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Wed, Mar 22, 2023
The Wednesday Drop-in group is a weekly event, now in person, that goes from 7:10 to 9:00 PM. It includes a 30-minute period of Zazen meditation and a brief service in the zendo, followed by tea and refreshments and an hour of reading and discussion in the Community Room. The group particularly welcomes newcomers to Zen Buddhist practice and/or new to Berkeley Zen Center. It also provides an opportunity for practitioners to sit and study together on an ongoing basis. We meet every Wednesday except for the five-day Spring Practice Period sesshin(retreat) in June, the annual seven-day Buddha’s Enlightenment sesshin in December and during the two-week interim period during the December holidays. We also maintain a google group to share reading materials we are studying, announce other BZC events and issues related to logistics. The groups is facilitated by a BZC Priest, Ikushin Gerry Oliva. Gerry can be contacted at gryoliva@gmail.com for further information.
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Thu, Mar 23, 2023
Class on Dogen’s “Eight Awakenings”
Please join Susan Marvin in a study of Eihei Dogen’s “Eight Awakenings of Great Beings” (Hachi Dainin Gaku), the last fascicle in the Shobogenzo, written in 1253, just before his death. This fascicle is as relevant today as it was in Dogen’s time, since it points all of us to important, accessible points of practice in our life right now.
The classes will focus on how we Zen lay practitioners relate and wake up to these Awakenings in our lives today. Translations will be sent out in advance of the first class.
The class will be held online only on three Thursdays: March 9, 16, and 23, 7:15‒ 8:45 p.m. The fee for the class is $30, or whatever you can afford. You may leave a check in the donation slot at BZC or use the “Generosity” tab on the website and click the “classes and sesshins” link. Please make a note that your payment is for Susan’s class on the “Eight Awakenings.”
Please register for the class by clicking this link in order to receive class material: https://forms.gle/e3XstiEFVp98YWvc80
For more information, contact Susan Marvin (lai_hang@yahoo.com) or Ryushin Andrea Thach (andrea.thach@gmail.com).
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Sat, Mar 25, 2023
We will be holding a one-day sesshin on Saturday, March 25, 7:50 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The sesshin will be offered in-person as well as online. A sign-up form will be posted on the website several weeks prior to the sesshin, and the deadline for registration is Thursday, March 22.
To Register, click here:
https://forms.gle/6LMs5NZA226z1RJ18
This sesshin will follow our recent schedule, with three periods of zazen in the morning followed by a dharma talk, and then three periods of zazen in the afternoon. There will be a midday break for lunch, rest, and work period. Participants are expected to bring their own lunch or dine locally.
This streamlined schedule is intended to minimize possible transmission of Covid or other seasonal viruses. For all in-person participants, Covid protocols will apply. You must be fully vaccinated and boostered, and wear a KN94, N95, or KN95 mask indoors. We also ask that you get tested within 48 hours of the start of sesshin (an antigen rapid test will suffice), and that you shift to online participation if you have any Covid symptoms such as fever, cough, etc.
When paying for sesshin, please indicate on your check or in the PayPal note field that your donation is for the March 25 sesshin. The suggested donation is $15 per day, or whatever you can afford. Mail a check to the BZC Office Manager at 1931 Russell St., Berkeley 94703, or pay through the website using the “Sits/Classes” tab on the Donate page. Please also consider an additional donation to BZC above the suggested fee, to help us maintain our practice.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the sesshin director, Rob Lyons, at dharmawork@yahoo.com.
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Sat, Mar 25, 2023
Saturday Morning Schedule
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Sun, Mar 26, 2023
Our semi-annual all-sangha meeting will take place Sunday, March 26, 7:00–8:30 p.m. on Zoom. This is an important meeting where the BZC Board presents the 2023 budget and asks for the members’ approval. There are two substantial expense items in the proposed budget this year, designed to ensure the sustainability of our BZC leadership and of our buildings and property. You can join the meeting through the online zendo link. If you have any questions, please contact Karen Sundheim at ksundheim@gmail.com.