Springs Mountain Sangha, February 2025

February Offerings

Monday, February 3; 6 PM, on Zoom & in person at Shove Chapel, Meditation and Sutra Service, conversation

Wednesday, February 5; 7PM, on Zoom – See Open Source link below, Waking Up and Growing Up: Exploring Dongshan’s Five Positions Open Source Winter Talk Series

Thursday, February 6; 6:30-8:30 PM, on Zoom, Steering Committee Meeting, all are welcome to attend!

Monday, February 10; 6 PM, on Zoom & in person at Shove Chapel, Meditation and Dharma Talk with Sarah Bender, Roshi, conversation

Wednesday, February 12; 7PM, on Zoom – See Open Source link below, Waking Up and Growing Up: Exploring Dongshan’s Five Positions Open Source Winter Talk Series

Thursday, February 13; 6:30-8 PM, on Zoom, The Great Matter of Livingdying conversation series

Monday, February 17; 6 PM, on Zoom & in person at Shove Chapel, Meditation and Community Night

Wednesday, February 19; 7PM, on Zoom – See Open Source link below, Waking Up and Growing Up: Exploring Dongshan’s Five Positions Open Source Winter Talk Series

Monday, February 24; 6 PM, on Zoom & in person at Shove Chapel, Koan Meditation with Sarah Bender, Roshi

Wednesday, February 26; 7PM, on Zoom – See Open Source link below, Waking Up and Growing Up: Exploring Dongshan’s Five Positions Open Source Winter Talk Series

Thursday, February 27; 6:30-8 PM, on Zoom, The Great Matter of Livingdying conversation series

Candlelight Meditation

Every Sunday from 8 to 8:30 PM, you are invited to join candlelight meditation online. Simple and lovely.

Spring Retreat

April 7-13, 2025, Benet Hill Monastery, Black Forest, CO
Registration is now open

Please follow this link to Register:
https://forms.gle/ZK5UeUt2x4qZmfvZ9

Registration is taken on a first-come, first-served basis, and will be secured once we receive your deposit or payment in full.

Please direct any questions about registration or the retreat itself to our Registrar, Frank Actis at frank.actis@gmail.com.

We look forward to practicing in community with you!

The Great Matter of Livingdying
a series of conversations with Sarah Bender

continues Thursday, February 13th, 6:30-8 PM MT
Zoom Zendo

Ongoing schedule: Feb. 13 and 27

suggested dana $10-$15 per session, offered directly to Sarah

If you’d like to join the series and haven’t let Sarah know already please do so, to be added to the email list.
http://sembender@gmail.com

Open Source Winter Talk Series
with Megan Rundel, Sarah Bender, Tenney Nathanson

Open Source Series will begin February 5th and continue on Wednesday evenings through the month of February (Feb 5, 12, 19 and 26, 7PM).

Please join us for our February Open Source evening koan series! This four week series is called Waking Up and Growing Up: Exploring Dongshan’s Five Positions. Our Open Source teachers, Sarah Bender, Tenney Nathanson, and Megan Rundel will each offer a talk and conversation on the arc of a life of practice, the interweaving of awakening and personal maturity, and how Dongshan’s Five Positions illuminate this shimmering path.

On Zoom, Crimson Gate link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5105971261?pwd=Rm1EckVJWkpBWVpUMkxPWmRDN2s1UT09
Meeting ID: 510 597 1261
Passcode: Vzwf3J

Dana: Your support is appreciated, link to come.

Announcing the dates for our
Open Source Fall long retreat!

October 13-18th at Bodhi Manda Zen Center
Jemez Springs, New Mexico.

The Open Source is excited to return to Bodhi Manda Zen Center, in the gorgeous Jemez River Valley.
Center staff have been able to make some significant repairs and improvements, and work on the privacy wall is progressing well.
They’ve issued a warm invitation to us to return.

Upcoming Retreats

Save the dates – more information coming

Half Day Retreat February 2 is cancelled for now.
Interfaith Habitat Event is very much on! See below

Spring Retreat
April 7-13, 2025, Benet Hill Monastery, Black Forest, CO

Buddha’s Birthday Retreat
May 10

Integrative Retreat
June 20-22

Ullambana Retreat
September 7

Bodhi Day Retreat
December 7 hybrid

Ongoing Meditation Schedule, All available
via Zoom; Monday Eves available in person as well

Weekly Meditations (all times MDT) on Zoom:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday are 6:30 to 7:30 AM. We sit for two periods and people come and go as they need to, and leave camera off. (Often a poem or koan will drop in at some point.)
Saturday we sit from 6:30 to 8:00 AM, then someone speaks for a bit about their practice to kick off a deep and lively discussion (til roughly 8:30) These Zen Threads talks are now alternating every other week with “mini-threads” group discussions of practice with multiple paths emerging and joining seamlessly. You can join the meditation at 6:30, 7:00, 7:30 or 8:00.
Sunday 8:00-8:30 PM Candlelight Meditation

Many Arms of Guanyin

4th Interfaith Dialogue

We invite anyone, from young adults to seniors, to join us for a meaningful interfaith dialogue with a guest panel and enriching, facilitated, small-group discussions. This is an opportunity to explore diverse perspectives, share personal experiences, and build connections.

Whether you’re seeking to learn, engage in thoughtful discussion, deepen your understanding of Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity, learn about affordable homeownership programs, or explore diverse faiths, your voice and presence are welcomed.

Come together in a spirit of respect, curiosity, and unity.

Sunday, Feb. 2, 3 – 5 p.m. (doors open at 2:30 p.m.)

Berger Hall at University of Colorado Colorado Springs
1420 Austin Bluffs Pkwy
Colorado Springs, CO 80918

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:

http://www.smszen.org/supportsms/

Or you can mail a check to:
Springs Mountain Sangha
P.O. Box 2613
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

*We depend on the generosity of our members to support the work of our sangha*

If you want to make a donation to Sarah Bender specifically, for example, dana for classes, group meetings or work on the phone (suggested donations for these are $10 per class, or $20 for a 20 min. individual meeting) you can do this by sending a check directly to her.

Sarah Bender
7528 Jenkin Place
Colorado Springs, CO 80919

or by Paypal to sembender@gmail.com

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