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The yard at the Dharma House is being transformed, in part to bring the basement up to code for residential use. A sprinkler system will be istalled, and the east side will take on an appearance similar to the west yard, featuring native and bird-friendly plants. Various indoor projects are also underway, most related to the building permit process.
Left: Choten digs window wells in the front yard at the Dhara House on a recent work practice day. The dirt removed was sculpted into plant berms in the new grden on the east side of the House.
Right: Kenryu works where much of the lawn has been replaced with the berms, new plantings and trees transplanted from elsewhere in the yard.
To see more photos of changes to the exterior of Dharma House click on this link.
The Zen Center's lending and reference library has moved to a different room in the Dharma House, and has new bookcases. It is truly beautiful, and librarian Alison Shin'ei Brown has been busy organizing our collection of books. Please stop by and see it! Note the categories and see if there are any donations you would like to make. In particular, we could use more books by Pema Chodron, works by/on Nagarjuna, books on women's or men's spirituality, and collections of spiritual poetry. To see pictures of the Library in the process of change go to the same link as the previous item, and scroll down past the exterior scenes.
DRZC now has the capability to accept payment for many goods and services on-line through our web site. You can sign up and pay for retreats, subscribe to Still Point, and purchase Zen Center publications. To purchase publications, point your browser to: http://www.dharma-rain.org/StillPoint/pp/pub.html.
This year's Spring Ango ended with the Denkoe sesshin held at Great Vow Zen Monastery May 12-18. Ango was very well-received this year, with Anthony Stevens, Shin'ei Brown, and Todd Fifield joining the residency program for the month. Increased daily zazen was attended by many; we had as many as a dozen people at the 6am sit!
The Denkoe sesshin marked the one-year anniversary of DRZC's first sesshin held at GVZM. Getsushin led us through the week as shuso and adapted well to the unique challenges of being Chief Junior in a setting away from our home temple. Kyogen gave Dharma Talks on two chapters of the Denkoroku, covering Shitou and Dongshan, our 36th and 39th ancestors. Kyogen, Gyokuko, Chozen and Hogen offered sanzen throughout the week; additionally, Hogen and Gyokuko each gave a Dharma Talk which complimented the thread developed through Kyogen's talks. While almost all forms were held in the DRZC tradition, we did adopt GVZM's noon time service---a recitation of Hakuin-zengi's "Song of Zazen." Deep bows to the teachers and sesshin participants; to Kakumyo Lowe, who served as Tenzo; Domyo Sater, who served as Precentor; Kenryu Binns, who served as Jisha; David Choten Robinson, who served as Sacristan; and to the many work practice leaders from both GVZM and DRZC. With each joint sesshin held at GVZM, our connection and commitment to cultivating and spreading the Dharma together strengthens. This, our two sanghas, is truly a wondrous gem.
Annie Rose Macer, Matt Boal and Emily Ryan have graduated both HS and Dharma School. Annie Rose and Emily were veterans of our Dharma School program from its very beginning, and Matt has been a dedicated member for many years. A ceremony was held on June 8 to honor their passage from the kid's sangha into adulthood. Each new adult offered incense and then bowed at an altar on which they had placed items symbolizing something supportive from their childhood. Then their parents and teachers bowed to them, and the new adults were led to their seats in the zendo. Congratulations, all! To view photos of this ceremony go to this link.
Spring Term ended on Sunday, June 8, with a closing ceremony. In the ceremony, those present made statements on what they had learned and experienced during the term and voiced their intentions of practice during the summer months. Afterward, the Dharma School kids and teachers entertained us with skits. There was much joy and laughter as we watched and sang together. To look at photos taken of the hijinks and to read more about it, click on this link. and scroll down. This annual event is a great launch into our lighter summer practice period. Enjoy it while you can, because....
The Wesak Festival on May 4 went well, beginning with a ceremony and procession in the Zendo. Each year the Dharma School children make a bower out of flowers that encases a small statue of the baby Buddha standing in a bowl of sweet tea. During the procession each person ladles tea over the baby Buddha's head. After the ceremony, everyone headed downstairs for tea and cake, while the kids took turns at the "zeñ-ata" elephant, this year crafted by Kakumyo. This festival of Shakyamuni Buddha's birth is often the most light-hearted ceremony held every year, and judging by the huge turnout this year, one of the most popular as well.
Right: Alex, Henry, Isabella, Elyse and Adrienne prepare to blow out the candle on the Buddha's birthday cake.
Left: Brendan whacks the Zeñ-ata after the Wesak Festival.
For more photos go to this link
The newsletter is put together in the first week of every other month. Submissions are very welcome: short or long articles, which can be on any point of practice, including travel, research or personal experience; descriptions of events we've had; the occasional poem or drawing. We don't print anonymous articles. Please submit typed submissions if at all possible, and by e-mail if you can, to: newsletter@Dharma-rain.org. (This saves the newsletter staff from having to re-type the work.) If you have questions, contact Jiko, 239-9323.
Deadlines and possible topics:
January-February (New Year's eve, precepts study, Hossen): December 1
March-April (Jukai, spring term): February 1
May-June (Denkoe, end of term, summer): April 1
July-August (summer practice): June 1
September-October (fall term, term student program, Segaki): August 1
November-December (Founder's Day, Rohatsu, Christmas): October 1
Through many generous donations, over $300 was raised for the new sitting group at the medium-security women's prison at Coffee Creek. The money will pay for zabuton materials, which will be packaged up by our own volunteer sewing staff and sent to the prison. Any money left over will buy books for a lending library. Thanks to all who donated!
Lilly Ferris will soon be going to Denmark for a year of study abroad. Our shuso, Getsushin Brox, will be in Norway for several weeks this summer and in her absence Dosho Van Sant will serve as Chief Junior. Gaelle Snell-Sayler died after a long illness and DRZC provided both her private and public funerals.
The inagural boy's outing was a resounding success. Male Dharma-schoolers from the boy's and middle-school groups spent the afternoon at Sauvie Island exploring fields and ponds, having a mud-fight, schmoozing with cows, finding skeletons, catching snakes, and other wildness. Look for this event again next year, and probably an outing for the girls as well.
Thanks To:
Thank you to all who give and support the stability and growth of the Center. Gassho to Mamiko and Ryushin for sushi; Brenda DuBois and Dennis Gemmell for trilliums and sword ferns (three of each!); Shin'ei Brown for walnuts, flowers, fruit, vegetables and plants; Sandra Galli for compost soup; Erin Luthy for ferns; Kisei Martin for a calla lily plant; Bob and Carlene Orman for pepper plants; and Rose Grenelle for plants for the Sangha House gardens and for fabric for napkins.
STILL POINT archive edit of 30 December 2003
Dharma Rain Zen Center Newsletter
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