Springs Mountain Sangha, January 2024
Dear Sangha,
I was down with a cold this week, and had the good fortune to be able to just rest a lot and take care of it. The funny thing was, it took five days for me to realize that my cat, who seemed to be stuck right against my heart or under my arm all week, often purring, was not just taking advantage of my being horizontal much of the time. She was taking care of me. I don’t know how she knew I was sick (but why would she not?) but she was definitely offering purring therapy. Today, when I was feeling much better, she went back to hanging out in her regular places: cuddled up with the stuffed manatee in the sun room, spread out on the living room carpet in the sun, etc.
And this morning’s conversation following our Saturday Zoom meditation held the same instruction, it seemed: look, we are taking care of each other, in ways we often don’t notice; and our Zoom meditations are not “lesser than”—they are their own powerful practice, healing us, subtly transforming us while we aren’t looking. Fortunately, we aren’t looking. But it’s great to notice, now and then.
Now it’s nearly dark and there’s an owl conversation going on outside. It’s courting season, which seems so just right, and the softness of their voices also just right for the cold nights of the start of new year. The owl call seems to be taking care of me, too, offering something soft, near and hopeful outside of my home, but not far, a balm against the news of the world, both near and far, that seems incomprehensible and hard to bear.
Starting this month, we as a community will be offering a number of practice opportunities, so read on and see what you might want to engage with: two kinds of koan series, talks and conversations Mondays and Saturdays, and more, with retreat planning already underway for April.
In a community like ours, contributing, participating as you can, makes all the difference in your own experience. This awakening is not a solo; it’s has the voices of all of us in it. Thank you for the strength and beauty you bring to it!
Sarah Bender
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January Offerings
Monday, Jan. 1, 6 PM; on Zoom & in person at Shove Chapel
New Year’s Day celebration, Meditation, Sutra Service, conversation
Thursday, Jan. 4; 6:15 PM on Zoom Steering Committee Meeting
*New day of the week*
Sundays, Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28 Feb 4, 11; 3 PM, in person at Creek Bend Zendo & on Zoom:
Springs Mountain Sangha Koan Series with Sarah Bender, Roshi
Monday, Jan. 8; 6 PM, on Zoom & in person at Shove Chapel:
Meditation and Dharma Talk with Sarah Bender, Roshi
Monday, Jan. 15; 6 PM, on Zoom & in person at Shove Chapel
MLK Day, Meditation, Community Night Conversation
Sunday, Jan. 21
Springs Mountain Sangha Habitat for Humanity workday
Monday, Jan. 22; 6 PM, on Zoom & in person at Shove Chapel:
Meditation and Dharma Talk with Sarah Bender, Roshi
Wednesdays, Jan. 24, 31 Feb 7, 14, 21, 28; 7 PM, on Zoom:
Open Source Koan Series with Sarah Bender, Roshi, Tenney Nathanson, Roshi, Megan Rundel, Sensei
Saturday, Jan. 27
9:30 AM to 2:30 PM, brown bag lunch
In person at Creek Bend
Foundations of Koan Zen
with Sarah Bender, Roshi
Monday, Jan. 29; 6 PM, on Zoom & in person at Shove Chapel:
Wayfaring Mind Talk
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Looking Ahead
Residential Meditation Retreat Dates to Save:
April 15-21
A Springs Mountain Sangha Retreat
at Pueblo Mountain Park
with Sarah Bender, Roshi
September 30-October 5
An Open Source Retreat
at Bodhi Manda Zen Center
in Jemez Springs, NM
with Megan Rundel, Sarah Bender, and Tenney Nathanson
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Coming in January
Monday, January 1: New Year’s Day Celebration
We gather in person at Shove Chapel at 6pm and online to welcome in the new year with meditation, Sutra Service, conversation and 108 bells.
Steering Committee Meeting
Thursday, January 4th at 6:15 PM
Note that we will be meeting on the first Thursday of the month in January and February. This is a new day of the week for the steering committee. Everyone is welcome to attend steering committee meetings.
Springs Mountain Sangha Koan Series
Sundays Jan 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb 4, 11
3:00 to 5:00 PM Mountain Time
with Sarah Bender, Roshi
in person at Creek Bend
Also Accessible online via the SMS Zoom link
To register, contact Kelly at S.Kelly.HLS@gmail.com
Meditation and Dharma Talk by Sarah Bender, Roshi
Monday January 8th at 6 PM
On Zoom and in person at Shove Chapel
Meditation, MLK Day and Community Night Conversation
Monday January 15th at 6 PM
On Zoom and in person at Shove Chapel
Habitat for Humanity Interfaith Build, #3 Support 
We are signed up! We are going to participate in
a work day: Sunday, January 21
Come, and bring a friend!
We’ll be working together with members of Temple Beit Torah.
You can participate for morning, afternoon or both
(sharing lunch is part of the fun)
For more info or to sign up, please contact Brandy Lancaster, bdl0824@gmail.com
Early sign ups really help! So if you are pretty sure you want to join this community action, please let us know.
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Meditation and Koan Exploration with Sarah Bender, Roshi
Monday January 22nd at 6 PM
On Zoom and in person at Shove Chapel
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Open Source Koan Series
Wednesdays Jan 24, 31, Feb 7, 14, 21, 28 at 7 PM
with Sarah Bender, Roshi, Tenney Nathanson, Roshi and Megan Rundel, Sensei
Open Source Koan Series gathering on Zoom starts January 24th and continues weekly through Feb 28th on Wednesdays beginning at 7 PM.
Look for a different Zoom link for this series
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January 27: Half Day Foundations of Koan Zen
with Sarah Bender, Roshi
9:30 AM to 2:30 PM, brown bag lunch
In person at Creek Bend
No previous experience needed, everyone welcome.
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Meditation and Wayfaring Mind Talk
Monday January 8th at 6 PM
On Zoom and in person at Shove Chapel
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Open Source Ecodharma
Open Source Ecodharma’s next meeting will be Tuesday, January 9 at 7:30 p.m. Mountain, right after Tuesday book study. The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87435206671?pwd=MFkwVDZnMmliTS9CS1dXRmcycEZmdz09 (or use Meeting ID: 874 3520 6671 and Passcode: 520753).
We’re currently sitting with the precepts as eco-koans. We’re up to:
– I vow not to misuse drugs
-I vow not to gossip maliciously
Here are the commentaries from Dogen and Bodhidharma for each of them, which might help to expand them into eco-koans:
– I vow not to misuse drugs
(Bodhidharma) The way things are is mysterious and hard to see. In a world where the Dharma is naturally pure, not surrendering to delusions is called the Vow of Not Misusing Drugs.
(Dogen) Drugs are not brought in yet. Don’t bring them in. That is the great light.
– I vow not to gossip maliciously
(Bodhidharma) The way things are is mysterious and hard to see. In a world where the Dharma is flawless, not dissecting mistakes is called the Vow of Not Gossiping Maliciously.
(Dogen) In the Buddha Way, the path, the teaching, the realization, and the practice are one. Don’t allow fault-finding. Don’t allow careless talk.
Contact Jen Sellers (jen@inspiredmastery.com) with any questions, comments, thoughts, etc.
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Ongoing Meditation Schedule, All available via Zoom; Monday Eves available in person as well
Mondays: Meditation and evening starting at 6 PM; We meet both in person at Shove Chapel on Colorado College Campus and on Zoom
Weekday Morning Meditations: 6:30-7:30 AM; A simple, early morning sit is offered on weekday mornings. Someone will ring bells, and the Zoom Zendo will be open and available for those who would like to join. Please leave your camera off while the meditation is in progress. This way, people can come and go easily as needed. Sometimes the whole hour is in silence; sometimes, a koan or poem appears.
Saturdays: Morning Meditation 6:30-8:00 AM, discussion 8-8:30 AM
On Saturday mornings discussions are kicked off by a sangha member with a brief talk pertaining to their own experience of practice we call Zen Threads. On alternate weeks, a “mini-threads” group discussion gives each participant a chance to share what is up for them right now. Both formats lead to rich and lively conversation. Join us! It’s a beautiful way to jump-start the weekend. You can join the meditation at 6:30, 7:00, 7:30 or 8:00.
Many Arms of Guanyin
Volunteer with SMS
Are you interested in volunteering to help with a specific project within the sangha? Do you have a particular skill or enthusiasm for something that might be helpful? Would you like to help out, but not sure how? SMS truly values and depends on the many efforts given freely by the sangha to the sangha. This is dana and is so much appreciated. If you have questions or want to help, please contact Kelly McFarland S.Kelly.HLS@gmail.com
Support for Springs Mountain Sangha
You can donate to Springs Mountain Sangha in person at Shove Chapel using the dana bowl at the entrance to the dharma hall. You can also donate through our PayPal account. You can get to the SMS PayPal link on the SMS web site at:
https://www.smszen.org/supportsms/
Support for Cloud Dragon
The easiest way is to make a donation at the website, here:
https://joansutherlanddharmaworks.org/cgi-bin/dharma/page.cgi?g=Support%2FDonate%2Findex.html;d=1
or at
https://www.patreon.com/posts/do-you-trust-yr-31567633
This is another good way to support Joan’s work.