Dharma School End of Term - Skits and Grads

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The end of spring term of practice brings a change to a lighter schedule at DRZC. As the term ends, we also end a full year of Dharma School. This year we had three High School grads completing Dharma School as well. We mark this transition with a Matriculation Ceremony in which the students enter the Zendo to take their seats as members of the adult sangha. Here they bow at the entrance after asking to enter. Click here for a larger view

Mark Sosetsu Stauffer is one of the High School group Dharma School teachers. He led them into the hall, then up to the main altar, where they each offered incense. Here Annie Rose Macer makes her offering. Click here for larger image

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Emily Ryan makes gassho after her incense offering.

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Mat Boal approaches the altar for his offering.

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Next they are led to a small altar at the back of the hall, where they express gratitude for everything and everyone that supported them through childhood.

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Next Sosetsu led them through the hall, past every row of seats. They made gassho and a small bow as they walked, and the sangha members all made gassho and bowed in greeting.

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After walking around the entire hall, the three made bows to their seats, and joined the adult sangha for the first time. Congratulations to Mat, Emily, and Annie Rose.

After the Matriculation Ceremony, the Dharma School students, in their various groups, regaled us with skits. Here the assembled sangha joins in a Dharma School song. Click here for larger image

One of the first skits was by the Boys' Group. David Choten Robinson played Channa the Charioteer to Noah's Siddhartha, riding out on broomstick horses to discover the Four Sights. Click here for a larger view

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First Channa shows the young Siddhartha an old, old man. We told Fred Green that he didn't need such an elaborate costume, but he wanted Siddhartha to be suitably impressed.

This is part of Siddhartha's encounter with a sick man, played by Maxwell Leatha. The boys got into this for some reason. Click here for a larger view

The sick guy had to be hauled away. Click here for a larger view

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Here Kenryu Binns points out the dead man that Siddhartha encounters. He's completely wrapped in a shroud, but trust us, he's there.

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At last Channa shows Siddhartha the holy man, the last of the four sights, played here by Sean Farris.

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All those in attendance had a good time.

The girls' group had an uncharacteristically small turn-out this last day, but they managed their skit with some assistance. Click here for a larger view

Here the Middle School Group sets up an elaborate skit involving a duck, a beaver, and a trash compactor. Click here for a larger view

There was a dance interlude performed by Mari McKay, which for some reason required a toga.

Here the duck and the beaver, encounter the trash compactor, with the resulting platypus. There's a Dharma message in there somewhere, I'm sure. Click for larger picture

The High School Group's skit was a parody of their own getting up that morning after the overnight.

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A group photo of the Boys' Group and teachers.

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This was a culled shot, which somehow captures the spirit of the group rather well.