Events in January 2022
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Zendo Holiday - Informal Zazen Only Zendo Holiday - Informal Zazen Only
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Sat, Jan 1, 2022 -
Open Discussion Open Discussion
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Mon, Jan 3, 2022There will be an open discussion in the online zendo right after a shorter period of zazen:
7:30 am: zazen
8:00 am: open discussion
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Wednesday Night Drop In Sitting and Study -
Sojun Roshi Annual Memorial Sojun Roshi Annual Memorial
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Fri, Jan 7, 2022On Friday morning, January 7, at 7:30 a.m. we will observe the one-year memorial for our late teacher Hakuryu Sojun Daiosho. This first annual memorial ceremony will follow the form of our annual Suzuki Roshi Memorial, which takes place on December 4.
The simple form is ten minutes of zazen, bowing, making an offering, and chanting the Sandokai. Following that, Abbot Hozan will offer memorial verses, and all members present (on Zoom) will have an opportunity to speak to or about Sojun Roshi, or just to bow in respect.
In time, we will offer an in-person formal memorial ceremony for Sojun. As you know, the field of Sojun Roshi’s teaching and the number of people who felt close to him is vast. Because of pandemic restrictions, we have not been able to find a space that could accommodate the numbers who will want to attend such a ceremony. We have been in touch with the abbots of San Francisco Zen Center and the staff at Green Gulch, and we are thinking about when and how to do this safely. Meanwhile, we hope to see you on January 7.
Way-Seeking Mind Talk: Mauro Sifuentes Way-Seeking Mind Talk: Mauro Sifuentes
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Fri, Jan 7, 2022There will be a way-seeking mind talk in the online zendo at the time of the usual Friday afternoon zazen:
5:40 pm: zazen
5:45: talkWay-Seeking Mind at Berkeley Zen Center
“Way-Seeking Mind” talks by practitioners at Berkeley Zen Center have been a regular event on Monday mornings for more than thirty years. Each of us came to Zen practice as a seeker, with a spirit of inquiry. Each of us arrives at BZC from our own diverse backgrounds—social, familial, educational, religious, and so on. The idea of our way-seeking mind talks is for students to share how it is that they came to practice. Each person tells his or her own story in a unique way that often blends autobiography, spiritual biography, and the practice questions that each of us is engaged with.
The talks are by invitation, and last about twenty-five minutes, including time for presentation and short question & answer period. For newer students, this is a chance to meet and hear those we are sitting with. Those invited to talk have been sitting steadily at BZC; for them it is an opportunity to tell their story and be seen and heard. One of the teachers or senior students is available for advice in shaping one's talk, should that be useful.
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Lecture: Hozan Alan Senauke Lecture: Hozan Alan Senauke
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Sat, Jan 8, 2022Saturday Program Link (ie, Online Zendo)
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- Zendo opens: 8:30 am
- Zazen: 8:40 – 9:20
- Service: 9:20 – 9:30
- Kinhin/break 9:30 – 9:40
- Zazen: 9:40 – 10:10
- Lecture: 10:15 – 11:15
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Meeting ID: 657 798 2914
Passcode: bzc -
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Online Informal Tea with the Abbot Online Informal Tea with the Abbot
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Sun, Jan 9, 2022Beginning on Sunday, January 9, 7:00‒8:00 p.m., Abbot Hozan will resume offering small informal “tea gatherings.” If you are interested in participating, please email Hannah Meara: hmeara@gmail.com.
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Way-Seeking Mind Talk: Nick Robinson Way-Seeking Mind Talk: Nick Robinson
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Mon, Jan 10, 2022There will be a Zoom student talk in the online zendo right after a shorter period of zazen:
7:30 am: zazen
8:00 am: way-seeking mind talk
What is a "way-seeking mind" talk? See below.
Way-Seeking Mind at Berkeley Zen Center
“Way-Seeking Mind” talks by practitioners at Berkeley Zen Center have been a regular event on Monday mornings for more than thirty years. Each of us came to Zen practice as a seeker, with a spirit of inquiry. Each of us arrives at BZC from our own diverse backgrounds—social, familial, educational, religious, and so on. The idea of our way-seeking mind talks is for students to share how it is that they came to practice. Each person tells his or her own story in a unique way that often blends autobiography, spiritual biography, and the practice questions that each of us is engaged with.
The talks are by invitation, and last about twenty-five minutes, including time for presentation and short question & answer period. For newer students, this is a chance to meet and hear those we are sitting with. Those invited to talk have been sitting steadily at BZC; for them it is an opportunity to tell their story and be seen and heard. One of the teachers or senior students is available for advice in shaping one's talk, should that be useful.
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Wednesday Night Drop In Sitting and Study Parent/Guardian Dharma Study and Support Group Parent/Guardian Dharma Study and Support Group
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Wed, Jan 12, 2022New in 2022! We're launching an online parent dharma group (to become in person with childcare when Covid allows). The idea is for us to support each other in holding and growing our parenting as an expression of practice. The theme for our first meeting is Taking Refuge in Buddha.
We will meet on the 2nd Wednesdays at 8 pm. I am convening the group, and it will include visits by other BZC practice leaders.
Upcoming meetings:May 11
Note - NO MEETING June 8Note that this meeting will not be in the main Online Zendo, but in the room where we offer Zazen Instruction - link is on the website below the Online Zendo link on the home page, and will be sent to those who let me know they are coming.
If interested in joining us, or for more information, email Laurie Senauke (lauriesenauke@gmail.com)
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Class on the Three Doors of Liberation Class on the Three Doors of Liberation
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Thu, Jan 13, 2022Class on the Three Doors of Liberation
Hozan will offer a four-session online study on this classic teaching—the Three Doors of Liberation—on Thursday evenings, 7:15 to 8:45, January 13 through February 3.
Zen Master Yoka Genkaku’s Shodoka/Song of Enlightenment begins with this verse:
There is the leisurely one,
Walking the Way, beyond philosophy,
Not avoiding fantasy, not seeking truth.
The real nature of ignorance is the Buddha-nature itself;
The empty delusory body is the very body of the Dharma.These Zen verses remind us of the Three Doors of Liberation: Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness. While we have never studied these practices in detail, Sojun gave a rich lecture on them towards the end of his life. They feature prominently in the teaching of Thich Nhat Hanh and others in Theravada and Mahayana lineages. More to the point, the Three Doors of Liberation help us see the whole of our life as practice that is easeful, fluid, and ever-changing. Please join us for these classes, which will include study and reflection on our own embodiment of freedom.
The suggested donation is $40 for the series (or $10 per class). You may donate by check or via the website. If you donate using the website, click on Sits/Classes (under the Generosity tab) and please include a note indicating that you are paying for "Hozan's Thursday class".
Resource Links:
https://www.lionsroar.com/the-doors-of-liberation-may-2014/
https://berkeleyzencenter.org/dharma-talk/sojun-mel-weitsman-three-doors-of-liberation/
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One-Day Sesshin One-Day Sesshin
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Sat, Jan 15, 2022Abbot Hozan will lead our first two sesshins of the year on Saturday, January 15, and on Saturday, February 19. The January sesshin will be on Zoom and will take place from 7:40 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The February sesshin’s format is yet to be determined. Taking the time to gather body and mind after holiday and year-end activities is a sound way to begin the new year. We encourage sangha members and friends to participate.
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/Tq8dryQYXubswxzC7
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the sesshin director, Blake Tolbert, at sesshin@berkeleyzencenter.org.
When paying for either sesshin, please indicate on your check or in the PayPal note field that your donation is for the “January Sesshin.” The suggested donation is $15 for each sesshin, or whatever you can afford. Mail a check to BZC Office Manager, 1931 Russell St., Berkeley, CA 94703, or pay through the website using the “Sits/Classes” tab on the Donate page. Please consider a donation to Berkeley Zen Center above the suggested fee to help us maintain our practice.
Lecture: Hozan Alan Senauke Lecture: Hozan Alan Senauke
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Sat, Jan 15, 2022Saturday Program Link (ie, Online Zendo)
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- Zendo opens: 8:30 am
- Zazen: 8:40 – 9:20
- Service: 9:20 – 9:30
- Kinhin/break 9:30 – 9:40
- Zazen: 9:40 – 10:10
- Lecture: 10:15 – 11:15
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Meeting ID: 657 798 2914
Passcode: bzc -
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Martin Luther King, Jr Neighborhood Engagement Martin Luther King, Jr Neighborhood Engagement
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Mon, Jan 17, 2022On January 17 we will be commemorating the MLK holiday again this year by having a special program at BZC. On Zoom, we will have a 7:30 a.m. zazen period followed by a short talk by Hozan on the legacy and Dharma of Dr. King. We will then have the opportunity to reflect on these themes and explore ways BZC can engage in partnership with our neighbors on issues of diversity and inclusion. This part of the program will end by 8:45.
This will be followed at 9:30 by an in-person community service project where we can assist in the upkeep of our neighborhood, particularly focusing, as we have in the past, on the often neglected end of our block. We’ll let our neighbors know of our plans and they are welcome to join if they wish. Details to follow.
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Wednesday Night Drop In Sitting and Study -
Class on the Three Doors of Liberation Class on the Three Doors of Liberation
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Thu, Jan 20, 2022Class on the Three Doors of Liberation
Hozan will offer a four-session online study on this classic teaching—the Three Doors of Liberation—on Thursday evenings, 7:15 to 8:45, January 13 through February 3.
Zen Master Yoka Genkaku’s Shodoka/Song of Enlightenment begins with this verse:
There is the leisurely one,
Walking the Way, beyond philosophy,
Not avoiding fantasy, not seeking truth.
The real nature of ignorance is the Buddha-nature itself;
The empty delusory body is the very body of the Dharma.These Zen verses remind us of the Three Doors of Liberation: Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness. While we have never studied these practices in detail, Sojun gave a rich lecture on them towards the end of his life. They feature prominently in the teaching of Thich Nhat Hanh and others in Theravada and Mahayana lineages. More to the point, the Three Doors of Liberation help us see the whole of our life as practice that is easeful, fluid, and ever-changing. Please join us for these classes, which will include study and reflection on our own embodiment of freedom.
The suggested donation is $40 for the series (or $10 per class). You may donate by check or via the website. If you donate using the website, click on Sits/Classes (under the Generosity tab) and please include a note indicating that you are paying for "Hozan's Thursday class".
Resource Links:
https://www.lionsroar.com/the-doors-of-liberation-may-2014/
https://berkeleyzencenter.org/dharma-talk/sojun-mel-weitsman-three-doors-of-liberation/
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Lecture: Hannah Meara Lecture: Hannah Meara
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Sat, Jan 22, 2022Saturday Program Link (ie, Online Zendo)
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- Zendo opens: 8:30 am
- Zazen: 8:40 – 9:20
- Service: 9:20 – 9:30
- Kinhin/break 9:30 – 9:40
- Zazen: 9:40 – 10:10
- Lecture: 10:15 – 11:15
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Meeting ID: 657 798 2914
Passcode: bzc -
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Gardening Afternoon Gardening Afternoon
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Sun, Jan 23, 2022f you are fully vaccinated, please join head gardener Mira Queen for time working in the BZC gardens. January is a time for weeding, some pruning, raking up leaves, and general cleanup.We share dharma friendship, snacks, and the delight of maintaining our temple grounds.All Sangha Gathering About Re-opening All Sangha Gathering About Re-opening
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Sun, Jan 23, 2022There will be an All Sangha Meeting on Sunday, January 23 from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. to discuss the reopening of BZC to in-person activities.As the omnicron virus spread is currently rising, the BZC leadership continues to monitor the date of reopening. Please join us! -
Way-Seeking Mind Talk: Jim Erb Way-Seeking Mind Talk: Jim Erb
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Mon, Jan 24, 2022There will be a Zoom student talk in the online zendo right after a shorter period of zazen:
7:30 am: zazen
8:00 am: way-seeking mind talk
What is a "way-seeking mind" talk? See below.
Way-Seeking Mind at Berkeley Zen Center
“Way-Seeking Mind” talks by practitioners at Berkeley Zen Center have been a regular event on Monday mornings for more than thirty years. Each of us came to Zen practice as a seeker, with a spirit of inquiry. Each of us arrives at BZC from our own diverse backgrounds—social, familial, educational, religious, and so on. The idea of our way-seeking mind talks is for students to share how it is that they came to practice. Each person tells his or her own story in a unique way that often blends autobiography, spiritual biography, and the practice questions that each of us is engaged with.
The talks are by invitation, and last about twenty-five minutes, including time for presentation and short question & answer period. For newer students, this is a chance to meet and hear those we are sitting with. Those invited to talk have been sitting steadily at BZC; for them it is an opportunity to tell their story and be seen and heard. One of the teachers or senior students is available for advice in shaping one's talk, should that be useful.
-
Wednesday Night Drop In Sitting and Study -
Class on the Three Doors of Liberation Class on the Three Doors of Liberation
–
Thu, Jan 27, 2022Class on the Three Doors of Liberation
Hozan will offer a four-session online study on this classic teaching—the Three Doors of Liberation—on Thursday evenings, 7:15 to 8:45, January 13 through February 3.
Zen Master Yoka Genkaku’s Shodoka/Song of Enlightenment begins with this verse:
There is the leisurely one,
Walking the Way, beyond philosophy,
Not avoiding fantasy, not seeking truth.
The real nature of ignorance is the Buddha-nature itself;
The empty delusory body is the very body of the Dharma.These Zen verses remind us of the Three Doors of Liberation: Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness. While we have never studied these practices in detail, Sojun gave a rich lecture on them towards the end of his life. They feature prominently in the teaching of Thich Nhat Hanh and others in Theravada and Mahayana lineages. More to the point, the Three Doors of Liberation help us see the whole of our life as practice that is easeful, fluid, and ever-changing. Please join us for these classes, which will include study and reflection on our own embodiment of freedom.
The suggested donation is $40 for the series (or $10 per class). You may donate by check or via the website. If you donate using the website, click on Sits/Classes (under the Generosity tab) and please include a note indicating that you are paying for "Hozan's Thursday class".
Resource Links:
https://www.lionsroar.com/the-doors-of-liberation-may-2014/
https://berkeleyzencenter.org/dharma-talk/sojun-mel-weitsman-three-doors-of-liberation/
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Lecture: Ryushin Andrea Thach Lecture: Ryushin Andrea Thach
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Sat, Jan 29, 2022Saturday Program Link (ie, Online Zendo)
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- Zendo opens: 8:30 am
- Zazen: 8:40 – 9:20
- Service: 9:20 – 9:30
- Kinhin/break 9:30 – 9:40
- Zazen: 9:40 – 10:10
- Lecture: 10:15 – 11:15
-
Meeting ID: 657 798 2914
Passcode: bzc -
-
Way-Seeking Mind Talk: Dean Bradley Way-Seeking Mind Talk: Dean Bradley
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Mon, Jan 31, 2022There will be a Zoom student talk in the online zendo right after a shorter period of zazen:
7:30 am: zazen
8:00 am: way-seeking mind talk
What is a "way-seeking mind" talk? See below.
Way-Seeking Mind at Berkeley Zen Center
“Way-Seeking Mind” talks by practitioners at Berkeley Zen Center have been a regular event on Monday mornings for more than thirty years. Each of us came to Zen practice as a seeker, with a spirit of inquiry. Each of us arrives at BZC from our own diverse backgrounds—social, familial, educational, religious, and so on. The idea of our way-seeking mind talks is for students to share how it is that they came to practice. Each person tells his or her own story in a unique way that often blends autobiography, spiritual biography, and the practice questions that each of us is engaged with.
The talks are by invitation, and last about twenty-five minutes, including time for presentation and short question & answer period. For newer students, this is a chance to meet and hear those we are sitting with. Those invited to talk have been sitting steadily at BZC; for them it is an opportunity to tell their story and be seen and heard. One of the teachers or senior students is available for advice in shaping one's talk, should that be useful.