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Greetings!
June and I have just returned from 2 weeks in Hawaii
where we were able to see many family, friends and
sangha. Just as we arrived on the Big Island to
conduct
our five day sesshin at Kalopa State Park, so did
Hurricane Flossie. Flossie never reached the Big
Island. It was downgraded from a category 4 storm to
a category 1 storm. But it's anticipated arrival was
enough to derail our sesshin.
All the State parks were closed, including Kalopa
State
Park, so we ended up doing a bare-bones sesshin at
Robert Shozan Bowman and Coral Mack's home.
Without their generous offer to share their home with
us,
no sesshin would have taken place. The sangha is
deeply grateful for both of their continual support. On
Sunday, Sept. 19th, Jill Teiho Wagner was ordained
by me in a Shukke Tokudo ceremony at Daifukuji
Mission. A photo taken after the event is at the top of
this newsletter.
Now that June and I are home, there is much to be done
at the Zen Community. We are putting in a full, public
bathroom on the first floor beginning this week. We
apologize for the
chaos that will be much in evidence during the first few
weeks of September.
If you would like to support this project with a financial
donation, we would be most grateful! Total cost of
bathroom is $6200.
Another project that we are just beginning is the
landscaping of our temple grounds. Martin Hakubai
Mosko just visited us and designed a beautiful
garden that will include flagstone walkways, hula
mounds, new fencing, a large entry gate, new
trees and plants, a pond, large rock formations, a
new deck and many other features too numerous to
mention here. This will be at least a 2 year project
because we are going to do most of the labor
ourselves, to save money. Still with all of the
materials and permits required, we will be spending
at least $20,000 to do this project. Again, your
financial donations are very much appreciated in
helping us improve our temple so more people can
enjoy it.
With gratitude, Joshin Sensei
| in this issue |
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Three Day Sesshin: Oct 4 - 7
Ascending the Mountain Ceremony, Sat. October 13
New Temple Name: "Empty Sound Temple"
Annual ZCOP Garage Sale, Sat. Sept. 29
John Stoner's Jukai, Sept. 16, at 10 am
Zen Practice 1 Class, Sept 9
Zen Practice 2 Class, Sept. 23
Hula Classes
Children's Dharma Class, Sun., Sept 23
Django Jam, Friday, Sept. 14, 7 pm
Dharma Talk: "Sitting in the Eye of the Storm" by Joshin Sensei
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| Ascending the Mountain Ceremony, Sat. October 13 |
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Rev. Nicolee Jikyo McMahon Roshi, Abbess of the
Shaolin Temple of the Three Treasures Zen Community,
will install Rev. Robert Joshin Althouse, Sensei as
Abbot of the Zen Community of Oak Park, on Saturday,
October 13th at 10:30 am. A potluck lunch will follow.
This "Ascending the Mountain" ceremony
acknowledges Joshin Sensei as a person responsible
for the spritual training of priests and lay persons in the
zen tradition.
Everyone is welcome to join this important and joyous
occasion.
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| New Temple Name: "Empty Sound Temple" |
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On Sunday, Sept. 2nd the sangha met to choose a
name
for our temple. Joshin Sensei facilitated the meeting
using the sociocratic process. We considered all names
which had been suggested so far, and came up with a
totally unexpected one - "Empty Sound Temple". In
Japanese it would be "Kuonji".
Thanks to all our sangha and friends who helped in this
process.
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| Annual ZCOP Garage Sale, Sat. Sept. 29 |
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Our annual garage sale will take place from 9 am to 2
pm on Saturday, September 29th. If you came to our first
sale last year, you know that there are many varied
items from books, to kitchen, to gardening items, so
come and get in on the hot deals.
We are asking sangha and friends to help us organize
this by coming to samu work periods on the proceeding
two Saturdays, Sept. 15 and 22 from 9 am to 12 noon.
The Zen Community will provide lunch.
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| John Stoner's Jukai, Sept. 16, at 10 am |
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John Stoner will receive the precepts from Joshin
Sensei in a Jukai ceremony on Sunday, September
16th at 10 am. Come witness John's commitment in this
beautiful and traditional ceremony. All are welcome. A
potluck lunch will follow.
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| Zen Practice 1 Class, Sept 9 |
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A class in beginning Zen meditation will take place on
Sunday, September 9th. The class will cover the basic
practice of meditation (zazen) including
posture, breathing and working with the mind. Everyone
is welcome.
The class is from 8:00 to 9:00 am. Cost: $25.
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| Zen Practice 2 Class, Sept. 23 |
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Learn more about what zen training looks like at the Zen
Community of Oak Park. The class will cover teacher-
student relationships, precept and koan study, services,
retreats, some zendo procedures and council practice.
ZP1 is a pre-requisite for this class. The class is from 8
to 9:00 am. Cost is $25.
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| Hula Classes |
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The next New York City classes in September are as
follows:
New York City:
PLEASE NOTE NEW LOCATION FOR CLASSES:
Dance Theatre Workshop, 219 W. 19th St. (between 7th
and 8th Ave)
September 8, New Beginners class: 4-5 pm
Sept. 8, Beginning Kahiko class: 5-7 pm
Sept. 9, Auana class: 10 am - 1 pm
Sept. 9, Kahiko class: 1 pm - 4 pm
Chicago Classes:
Wednesday nights, Sept. 12th, 19th and 26th
Hula I is 6:30 - 7:30 pm - both Kahiko and Auana
classes for students who have danced 1 year or more.
All ages welcome.
Hula II is 7:30 - 8:30 pm - Beginner's class, both Kahiko
and Auana classes for students who have danced less
than 1 year. All ages welcome
Cost is $15/class.
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| Children's Dharma Class, Sun., Sept 23 |
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The first Children's Dharma Class was a success thanks
to wonderful three year olds: Jeffrey Norris and Eva
Phillips and their moms and teachers Susanne Fairfax,
Steve Hetzel, and June Tanoue.
The class covered basic meditation, walking meditation,
songs and building a model zendo. The class is open to
all ages. Cost is $15 per child
The next classes are set for Sunday, Sept. 23rd and
October 28th from 9 am to 10:45 am. Call 708.445.1651
or email kaili@zencommunity.org to register your child.
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| Django Jam, Friday, Sept. 14, 7 pm |
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The Zen Community is hosting a Gypsy Jazz Jam on
the second Friday of each month. This music, which
was developed by Django Reinhardt, is a form of
swing jazz, which has become a highly developed
genre of music. All musicians and instruments are
welcome. We also invite anyone who would like to
come and hang out to join us. Bring along some food
and drink and enjoy yourself.
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| Dharma Talk: "Sitting in the Eye of the Storm" by Joshin Sensei |
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To practice zen is to know how to sit in the eye of the
storm. You have to be mindful because you can easily
be swept back into the storm. In fact, it
takes energy to get into the eye of the storm, and it takes
some energy to remain there. This is the nature of
practice itself.
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| Support the Zen Comunity of Oak Park |
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Make an online contribution today.
The Zen Community of Oak Park is a 501 (c)(3)
non-profit organization so your donation here to the
Zen Community is fully tax deductible
$
USD
Learn More
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Three Day Sesshin: Oct 4 - 7 |
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The Zen Community will hold a three day sesshin
in Chicago. This traditional Zen retreat will take place in
silence. The retreat includes intensive meditation,
services, samu work practice, daisan with the teacher,
cross training and the practice of immediacy.
The cost of the retreat is $225; $150 for Zen Community
members.
to register:
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