APRIL
5:15 Dharma Study and Discussion before Monday night meditation.
These discussions, facilitated by Sarah Bender and sangha members, focus on supporting an ongoing practice in all of its aspects. Anyone is welcome to join in. Starting this March, topics will be elements of our liturgy and of our Bodhisattva Vows and precepts.
You are welcome to join in on any Monday.
Place: Shove Chapel downstairs from the north entrance.
contact: Kelly McFarland S.Kelly.HLS@gmail.com
Monday Sutra Service (1st Monday) and Monday Community Night (2nd Monday) will continue with a series of brief teachings by Sarah. Please see link for more information
April 7 Zen Threads with Geri Johnson
April 11-15 Spring Retreat with Sarah Bender and Andrew Palmer
at the Abbey, Cañon City
*registration deadline is March 28*
Contact: Brandy Lancaster bdl0824@gmail.com
April 16 Dharma Talk by Sarah Bender, Roshi
April 21 WITR with Sarah Bender sembender@gmail.com
April 23: Dharma Talk by Andrew Palmer, Sensei
April 30 Way Faring Mind Talk by Kelley Heider
Kelley will be speaking on THE PRACTICE OF LOVE AND RAGE AS TOOLS FOR LIBERATION
Kelley, a core member of the SMS Action group, organized a trip to Naropa University to hear a talk by by Lama Rod Owens on Love and Rage. She will be bringing this to us on this Monday night.
April 1, 22 and 29 Koan series with Sarah Bender
March-April Koan Series
Sundays, March 4, 11, 18 and 25, April 1 (Easter Sunday), 22 and 29
3:00 to 5:00 PM
at Creek Bend Zendo
Our Spring koan series will arrive a little ahead of Spring, to usher it in.
The koans will be selected as companions to our exploration of the elements of our sutra service.
These are meditative Sunday afternoons together, in which we’ll introduce a koan, sit with it for a while, and then bring our own experiences, questions, and expressions of it together and witness where it takes us.
Koans are often records of, or slivers of intimate conversations about the way things are, which invite us into relationship, not only with people who might be from far away and long ago, but with our own lives and each other. They ask the questions that we often are too busy to consider—the very ones that can transform the obstacles of a difficult life into the open gates we so long for.
No prior koan experience is needed to be part of this party.
Looking Ahead
Springs Mountain Sangha 2018 Retreat and Events Calendar
May
Precepts Practice Series begins.
Saturdays, 10 am to noon
at Creek Bend Zendo, with Sarah Bender
May 12, 19, 26
June
Precepts practice continues June 2, 16, 23, 30
July
Precepts practice July 14
Meditation and Social Event with Wet Mountain Sangha?
August
Hike (date TBD)
September
Sept. 21, 22 Introduction to Zen
Autumn Koan Series begins:
Sunday, September 30 3:00 to 5:00 PM
Creek Bend Zendo with Sarah Bender
October
Fall Koan Series with Sarah Bender continues
October 7, 14
Oct 22-28 Meditation Retreat at the Abbey
with Sarah Bender, Roshi,
Cañon City, CO
contact: Brandy Lancaster BDL0824@gmail.com
November
Nov 11 All-sanhga meeting, 4:00 to 7:00 PM
Fall Koan Series continues:
November 4, 18
December
Dec 7-8 Bodhi Day retreat with Sarah Bender
The Many Arms of Guanyin
As many of you know, a few of us within the Sangha have been developing a new project called SMS Action! The intent is to create access to causes that are important to us as individuals, and as a community. If you would like to see what we are up to and/or get involved, please take a look at the documents provided through these links.
Link to survey – https://goo.gl/forms/EYUpnKv5tDro4ZC02