Dharma Rain - News

Zen Center News

 

Fall Ango — Nov. 5 through Dec. 11

DRZC offers intensive training periods, or Ango, twice a year — one in the fall and one in the spring. The recent Fall Ango, a month-long intensive, included extra sitting in the mornings and afternoons, and silent meals. Fall Ango began with the all-night Founder's Vigil on Sat., Nov. 5 and culminated with Rohatsu sesshin. Sittings were generally well attended, with 8–16 people for mornings and 4–8 for most afternoons. There were also more people around for work projects and residency. There will be a Spring Ango starting in late April, so consider planning to participate.

 

pumpkin pumpkin
Jack­o­lanterns on the porch of the Dharma House during Halloween.

 

Bountiful Bodhi Bazaar

Dharma Rain held its biannual Bountiful Bodhi Bazaar over Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 25 and 26th. Twenty-nine artists participated, including three musicians who played live music for the sale on Saturday. Several volunteers helped to make the sale a success by cashiering, setting up, cleaning up afterwards, and contributing baked goods. The Center will net just over $2,000 from the sale. The highest dollar amount was collected by the Center's bookstore, which ran an inventory clearance sale. The second highest seller was our own Karen Sokyo Swallow, whose artwork just keeps getting better. Overall the quality of arts and crafts offered at the sale keeps improving, and several of us got a large part of our holiday shopping done (and/or bought gifts for ourselves!). It was fun to see Sangha members under different circumstances, and to appreciate aspects of them that we usually don't get to see. Thanks to all for your hard work and for supporting the sale.

Bountiful Bodhi Bazaar, where the Zendo was temporarily converted into an arts and crafts fair for two days. Above: Sylvan Genko Rainwater oversees last­minute details on Member's Night, Friday. Below: On Saturday, the Bazaar was open to the public, where people were able to choose from the arts and crafts from twenty­nine different artists.
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Residency Program

Dharma Rain Zen Center residents commit to becoming an intimate part of the residential community as well as deepening their relationship to the larger DRZC Sangha. They commit to spending more time and energy doing formal practice, within the context of Sangha, than is usually possible outside of residency. During their term of residency they seek out and accept guidance from the Center teachers, Soto Zen teachings, and the dharma inherent in the Center's training matrix and traditions. As work outside the temple and personal commitments allow, residents attend daily zazen, communal meals, Wednesday evening and Sunday morning programs, work practice days, monthly Fusatsu and in-town retreats. They have sanzen (interview) with the Center teachers at least once a month and participate in the Term Student program. They also hold regular temple jobs and make themselves available for temple work projects.

DRZC members who have been actively involved in the Center for at least 6 months to a year are eligible for residency. Practitioners associated with other teachers and Buddhist groups may be considered for residency, but only if they and the residential review committee determine that a full commitment to DRZC residency is compatible with any obligations and involvements they already have. For a booklet describing residency and an application, call the Center at 503­239­4846.

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Segaki

Dharma School students celebrate Segaki in the Zendo Dharma School students celebrate Segaki in the Zendo
Dharma School students celebrate Segaki in the Zendo. Above left, Dharma school teachers Todd Fifield and Josei Krebs, and above right, Kenryu Binns, oversee the feeding of the Hungry Ghosts. This was followed soon after by the feeding of the hungry Dharma School kids.

 

Welcome to our New Members!

DRZC continues to grow as more guests and regular attendees become supporting members. Thank you to all who have made a commitment to practice, share and grow with Dharma Rain. If you have any questions regarding membership, please contact Kakumyo Lowe at 503.239.4846 or staff@dharma-rain.org.

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Thank you

Thanks to all who help to keep the center running! Thanks go to Harold and Maya Williams for items including a telescope; Bob and Zoki Orman for CDs and an exercise ball; Genko Rainwater for CDs and cases; Luisa and Diego Centeno for cooking oil, coffee beans and Mexican cheese; Jeff Theeret for Dharma books; Patrick Finneran for vegetables; Kisei Martin for cartons of toothpaste and floss; Rich Mackin and Blair Vail for bread and fresh–picked eggplant and peppers; Shin'ei Brown for fresh–picked bok choy; Ann Lameka for huckleberries and garlic; Jim Schulz–Browning for a Bodhidharma painting; and Geoff Gass for persimmons. Special thanks to Sierra Moon's mom, Mary Anne Fairchild, who responded to our request with a beautiful van!

 

Begging Bowl

The Center could use pruning shears and loppers for the garden; and of course, funds for the $50,000 worth of work on the Zendo roof.

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