Book Swap, Library backyard. In person. A dharma book collecting dust on your shelf? Bring it to the 2nd annual All Beings Zen Book Swap. The fun event allows participants to engage in a white elephant style book swap. Hot cider and cookies provided. 10-11:30am Eastern RSVP with Zen’etsu.
claaybird@gmail.com
Thursday, November 13:
Thursday, November 13: Shodo Spring gives a talk at All Beings Zen on her newest book “Open Reality: Meeting the Polycrisis Together With All Beings”, online and in person. To join us online via zoom use this link. If asked for a password use 493323
Friday, November 14- Sunday, November 16: 2-Day, 2-Night Retreat: Paw Paw, West Virginia
Saturday, November 22: Half Day Retreat at Blue Ridge Farm Upperville VA. All Beings Zen Sangha joins the Pig Shed Zendo Sangha for a half day 8am-noon. Zen retreat. The drive from the ABZS urban Zendo to the Pig Shed Zendo is approximately 1.5 hours. We will have 3 periods of outdoor Zazen with Kinhin intervals and share a potluck brunch up at the farm house. Carpooling available from the city. Image below is from our last visit in spring 2025. All are welcome. RSVP with Eishin Mike at: blue.ridge4@gmail.com.
ᨒ December ᨒ
Monday, December 1 – Sunday, December 7: Rohatsu Sesshin
This is our annual 7 day Zen Retreat in Observance of the Awakening of Shakyamuni Buddha. There are some spaces available for overnight participants. All food served will be vegan and served and eaten in the Oryoki style. Commuter participants are welcome to weave in and out of the activities each day as their schedules allow. Good times to join the schedule are breaks and during kinhin. Please let Sensei Inryū know when you hope to attend so that we can plan for meals and seating in the zendo. Please consider offering your time or financial support to create the conditions for these types of offerings to continue.
| December 1-6, 2025 |
| 6:30 – 7:10 Zazen |
| 7:10- 8:00 Morning Service |
| 8:00-9:30 Breakfast Morning Break |
| 9:30- 10:30 Morning Walk or indoor exercise/Monday will be room assignments and stashing gear |
| 10:30 – 11:00 Dharma Talk |
| 11:00-11:30 Zazen |
| 11:30-11:40 Kinhin |
| 11:40- 12:15 Zazen |
| 12:15-1:15 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 |
| 4:25-4:55 Zazen |
| 4:55 – 5:00 Service/Sunday closing ceremony |
| 5:00 – 6:30 Dinner Evening Break |
| 6:30 – 7:00 Zazen |
| 7:00 – 7: 10 Evening Service |
| 7:10-7:40 Zazen |
| 7:40-7:45 Kinhin |
| 7:45-8:15 Zazen |
| 8:15 Refuges |
| December 7th, 2025 |
| 6:30 – 7:10 Zazen |
| 7:10- 8:00 Morning Service |
| 8:00-9:30 Breakfast Morning Break |
| 9:30- 10:30 Morning Walk or indoor exercise/Monday will be room assignments and stashing gear |
| 10:30 – 11:00 Dharma Talk |
| 11:00-11:30 Zazen |
| 11:30-11:40 Kinhin |
| 11:40- 12:15 Zazen |
| 12:15-1:15 Lunch |
| 1:15-1:30 Outdoor Kinhin/or Dharma Study |
| 1:30-2:30 WorkPractice |
| 2:30- 3:00 Explaination of Shosan Ceremony |
| 3:00-3:10 Kinhin |
| 3:10 -3: 40 Zazen |
| 3:40 — 3:50 Kinhin |
| 3:50-4:20 Zazen |
| 4:20 – Shosan Ceremony/108 Heart Sutra/Photographs/ Refuges/ End of Sesshin |
| Open |
| 6:30 informal potluck/Sesshin leftovers in 412 |
Thursday, December 4 7pm: Suzuki Roshi Memorial Service
Friday, December 19 7pm: Dharma Movie Night: “Flow”
Sunday, December 21: End of Ango: Shuso Hossen Ceremony, Winter Solstice Ceremony
Contact Inryū, Seido or Zen’etsu if you can volunteer to support the Ango
RSVP for Sesshin as soon as possible
