Our first half-day retreat this past Saturday was a great success. Attendees were served pickled-plum tea in the zendo, took part in a long chanting practice and a formal breakfast service, making offerings of rice and rinse-water. We did several hours of zazen and had a long walk to the nearby riverfront where the native dogwoods and other flowering trees were in bloom on a beautiful spring morning. A few photos from setting up the zendo the night before are included below. We will plan another similar event sometime this summer, so please stay tuned!
On Monday we had a talk about death and dying as it relates to zen, in response to a member question. Please find a recording of that talk here:
Earlier in the month we had a talk about effort and relaxation in zen practice:
Recordings of all the past talks are available on our Bandcamp page: https://ironcityrinzai.bandcamp.com/
This coming Monday, 4-29, after zazen we will be discussing the Buddhist concept of “self” as an unfolding process of body-mind that does not recognize the modern, Cartesian view of body and mind as separable.
And finally, please note there will be NO PRACTICE on Monday, May 6th because I will be away at Korinji in Wisconsin attending a dai-sesshin practice period.
