Introduction to the Toledo Zen Center with Jay Rinsen Weik, Senior Dharma Teacher

New Year's Eve Celebration

Thursday, December 31, 2009 at Black Oak Farm.
Begins at 8:30 pm
The evening program begins at 8:30 pm. We will practice until midnight with both a year end and new year beginning liturgy, zazen, kinhin and Dokusan. Practice ends at midnight with the traditional 108 rings of the Great Bell. The evening will close with a bonfire and hot drink! The next morning we will rise at 8:00am to greet the day with zazen and Do-on's amazing breakfast.

Evening sitting, sleeping overnight in the zendo (bring your sleeping bag), morning sitting and breakfast: suggested donation $40; New Year’s Eve sitting only suggested donation: $20.

Advance registration is required.

Please send an email to info@toledozen.org to register.

Why Rohatsu Sesshin?

Excerpted with permission from "Morning Dewdrops of the Mind: Teachings of a Contemporary Zen Master," published by North Atlantic Books/Frog, Ltd.

Every year when December approaches, monks everywhere tremble in anticipation of the arrival of the rohatsu sesshin
[intensive meditation retreat]. In Zen dojos
[practice halls] everywhere, people intensify their training energy in preparation for this sesshin held from the first to the eighth of December. The rohatsu sesshin is the consummation of a year's training, a time when everyone faces the final reckoning of a year of practice.

The Buddha was enlightened on the eighth of December when he looked up at the morning star, the planet we call Venus. The brightness of this planet was seen by Buddha from the depths of one week of samadhi
[deep awareness]. The Buddha received that brightness with the same eyes of zazen [sitting meditation] that enable us to realize perfect enlightenment.

One week straight of this deepest possible samadhi was burst through by the brilliance of that morning star. A whole week's experience of that world burst the brightness of the morning star, plunging into the Buddha's eyes and giving rebirth to the Buddha's consciousness.

He cried:


That's it! That's it! That's it. That's me! That's me that's shining so brilliantly!

How deeply he was moved and what wonder he felt. From this comes all of the Buddha's dharma. From within this state of mind the Buddha said:

How wondrous, how wondrous! All beings are endowed with this pure nature! What a wondrous, astonishing thing has been realized! All the ten thousand things, all the flowers, all the trees, all the rocks, all things everywhere are shining brilliantly! What an amazing thing! It's the same landscape, but how brilliantly it is illuminated! What freshness is everything!

From within this deep illumination of the mind of the Buddha, all the Buddha's wisdom was born. All of Zen is held within the deep impression of the Buddha's mind at that moment.

People vow to experience this very same experience of the Buddha as they approach the rohatsu sesshin. In every single Zen dojo, people put their lives on the line to be able to experience the exact same state of mind, on the eighth of December, as that of the Buddha. This is the firm vow with which they come to the rohatsu sesshin.

Sweaters for women and children

At the party on December 6 we will be collecting wrapped women's and children's sweaters for a local shelter. Please indicate on the wrapping the size of the sweater.

We are so looking forward to seeing everyone.

Thanksgiving 2

Please join us for Thanksgiving 2 on Saturday November 28 at Black Oak Farm for a potluck feast starting around 2:30. It would be great if you could bring a vegetable dish to pass. There will also be a basket to place canned goods that will be delivered to the NW Ohio foodbank. Bring something along to share with our less fortunate friends.

TZC Holiday Party

Please join us at an open house holiday party at Black Oak Farm on Sunday December 6 from 2 till 7. For directions please email Do'on at karenweik@yahoo.com. It would be lovely if you could bring a dish to pass. Blessings.

TZC Schedule Update

We have finally arranged our retreat schedule for 2010, though still in the works are additional intro to zen practice weekends and the next zen arts series. Below are the firm dates for the zazenkai/afternoon workshop and sesshin retreats.

Coming up this weekend is our last half day zazenkai and afternoon workshop of 2009 which will focus on the teachings of Silent Illumination of Zen Master Hongzhi. The sitting will be from 9-noon and the afternoon workshop will be from 1:30-4:30pm. The suggested donation is $25, but above all just come and participate in whatever you can of the day.

On December 6th, we will be hosting our annual Holiday celebration at Black Oak Farm from 2pm till whenever. Please bring a dish to share!

On December 11-13 we will hold our Rohatsu Sesshin retreat at Lourdes College. Registration forms for this retreat are available at the zen center or by email request.

The year 2010 will start with a big first for the sangha as we will have our Jukai retreat days and the ceremony with Melissa Myozen Blacker Sensei. To receive the precepts is a great step in one's practice, and there will be a full meal of training and preparations offered. Registration forms for those considering receiving the precepts are available at the zen center or by email request.

Here are the Toledo Zen Center retreat dates for 2010:

Jan 10 - Jukai Retreat Day 1 at the Toledo Zen Center

Jan 22-24 - Jukai Retreat Days 2-4 at Lourdes College.

Feb 25-28 - Jukai Retreat Days and Ceremony With Melissa Sensei 5-8 at Lourdes College.

March 7 - Half Day Zazenkai 9-noon and afternoon workshop 1:30-4:30pm.

Apr 22-25 Sesshin at Lourdes College.

May 16 - Half Day Zazenkai 9-noon and afternoon workshop 1:30-4:30pm.

Jun 17-20 - Sesshin at Lourdes College.

Jul 11- Half Day Zazenkai 9-noon and afternoon workshop 1:30-4:40pm.

Aug 26-29 Sesshin at Lourdes College.

Sep 5 - Half Day Zazenkai 9-noon and afternoon workshop 1:30-4:30pm.

Oct 21-24 Sesshin at Lourdes College.

Nov 7 - Half Day Zazenkai 9-noon and afternoon workshop 1:30-4:30pm.

Dec 2-5 - Sesshin at Lourdes College.

In other news, we are working diligently on creating a new website complete with forums, information for beginners and a dharma store. We have the initial version in place and are now shaping the details, so look for the update notification soon!

Palms Together,

- Jay and Karen

Charter for Compassion

Coupon

Please use this link to get a 30% off coupon at the Libbey Glass outlet store. Just go to the site and print it out! Enjoy!

http://toledostore.libbey.com/