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.
5:15 Dharma Study and Discussion before Monday’s meditation, with Sarah Bender Sensei: Shove Chapel Downstairs, from the north entrance. Dharma discussion for January will focus on readings from (and about) the Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra, which we recite every Monday. Selections will be provided, and will be sent out ahead of each meeting. Anyone is welcome to join in, whether or not you have read the selection for the week. If you’d like to be on a mailing list to receive readings in advance, send a note to Sarah at sembender@gmail.com .
Dharma Talks:
February 20 Sarah Bender, Sensei
February 27 Andrew Palmer, Sensei
Work in the Room: Saturday morning, February 18 st 6:30 to 8:30 AM with Sarah Bender, Sensei
Individual meetings with a teacher, which we call “Work in the room,” are opportunities to sit face to face and take up what is most alive for you.
For a Saturday morning conversation, you’ll have up to 20 minutes. You’ll go downstairs and the teacher will be waiting there for a private conversation.
This is a chance to ask questions about your meditation practice, to ask for instruction, to explore an experience you’ve had, to investigate how your practice looks as it gets up off the cushion and travels through your day and night…..to wake up to this very life of your own.
You don’t have to have formed an individual student-teacher commitment to do this. Everyone is welcome.
This said, it is also possible to form an individual student-teacher relationship, and these can be very powerful in nourishing our practice. Ask a teacher if you’d like to know more about this.
To schedule an appointment for February 18, please contact Sarah Bender, Sensei (sembender@gmail.com)
Steering Committee Meeting: Wed. Feb. 1st, 5:30 -7:30 pm at Liz Cramer’s house 533 Crystal Hills Blvd, Manitou Springs. Steering committee meetings are open to the entire sangha. Contact: Linda Hodges (hikerhodges@gmail.com)
Buddhism and the 12 Steps
For more information contact:
Jacque Minehart jqminehart@yahoo.com
JANUARY
Sutra Study for January and February
The Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra
During January and February we’ll be spending time with
the Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra. We recite this sutra together every Monday evening. It can be a very good friend and a powerful ally. It’s also a top contender for the “Wait, what?” Award.
So, this month we’ll be reciting different translations on Monday evenings, and focusing on this sutra in our 5:15 discussions before meditation.
In addition, Sarah Bender is offering a five-session series to linger with the sutra in some depth.
Sundays, 3:00 to 5:00 PM Jan. 8 and 22, Feb. 12 and 26
At Creek Bend Zendo, 7528 Jenkin Place
And with a session led by Jerry Shifrin on Feb. 5.
To register, please contact Sarah at sembender@gmail.com .
Introduction to Zen Class
A Clear Eye, an Open Heart
Introduction to Zen
with Sarah Bender, Sensei
Resident Teacher, Springs Mountain Sangha
when and where…
Thursdays, 7:00 to 8:30 PM
January 26, Feb. 2 and 9, Feb. 23
Sacred Grounds (downstairs, Shove Memorial Chapel at Colorado College)
and why…
This brief course will give you an entry to Zen practice in the koan tradition,
with an opportunity to explore and establish meditation on and off the cushion,
opening meditative inquiry in the field of your real life.
Contact: sembender@gmail.com
The course will include some lecture, meditation instruction and practice, readings for discussion, and exploration of koan inquiry. Inquiry might include “carrying a koan” with you; or, the koan might “carry you”?
Someone asked Master Sho of Kokei, “When things come from the four directions and eight dimensions, what then?”
Sho said, “Hit the middle.”
The student immediately bowed.
Sho said, “On the way to a service in the village I ran into a wild storm of wind and rain and sheltered myself in an old shrine.”
Suggested (but not required) donation: $60
Journey Without Maps:
The Story of Psyche & Eros
SMS January Integrative Retreat
Teacher: Sarah Bender, Sensei
A weekend retreat to spend time with the myth of Psyche and Eros
and to explore its relevance for this time.
We will move in and out of meditation and conversation,
and will also bring in practices of sleep and dream.
Vegetarian lunches included.
When:
Friday, January 27 to Sunday, January 29, 2017
Where:
Franciscan Retreat Center, Colorado Springs
Cost:
$150 Full-time registration only
Registration deadline: January 20, 2017
$25 Late registration fee applies, if space available
Financial assistance is available.
719-633-5925
Steve Milligan, steve_milligan08@comcast.net.
Registrar
FEBRUARY
Zen Threads talk by Frank Actis
As part of the morning meditation meeting. Discussion may continue at Wooglin’s Deli after the talk. Saturday, February 4th, 8:00 AM
Looking Ahead
SMS Spring Practice Period
March 4 to April 23
Dear Friends, As the days begin to lengthen and the earth warms towards Spring, you might notice a gestational quality of the time. Underground, or inside of this time, something is changing, growing. It’s a good time to protect and nourish what is wanting to come forth. In our Zen sangha, we can support each other in intensifying practice during this time. We designate a period of time as a practice period, and offer several kinds of support for anyone who is wishing to deepen their commitment to or their exploration of the Way. We all have old habits, and sometimes it takes some structural support to shake those loose and try something new. You may want to make a formal commitment to the practice period, or you may prefer to structure your own, on your own. Here’s a word about what the sangha will be offering.
One Day Retreat
Right Under Our Feet
March 4th
(a one-day retreat to kick off our practice period)
with dharma talk by Sarah Bender, Sensei
Franciscan Retreat Center, Canyon City
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
vegetarian lunch
Steve Milligan, Registrar steve_milligan@comcast.net
deadline: February 17th
registration form: https://www.smszen.org/underourfeetmar17reg/
We take a day—one day in a life—to sit and walk together in silence, right in the midst of this.
Our Ancestor, Zen Master Linji, said this:
“Right now, all this dashing and searching you’re doing—do you know what it is you’re looking for? It is vibrantly alive, yet has no root or stem. You can’t gather it up, you can’t scatter it to the winds. The more you search for it the farther away it gets. But don’t search for it and it’s right before your eyes, its miraculous sound always in your ears.”
Want to take a listen? Come on down and join us.
Nothing Hidden Koan Retreat
March 10-11, 2017
with Andrew Palmer, Sensei
at The Center for Inner Peace, Pueblo
For more information contact Andrew (alpsensei@gmail.com) or visit www.wetmountainsangha.org
Residential Meditation Retreat April 19-23
with Senseis Sarah Bender and Andrew Palmer
Franciscan Retreat Center
This will be an intensive, silent meditation retreat.
Registrar: Steve Milligan
steve_milligan08@comcast.net
registration deadline April 5th
Opportunities for Engagement
In the wider community (not sponsored by SMS)
Awakening the Heart Mind and Body
An eight-week class with Karen Recktenwald, starting Thursday, Feb. 2
For more info please see the following links or email rectenwaldkaren@gmail.com:
https://bodhimindcenter.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/fly-2017-02-jpeg.jpeg
https://bodhimindcenter.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/fly-2017-02-jpeg2.jpeg
Desert Sunrise Retreat in Tucson with Tenney Nathanson, Sensei
Registration is now open for Desert Rain’s “Desert Sunrise Retreat” in Tucson March 1 – 5, 2017. Please visit
http://www.desertrainzen.org/residential-retreats.html and click on “Retreat Brochure and Registration Form.” This year, the retreat will be held at the Redemptorist Renewal Center at Picture Rocks: http://desertrenewal.org/ .
About Dana
We depend on the generosity of our members to support the work of our sangha. Donations are gratefully received in the Dana bowl in the alcove of the meditation hall in Shove Chapel. Also, everyone is invited to contribute flowers for the altar and cookies for Community Nights.
We now accept PayPal donations. You can get to the SMS PayPal link on the SMS web site at: https://www.smszen.org/donate.html