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Celebrating Martin Luther King Day

We will be commemorating the MLK holiday again this year by having a special program at BZC on Monday, January 21, from 8:30 a.m. till 1:00 p.m. Our program will begin with sitting, followed by a short talk on the legacy and dharma of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his vision of “Beloved Community.” We will then have small group dialogues to reflect on these themes and explore ways BZC can engage in partnership with our neighbors on issues of diversity and inclusion. Our time together will include tea and treats as we continue our conversation. This will be followed by two community service projects.

One project will be setting up a table on Russell Street to invite passersby to create peace prayers and memorial messages honoring those who have died through violence. We then will invite and assist in placing these messages on our streetside Peace Tree. Our second project will be cleaning streets in the immediate neighborhood.

The MLK Day program will be led by Gerry Oliva and Judy Fleischman.

Sewing Buddha’s Robe

Sewing your rakusu in preparation for receiving the precepts at the end of the annual practice period is an opportunity for deepening your practice and relationship with the sangha. Each year as the sewing class participants engage in the devotional practice of sewing and study the precepts together, they prepare themselves for receiving their robe and dharma name from their teachers.  The ceremony is a both a time to affirm aspirations to continue practicing and to celebrate with the sangha coming together to support this important event.
If you are interested in preparing for Lay Ordination in 2019, sewing class starts on January 14. Classes are open to those who have asked their teacher if they may participate. Please speak with Sojun Mel Weitsman or Hozan Alan Senauke by the first week in January, and then promptly contact the sewing teacher, Jean Selkirk: sewingteacher.bzc@ gmail.com.
Check the bulletin board for further announcements.

A New Baby Buddha

On Monday morning, December 10, our dharma brother Jed Appelman was ordained as a Zen priest by Sojun Roshi. The zendo was packed, even when the ceremony began at 5:40 a.m. Sangha members, family, and Quaker friends all gathered to see Jed receive his monk’s robes and bowls. On the occasion of this ordination, Sojun Roshi gave Jed a new dharma name to go with his new clothes: Tokusan Jakusho, which means Mountain of Virtue/Serene Illumination. We rejoice with Jed on this auspicious turning of his life.

Leadership Celebration

We would like to invite sangha members to a celebration of service in leadership January 5, 2019, after the lecture during our tea and cookies. Several people will be rotating out of leadership positions in January, after dedi­cated service. Stan Dewey, Mark Copithorne, and Katy Guimond are leaving the Board, and Ross Blum is retiring as coordinator (being replaced by Gerry Oliva). Come share cake and tea!

Two-Day Study Sesshin

Sojun Roshi will lead this year’s study sesshin from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 16, and 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 17. Each day will include zazen, oryoki meals, soji, and two daily study and discussion sessions. Our study subject will be posted on the bulletin board. Any readings will be available on the bulletin board shelf in advance of the sesshin. The sesshin fee is $35 per day. Place checks marked “2019 Study Sesshin” in the slot in the laundry room door or mail to BZC Office Manager at 1931 Russell St., Berkeley 94703. Sign-up sheet will be posted on the bulletin board. For further information on any of these sesshins, please contact

Sesshin Director Gary Artim (510-676-9756 or sesshindirectorbzc@gmail.com).

Beginners’ Sesshin

Though Zen practice has no beginning or end, new people sometimes find the forms daunting, and more experienced students can value refreshment and learn about forms in greater detail. This sitting, led by Sojun Roshi, is an opportunity for new and old practitioners to invigorate our beginner’s mind. The focus will be on the basics of Suzuki Roshi’s practice: zazen, kinhin, and bowing.

The sesshin will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 27. Though shorter than usual, the rhythm of sitting will be similar to our regular schedules, with lecture, a short work period, tea and discussion. Plan to attend the entire day. Please bring a bag lunch—we will not be cooking a meal or doing oryoki. The sesshin fee is $25. Place checks marked “Beginner’s Sesshin” in the slot in the laundry room door or mail to BZC Office Manager at 1931 Russell St., Berkeley 94703.

First Sesshin of 2019

Taking the time to sit still after all the holiday and year-end activity is a great way to begin the New Year. The first sesshin of 2019, led by Hozan Alan Senauke, will take place on Saturday, January 12, from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. We encourage old and new sangha members to participate. If this is your first sesshin at BZC, we recommend that you first participate in a full Saturday program and also speak with the sesshin director. Please check the patio bulletin board for the sesshin sign-up sheet, the sesshin infor­ma­tion forms, and further information. The sesshin fee is $35. Place checks marked “January 12 Sesshin” in the slot in the laundry room door or mail to BZC Office Manager, 1931 Russell St., Berkeley 94703. The deadline for signing up and payment is Wednesday morning, January 9, after zazen.

Oryoki Training

The next lesson in our formal meal procedures (“oryoki”) will be Saturday, September 22, 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m, in the community room. If you would like to schedule another time to learn or fine-tune your oryoki practice, contact Sue Oehser at soehser@earthlink.net or 510-339-0243 (voice only).

Doan/Fukudo/Kokyo Refresher

Sojun Roshi will be holding a Doanryo Refresher at 11:30 a.m. on September 22 (right after the Saturday program). Doans, fukudos, and kokyos: Please try to attend this meeting to refresh and refine your practice, especially if you did not attend the previous refresher on August 25.

Revisions to BZC’s Ethics Guidelines

Two substantive changes have been made by the Board to our Ethics Guidelines. The first change is a clarification about the expectations for maintaining boundaries between people at BZC. The second change is the addition of a section about avoiding abusive speech.
These changes are the result of many dis­cussions in the HEAR committee, which made recommendations to the Board. At the last Board meeting these changes were ratified.
Here is the full text of the two sections rewritten for clarity:

 

Teacher Relationships to Students

Over the years, as we look at ourselves and other practice communities, we have come to understand that spiritual and psychological harm can often result when teachers and students become sexually involved, violate trusts, or use power and/or position for per­sonal gain or manipulation. Such harm can damage the whole community.
At Berkeley Zen Center, all the priests and the lay practice leaders (i.e. lay leaders who offer practice discussion and/or give dharma talks) have made a commitment to conduct relationships in accord with the Bodhisattva precepts. Because of this commitment, the responsibility for maintaining appropriate and clear boundaries always rests with the priest/ practice leader. They will respect and protect the personal autonomy of all students, and refrain from sexual involvement with students.
If a priest or lay practice leader decides nevertheless to pursue a sexual relationship with another sangha member, a process will be initiated to determine what changes in her/his role in the community may be necessary. It is in the interest of all concerned that both parties first seek guidance and counsel from their teacher, the HEAR Committee, and/or the senior student group.


Relationships with Students
New to BZC Practice

We want to offer an environment where new practitioners can develop their own relationship with practice and with the sangha, free from discrimination or social pressure. We request all BZC members to be mindful of the benefit for a new student in not being distracted from the primary activity of establishing their own practice.
All members in leadership positions, and those who have responsibilities which could reasonably be perceived as leadership roles (for example, members and officers of the BZC Board of Directors; members of the HEAR Committee; BZC residents and priests; Saturday directors; sesshin directors; the coordinator; the office manager; the tenzo; the zendo manager; shusos; benjis; senior students; front seat persons) are expected to abstain from sexual relationships with new BZC students during the new students’ first year of practice.

 

Anyone having questions about how this guideline is implemented may speak with their teacher, or any member of the HEAR Commit­tee.

And here is the new section:


Avoiding Abusive Speech

BZC members should reasonably expect to practice in a supportive and harmonious environment. How we speak and act with one another is an expression of that harmony. Toward that end, we make every effort not to use words that create discord, and to reconcile and resolve our conflicts, small or large.
Verbal abuse and violence are not accept­able at BZC. Verbal abuse includes shouting, chewing out, blowing up, threats, humiliation, undermining, verbal manipulation, and ad hominem attacks. Abusive speech has wide effect, both for parties to the conflict who may be traumatized, and for witnesses. Members are not expected to work with other sangha members who demonstrate an ongoing pattern of harsh or hostile language.
This applies to everyone at BZC, irrespec­tive of position or seniority. Those holding a practice position are expected to understand that abusive speech and anger are not accept­able expressions of direction or leadership. Failure to uphold a standard of patience and kindness is a ground for suspension of sangha responsibilities.
Conflict, of course, is inevitable and can be creative. But violence of any kind divides and traumatizes. How we work together is as important as accomplishing the task at hand.

You can find the complete Ethics Guide­­­lines at our website: berkeleyzencenter.org. A copy is also located on the courtyard bulletin board. If you have questions, please feel free to talk to any member of the HEAR committee: Stan Dewey (chair),  Gerry Oliva, Thomas Painter, Penelope Thompson, Mary Duryee, Vice Abbot Hozan Senauke, ex officio.