Six members of All Beings Zen Sangha joined the One Heart Sangha for a wonderful Early Fall Sesshin at Holy Trinity Retreat Center in Pikesville MD. A strong and dedicated practice was in evidence! We all enjoyed the Kinhin outside in the beautiful surrounds of the retreat center buildings. Sensei Barbara Craig, Sensei Rose Mary Dougherty and Rev. Inryu Bobbi Ponce-Barger co-lead the retreat.
Tag: Holy Trinity Retreat Center
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Afternoon Tea and Dharma Discussion on May 11, 2021 2pm EDT
Discussion Topic for Tuesday Tea at Two on May 11, 2021 2PM EDT – Death Poems.
It is not unusual in contemplative spiritual practices for people to compose a death poem. These are often a gift to those left behind and very often a window into the wisdom and compassion derived from contemplated old age, sickness and death. Today we will look at two classic death poems for different eras as well as other related poetry as our topic. Please feel welcome to join us for a rich discussion.
Join with this link If asked for a password use this 983841
Death poem of Zen Master Keizan (considered the second Japanese Soto Zen Lineage).
“This peaceful rice-field that one has cultivated by oneself, however often one has gone to sell or buy (rice) is as a virgin land. Young sprouts and spiritual seeds, infinitely, ripen and shed (their leaves). Ascending the Dharma Hall, I see men holding a hoe in their hands.” Then throwing away his brush, Keizan passed away.
Keizan —1325
Here is Abbot Myogen Steve Stucky’s “death poem (March 6, 1946 – December 31, 2013),” which was on the altar in the room where is body was laid out.
This human body truly is the entire cosmos
Each breath of mine, is equally one of yours, my darling
This tender abiding in “my” life
Is the fierce glowing fire of inner earth
Linking with all pre-phenomena
Flashing to the distant horizon
From “right here now” to “just this”
Now the horizon itself
Drops away—
Bodhi!
Svaha.Myogen ——12/27/13
The discussion will be lead by All Beings Zen Sangha
Guiding Teacher Rev. Inryū Poncē-Barger, Sensei.
All Are Welcome
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Dharma Study Tea and Discussion at 2pm EDT May 4, 2021
Please join us for a cup of tea and dharma discussion today at 2pm EDT in our cloud zendo.
Use this link to join. If asked for a password use 003961
Today the discussion will be lead by our Guiding Teacher Inryū Poncé-Barger, Sensei on the topic of “Hearing the Bell, sound and practice”. Together we can explore what sounds tune us into being in the present moment.
2pm – *5 Minutes of silently drinking tea together begins the gathering*
Conclusion at 2:45pm
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Dharma Tea at Two pm EDT Today , Tuesday April 27th, 2021 – Lead by Inryū Poncé-Barger, Sensei
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
Today the discussion will be lead by our Guiding Teacher Inryū Poncé-Barger, Sensei on the topic of “Taking care of the body as a gate of practice”. Together we can explore questions around what are healthy practices and what challenges arise in caring for the physical body
2pm – *5 Minutes of silently drinking tea together begins the gathering*
Conclusion at 2:45pm
Image is from the Fall 2016 Practice Period at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center and taken by Inryū Sensei when she was the men’s bath house attendant during that Practice Period.
To listen to Inryū Sensei’s talk from last Thursday April 22, 2021 on the related topic of “Taking care of the body as a Dharma gate of Practice: personal intimacy with all things” you can use the below link.
Meeting Recording:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/zvc0d1_nakGVIrmStW0SzAWS3GpFD6594pXzVEsn2S2Qc9KVyCt355fTXElupuee.g8z3ftTgZVraB9kuAccess Passcode: d90e@9zA
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Dharma Tea on Tuesday at 2pm for April 6, 2021 EDT
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
Today the discussion will be lead by the Most Recent Former Shuso Shōryū Chris Leader on the topic of “intensity of feeling during Zazen”.
2pm – *5 Minutes of silently drinking tea together begins the gathering*
Conclusion at 2:45pm
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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