January 23, 2015

Springs Mountain Sangha

February 2015 Calendar

Ongoing Events

Newcomer Orientation:

2nd Monday of the month, CC Shove Chapel, Dharma Hall upstairs at 5:45 pm to meet anyone who would like some orientation to meditation, to our tradition, or to our sangha and customs.

Dharma Study and Discussion:

Each Monday 5:15 pm, CC Shove Chapel, Dharma Hall downstairs.

Monday Sit, Feb 2: In Mid-Winter, Turning Towards Spring

February 2 (known as Imbolc, one of the 4 Celtic Fire Festivals —and as Groundhog day) is halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It’s a time when there’s a turning towards Spring. We begin the feel the renewing power of the sun, and we celebrate light and fertility, illumination and inspiration in their many forms.
It seems like a great time for us to hold our ceremony of dedication of Sangha and of our Dharma Hall in the young year.
Our ceremony will include a slightly different sutra service; and, you are invited to bring a candle, and think of what you hope to plant and cultivate in the new year.
If you’d like to place something on the altar—either something you are leaving behind, or something you are bringing forward—you are welcome to do so.
We’ll have time to talk a little of what begins germinating in the dark, in “gestational time”.

Zen Threads:

February7 Linda Hodges will give the Zen Threads talk this month at 8:00 am following three periods of meditation. Discussion will follow, and we’ll close with our vows at 8:25, as usual.

Once our nomadic Dharma hall is packed away, all who are interested will go to Wooglins for breakfast and more conversation.

Dharma Talks:

February 16 Sarah Bender, Sensei

February 23 Andrew Palmer, Sensei
Work in the Room:

**Cancelled this month due to the Integrative Retreat**

Steering Committee Meeting: February 3

Contact: Robert King @ kingrh@comcast.net) for updated information

Introduction to Zen Meditation

When: January 31
Time: 9:00 to noon
Where: The Woman’s Club
Leaders: Mary Montoya and Frank Actis

See this link for more information:

The Sayings of Layman P’ang
translated by James Green
A Winter Dharma Study

When: Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25, March 4, 11
Time: 6:30-8:30 pm
Where: Creek Bend Zendo
Teacher: Sarah Bender, Sensei

This translation has an informative introduction by Jeff Shore, and is a collection of stories and koans involving not only Layman P’ang but also his wife and brilliant daughter. We could spend a good deal more than 6 evenings with this material, and maybe you will; it will serve as powerful and delightful material for our practice. For more information contact Sarah Bender at sembender@gmail.com

And, of course, all are welcome to attend!

In The Mirror

An Integrative Retreat with Sarah Bender, Sensei

When: February 20-21

Time: 7-9 pm Friday
9:30-4:30 Saturday
Where: The Woman’s Club

For an integrative retreat, we take up together a particular theme or text, moving back and forth between silent meditation and conversation.

This time we’ll spend some time with Mirror Zen—-a practice that arose this way:

“When Enkakuji was burnt down in 1374, a precious mirror, which was one of its treasures, was got away to Tokeiji, where it was installed in the mirror hall….Afterwards all the nuns from eastern Japan who entered Tokeiji did meditation before the mirror, following the precedent of their founding nun. The successive teachers at Tokeiji composed poems to express their realization, and these were given as koans.

Here’s one:

Various the reflections, yet its surface is unscarred;

From the very beginning unclouded, the pure mirror.

So our retreat will hold time for silent meditation, and we’ll also spend time with the stories and the koans of Mirror Zen, and have a chance to try some, ourselves.

All are welcome.

Contact: Clay Taylor @ bluewildrye@gmail.com

Haiku Class with Robin Izer

Introduction by Andrew Palmer, Sensei

Looking Ahead

Spring Koan Series

When: Mar. 29, April 5 and 26, May 3 and 17, 3:00-5:00 pm
Where: Creek Bend Zendo

Spring Retreat
at the Abbey, Canyon City

with Sarah Bender, Sensei and Andrew Palmer, Sensei

April 13-19

You are invited to consider this commitment of journeying with each other, awakening.
For a complete calendar of 2015 retreats, please go to our website at smszen.org