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Reopening

Dear Sangha,

Thank you for your patience and your practice. With significantly declining Covid infection rates in Alameda County, BZC plans to open for in-person and Zoom weekday zazen at 6:00 a.m., beginning on Monday, March 14 to those who have submitted their vaccination information to the BZC Office Manager. As part of a staged reopening of zendo practice, Tuesday through Friday we will offer an hour of zazen followed by service. The 6:00 a.m. program on Monday morning will be 40 minutes of zazen followed by service. (Monday morning talks will continue to be on Zoom at 8:00 a.m., following Zoom-only zazen at 7:30.)

Zazen will be physically distanced, with a capacity of 24 people sitting in the zendo. For the present, wear an N-95 or KN-95 mask and follow any City of Berkeley health protocols during zazen and chanting service. Windows will be open, so dress warmly, according to the weather. A monitor will be at the zendo door, checking the list of vaccination-registered members and helping you find seating. Please note that should we experience another wave of Covid, any or all of these protocols will be revised.

Many of you responded in the fall that you would like to come to the zendo, and have sent us your vaccination info. We are reaching out again and ask you to send a photograph of your vaccination and booster card to Helen Cheng, BZC Office Manager, at bzcofficemanager@gmail.com.

The Zoom-only program will continue on the schedule we have been following, including weekdays and the Saturday and Monday morning programs. (There will be a sufficient time after Monday morning zazen to return home to participate in the program on Zoom.) As we iron out the process of morning practice in person, we will include noon and afternoon periods in the zendo as in the past. Please see the BZC website for further details and the latest protocols.

See you in the zendo at last!

Bowing deeply,

Hozan