Category Archives: News

Sejiki—Feeding the Hungry Ghosts

On Saturday, October 28, BZC will again celebrate Sejiki, a traditional Soto Zen ceremony, calling forth and feeding hungry ghosts, spirits of the departed, and hungry ghosts within each of us. Weather permitting, the ceremony will take place outside in the courtyard with an altar filled with fruit, cakes, and other food offerings for the ghosts.  Children are welcome and participate with adults in making loud clashing sounds with noise-makers (some are provided, and you can also bring your own) so that hungry ghosts know they are very welcome. Children and adults are welcome to wear Halloween costumes (or not). Abbot Hozan will lead the ceremony with welcoming music and words.
      At this ceremony we will also read the names of all those who have died since last year’s ceremony. Please send names you wish to be included to Hannah Meara at hmeara@gmail.com.
      The talk and ceremony will start in the zendo at 10:15 a.m. All are welcome to join the work circle at 7:45 to help set up the altar.

Sangha Work Day

On Sunday, October 22, we will be having a Sangha Work Day. The day will open with coffee and pastries at 8:00 a.m., then zazen from 8:15 to 8:40 and work circle at 8:45, with work starting at 9:00. Lunch will be provided by our tenzos from noon until work circle at 12:45 p.m., and we’ll wind up with informal zazen 3:45‒4:00.
      If you would like to join us (or if you have any questions), please contact Greg Denny (greg@techsperience.org or 510- 402-8282). Please also let him know which of the following categories of work you are able to participate in: cleaning; gardening; painting; and simple carpentry or building-related tasks (possibly using tools like drills or saws). Some work may get you dirty. Dress appropriately.

Dharma Transmissions

On Friday evening, July 28, we completed the joyous ceremonies of Dharma Transmission (Shiho) with Hannah Meara (Kijin Seisho— Resolute Love/Clear Illumination) and Carol Paul (Shiken Seigetsu—Clear Intention/Serene Moon). On the same occasion Zenshin Greg  Fain completed these ceremonies with Curtis Fabens (Daishi Zenkai—Great Resolve/ Complete Openness).
Transmission recognizes the maturity of their practice as Soto Zen priests, acknowl­edging their enlightened activity within the sangha. During a week of intensive work and ceremonies, we were supported and literally nourished by dharma sisters and brothers. Bows of gratitude to Shosan Victoria Austin, Nyokai Laurie Senauke, Jean Selkirk, Judith Putnam, John Busch, Susan Marvin, Penelope Luminous Heart Thompson, Liz Horowitz, Preston Evers, Ross Blum, Helen Cheng, Sue Dunlap, and more. Thank you all.
(For more details about these cere­monies, and about the meaning of Dharma Transmis­sion, please see Abbot Hozan’s longer article at the end of this newsletter.)

Carol, Hozan, Hannah

 

 

Aspects of Practice, Fall 2023

All sangha members are warmly invited to join Aspects of Practice, our fall practice period, which will open with a one-day sesshin on Saturday, October 14 (led by Gerry Oliva), and end with a one-day sesshin on Saturday, November 11 (led by Carol Paul). The theme will be the Genjo Koan, which will be studied in four classes on Thursday evenings as well as in Saturday lectures and WSM talks.
Ten senior students will be leading Aspects of Practice. Please consider your schedule and responsibilities in order to determine your participation, and try to attend as much as you can along with zazen.

All events will be held in person as well as online.
Register for Aspects here

Remember: In addition to the Practice Period sign-up, you will need to register separately for each sesshin and for the class.
We look forward to practicing with you during this special yearly time.

Many Communities, One Sangha – Sign Up Now

We are happy to invite all BZC members to participate in the next year of Many Communities, One Sangha, including those who have already taken part in the first session and would like to continue.  The program is offered in hybrid form (both online and in person).  There is a fee of $150 for new participants, which is the actual cost of the materials.  Returning participants are encouraged to provide dana (voluntary donation) for Rhonda’s work with us.  No one will be excluded because of inability to pay or donate.

The link to the form to sign up is:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdC9qUrqM1JW4oifgGhdJLS-sTU1NIRaajK2kvhwpKx4duIWw/viewform?usp=sf_link

The program consists of one meeting a month over ten months:  five meetings with Rhonda, on Saturday afternoon after our usual program with all participants, alternating with five meetings in smaller discussion groups.  While the materials will be the same as those for the first year, we are folding in the suggestions gathered during the first year to streamline and place emphasis on participation and discussion. Each meeting is two to two-and-a-half hours.  Outside reading and watching video segments are additional time commitments of about 5 hours (or less) a month.

We are delighted to announce that Prof. Rhonda Magee will continue to work with us for the coming year 2023-2024.  Rhonda is a lay entrusted teacher in the Soto Zen lineage and law professor at UCSF Law School.  She is the author of The Inner Work of Racial Justice: Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities through Mindfulness.  This is an extraordinary opportunity to come together, to listen, learn, and find a spacious venue for conversations that can be difficult.  The accompanying materials were developed in coordination between East Bay Meditation Center and the Soto Zen Buddhist Association, led by Mushim Ikeda, Crystal Johnson, and Rhonda Magee.

Questions or difficulties with the form?  Contact Mary Duryee, maduryee@icloud.com

Questions about the program? Contact Sonia Tamez, sonictamez@gmail.com or Mary Duryee.

The MCOS coordinating committee:  Karen Sundheim, Heather Sarantis, Luminous Heart, Judy Fleischman, Gerry Oliva, Mary Duryee

Benji Poem for Jumyo Seishin Sue Oehser

Benji Poem
for
Jumyo Seishin Sue Oehser

Here we are again, as always,
for now. Our whole lives
we’ve been praying for peace
and finally the world has grown
quieter than silence. The main gate
squeaks open. In the kitchen,
a carrot is chopped like a finger.
Who ever said that harmony
wouldn’t hurt?

And so we sit together,
the afternoon sun sneaking
through the zendo blinds,
specks of dust tumbling down
streams of light. You see,
our skin is always dying, always
taking flight from the body
and becoming this air
that we breathe.

The Buddha heaves a sigh.
On the altar, the candle flame
burns upright and restless.
What are we waiting for?
we ask ourselves and each other.
What is the orbit of this dream?
Out of the corner of our eye,
a bright, bitchin’ pearl
accomplishes nothing
with her friends,
falling awake.

Let us hear from the shuso!

—Preston Evers

Board Nominations

Board Nominations

Are you interested in serving on the BZC Board? Or is there someone you would like to nominate? If so, please contact the Board Recruitment and Elections Committee (elweb@sbcglobal.net) and include any relevant information about why you or your nominee would make a good BZC Board member.

Every year the BZC sangha selects up to three at-large members to two-year terms on the BZC Board. This year we have one vacancy. Board members may serve a maximum of two consecutive two-year terms. Elections take place in October and the new term starts in January 2024. The Board will present its nominees at the All-Sangha Meeting on Sunday, September 17. Nominations can also be made by sangha members at that meeting.

Some of the various skills the Board seeks in nominees are oral and written communication, organizational experience, information technology, money management, fundraising, engineering, building maintenance, and non- profit law. Nominees should be members of BZC. Board members attend about ten Sunday morning meetings a year plus an all-day retreat in the first part of the year, and serve on at least one working Board committee: Finance; Buildings & Grounds; Development; Electronic Communication & Social Media; Archive; and Elections & Nominations.

BZC Tassajara Sangha Week 2 – September 2023

Every year the Tassajara Mountain Zen Center provides an opportunity for sanghas to practice together as part of the Guest Practice Program during the summer guest season. Teachers from Suzuki Roshi lineage can bring a group from 7 to 10 members including the teachers. Ikushin Gerry Oliva and Mary Duryee will be leading a study period this year from September 5 to 10.

The daily program includes 5:50 AM zazen, 6:50 service, 7:15 Soji (short work period, 7:30 breakfast with other guest students, 8:30 until noon work assignments, noon lunch with students. The rest of the day will be structured by each study group. We will join the guests for dinner and sit the final zazen period of the day.

The cost for this will be approximately $600 per week. We will plan to drive down together if possible. If we can’t drive all the way to Tassajara because of parking constraints, there is a stage from Carmel Valley to the Center for $65.00 round trip.

If you are interested in participating, please let us know by the end of April or earlier if you can commit to the week of Sept 5-10. If there are more than 8 people interested, we will do this by lottery. There will not be scholarships available for this event.

Contact Gerry Oliva at gryoliva@gmail.com or Mary Duryee at maduryee@icloud.com if you would like more information or are interested in discussing your participation.

Coming-of-Age Program

Coming-of-Age Program

BZC is offering a Coming-of-Age program for
youth ages 12‒14. Participants will receive a
basic introduction to Buddhist teachings, learn
about mindfulness, precepts, and meditation,
and celebrate their journey toward adulthood.
The program will meet one Sunday a
month for two hours from September 2023
through June 2024. For more information,
please contact Marie Hopper at
marie_hopper@sbcglobal.net.