James Ford Roshi at the Toledo Zen Center Sept 16th.

I am very happy to announce that on September 16th starting at 7:15pm, James
Ford Roshi will be visiting the Toledo Zen Center! As you may
know, James is my primary Zen teacher and is a Dharma successor
to John Tarrant Roshi who is the first successor in the Aitken line. James is also
the Founder of the Boundless Way sangha. James is simply a joy to
encounter, has been of immeasurable help to me, and is deeply resonant with our
practice here in Toledo.

We have decided not to try and make a big splash in the local
media, but instead we hope to have an intimate gathering with our current
sangha and friends.

This is an incredibly rare opportunity to meet with James, and I
would like to personally encourage you to set the time aside to be
present. We are suggesting a $20 donation to help cover James flights, but
above all just come.


Contact info@toledozen.org if you have questions.


Palms Together,


- Jay

Pic Slideshow from the TZC Intro to Zen Training Weekend August 2009.

Thanks Karen Berry for the great job with these pics!

Group Pic from the Zen Intro Weekend!

Wonderful to practice with old friends and new! Special thanks to Do'on for the amazing food, all the folks who helped with the set up and break down, and the good sisters of St/ Francis for their warm hospitality.

An Interview with Jay Weik for the Toledo Evolutionary Bodywork Alliance

This is a new video about both the Aikido dojo and the Zen Center that is from a local group I have helped create called the Toledo Evolutionary Bodywork Alliance. It is made up of a number of resonant folks who have banded together to help increase community awareness of what we do, including yoga, massage, hypnotherapy, energy healing and Nia. I hope you enjoy!

- Jay

Zen and the Art of Pizza

The revamped pizza place on BGSU's campus has a clever new name (2.mato) and logo. As you can see, the tomato is a red enso, which I guess symbolises the emptiness in your pocket after you've shelled out for a couple of slices. Or perhaps the enlightenment that pepperoni brings?

John Tarrant on Working with Koans

http://monkeymindonline.blogspot.com/2009/08/john-tarrant-on-working-with-koans.html

A beautiful bit on Koan study from my teachers teacher, great timing for those in our sangha who are beginning to swim in these waters!

Palms Together,

- Rin

First Steps: An Introduction to Zen Practice Weekend Retreat: August 21-23

This weekend retreat with Rinsen and the Toledo Zen Center sangha is designed for those who are new to Zen practice, and will provide a rich opportunity to investigate its most important aspects. Many have read books on Zen or been doing meditation on their own, but in this retreat you will have the opportunity to experience for yourself what the teachings are pointing to with an experienced guide and a community of like-minded people.


More information on this retreat is posted HERE.


Posted below are those whom I have as registered at this time. If you need to adjust please send me an email: Rinsen@ToledoZen.org

Registered:


Jay Rinsen Weik
Karen Do'on Weik
Karen Berry
Elisabeth Jun'en Allen
Rob Bondy
Julie Bondy
Craig Schisler
Douglas Baldwin
Jim Grant
Janis Sati Sankowski
Simon Monsho
Winifred Martin
Phil Dickinson
Kathy Sorensen
Jim Sorensen
Sarah Worley
Leigh Macaro
Susan Purviance (Fri/Sat only)
ROBERT L ADKINS
TIM OKAPAL

Thank you Dr. Smith

This weekend we had the honor of creating and listening to zen poetry with Dr. Larry Smith from Sandusky Ohio. In the midst of a light summer rain Larry read from older and contemporary poets to give us a flavor of the zen style. He urged us to write from within the images rather than talking around them. We sat patiently for our subject to present and express itself. Then had the great pleasure and agony of rendering it in 5-7-5. After we read to each other we placed them in the middle of enso's drawn earlier in the morning.

In the afternoon Larry gave a reading from a book of Ryokan's poetry he has translated in Japanese, Chinese and English to the sounds of the shakuhatchi. He recounted an event he participated in at the Thoreau society wherein he read Ryokan's work and a Thoreau impersonator responded in kind with Thoreau's words from the Woods.

Jay and I were married by Walden pond....It occurs to me that we are all still part of the conversation started by our transcendentalist ancestors. I think they would be pleased in how we are taking up the project....

Photos from the Zen Arts Weekend with Dr. Larry Smith

Sesshin with the Boundless Way Sangha

From July 25th through the 31st, I had the opportunity to practice sesshin with the Boundless Way sangha and my teachers James Ford, Melissa Blacker, and David Rynick.

James made some great comments about the sesshin that are posted here.

Of the many gifts that I am able to bring back from this retreat to our sangha here in Toledo is- at long last - an authentic and whole route to receiving the precepts. Melissa Blacker Sensei has agreed to travel here and be our preceptor, and this lineage is very much in alignment with the practice here in Toledo. The details of when are still at play as of this writing, but that a path has opened for this is a great gift and opportunity for us all. If you are interested in leaning more about the precepts and what is involved bring your questions to the zendo and we will cover them during our community discussion time.

May our practice be strong and loving,

- Jay

A special thank you

We were blessed to have a weekend of zen pottery with Kakutani Sensei. He has a most extraordinary style of creating nurtured in the free jazz and abstract expressionism of New York in the early 60's and distilled in the open skies of the Midwest. Sensei lead us into what can truly be described as the dance of clay: he would use his head as mold, or a foot, an elbow or a knee. It seemed in a flash, with a few masterful strokes, he created an amazing piece and then just as quickly dashed it on his work board with out a trace of regret; only to create yet another gorgeous object. Completely embodying whole mind/ whole body integration, his demonstrations awakened the possibility in us. Being in his presence gave us the freedom to just create and enjoy. Frequently, he reminded us that work makes other work. Not to worry to much. Use what is at hand. Trust our intuition. No rule.

Photos from the Zen Arts Weekend with Kakutani Sensei