Mindful of Intention

Jay Rinsen Chikyo Weik gives a talk and leads a discussion at the Toledo Zen Center on April 9, 2008.

"One of the things that people run smack into when they come to a place like this for the first time is, there's a bunch of ritual happening. What's that all about? What's the deal with all the bowing and the incense and all that kind of thing? These are moments of re-awakening, if they're used well. They're supposed to be moments of re-checking-in to the moment, to the now."

Listen Here.

Of Mystics and Sages, Truth Knows no Boundries

"To study the Buddha Way is to study the self, to study the self is to forget the self, and to forget the self is to be enlightened by the ten thousand things."
~Zen MasterDogen 1200-1255

The Lord said: "If Any man will come after me, let him first deny himself." "Watch yourself and where you find self creeping in, reject it".
~Meister Eckhart 13th century Christian Mystic.

Encountering The Ancestors Retreat Sunday July 27th

This Months retreat was scheduled for July 20th, but we need to shift it to the 27th because I will be playing at the Birmingham Jazz Festival on the 20th and didn't notice the conflict until just now, sorry!

As usual, we will practice zazen from 9-noon and hold the afternoon workshop from 1:30 to 4:30pm.

This time around we will focus on Shih-t'ou:

"My teaching which has come down from the ancient buddhas is not dependent on meditation or on diligent application of any kind. When you attain the insight as attained by the Buddha, you realize that Mind is Buddha and Buddha is Mind, that Mind, Buddha, sentient beings, bodhi and klesha are of one and the same substance while they vary in names..."

Shih-t'ou is the author of the Identity of Relative and Absolute that we chant in the zendo, and I look forward to working with these bottomless teachings together.

- Rinsen











Jul 27
Shih-t'ou
(700-790)

Aspects of Mindfulness

Jay Rinsen Chikyo Weik gives a talk and leads a discussion at the Toledo Zen Center on April 2, 2008.

"What does it mean to be mindful of the body? This is always the entry gate.... Breath is part of the body awareness, cultivating the practice of being awake to this one breath. In many, many lineages of Buddhist practice, not just Zen, the beginning thing you do is sit down and work with the breath. It's no small thing to be able to actually, completely embody that breath... to just completely, fully, be awake and aware and alive to that breath."

Download the Drinking Gourd Podcast on Itunes or Here.

Love Guru Gone with the Wind

Sangha members...We had made plans Wednesday nite to go as a group to see "The Love Guru" at a theatre near you, but sadly, the run of this movie ends tonight at all local theatres (reviews have been...poor; people and critics alike generally hate the love guru, apparently). When it makes it to DVD, I will let the community know and we will plan on having a movie night at the zendo, if all agree on a time.

Accord With The Way

Jay Rinsen Chikyo Weik gives a talk and leads a discussion at the Toledo Zen Center on March 26, 2008.

"The pure nature exists in the midst of delusions. With correct practice alone, remove the obstacles. If people in this world practice the Way, there is nothing whatsoever to hinder them. If they always make clear the guilt within themselves, then they will accord with the Way." —Hui Neng

The Drinking Gourd Podcast available here or via Itunes.

Saturday Morning Zazen!

I am happy to announce that there is a new additional time for us to be able to sit together each week - Saturday morning from 8 to 8:50AM. This time is now set aside for two periods of Zazen with Kinkin in between, finishing up with the traditional 'Verse of the Kesa:'

"Vast is the robe of liberation,
a formless field of benefaction.
I wear the Tathagathas teachings,
Saving all sentient beings."


To participate in this newly added time, you must have received beginning instruction in Zazen at one of the Wednesday evenings. The hoped for $5 free will offering will go towards the 'new zafu fund!'

After this, from 9:00am to 9:45am each saturday I will be leading a special Aikido Misogi (purification) class that will focus on Ki breathing exercises, Kototama chanting, and centering practices. Any TZC member is welcome to participate in this class as well. The exercises that we will work with together are the kind of practice that Bodhidharma is said to have taught the monks at Shaolin monastery to improve their health and stamina. Energy body exercises such as these gave rise to Chi Kung, which gave rise to Tai Chi and Kung Fu, which gave rise ultimately to Aikido as well...

Bows,

- Rinsen

Jim in Malaysia!

A pic from sangha member Jim Sorensen from his travels in Malaysia! Safe travels back Jim...

- Rinsen