tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38543115773015450202024-03-13T05:33:06.125-07:00Zen Fellowship of BakersfieldDedicated to the practice of zazen, or Zen meditation, in the Soto tradition of Taisen Deshimaru and Kodo Sawaki.G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.comBlogger123125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-42340407101874383002023-02-17T12:22:00.003-08:002023-02-17T12:27:17.695-08:00Zazen Basics<p></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">By <a href="http://zenbakersfield.blogspot.com/p/leadership.html" target="_blank">Gary Enns</a></span></h1>| 2023-02-11 | Saturday Morning Kusen |
<p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:057-Amitabha-Dhyana-Mudra-Original.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Anandajoti Bhikkhu, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons"><img alt="Amitabha Dhyana Mudra" height="259" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/057-Amitabha-Dhyana-Mudra-Original.jpg/512px-057-Amitabha-Dhyana-Mudra-Original.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Posture</span></h1><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p>Tend to the posture first. Slight curve in the lower lumbar, shoulders back and dropped, collarbones up. The heart area of the body is open. No slumping. Press the crown of the head to the sky. </p><p>Zazen posture is the rediscovery of our healthy, awake, ready posture, full of energy. <br /></p><p>Eyes are straight in the skull, but the skull itself is swiveled on the spine so that the gaze is around forty-five degrees down. This is important. The head must not droop down like a wilting rose, as that brings the cervical spine out of alignment, and we lose the balance and dignity of the posture. Instead, straighten the cervical spine, pressing it back and lengthening it, and then swivel the head atop the neck, bringing the chin down and tucking it slightly. <br /></p><p>Hands are gently at rest in the lap in the <i><a href="https://unifycosmos.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/cosmic-mudra-hand-position-example.jpg" target="_blank">dhyana mudra</a></i>.<br /></p><p>Eyes are gently open, gazing ahead at the wall, not fixed on anything specific. Wall-gazing is attentive yet gentle, an openness and acceptance of the here and now. </p><p>With practice, this posture, which may seem to beginners to be imposed and unnatural, will become settled, natural, simple, allowing for a stillness and ease of well-being of body and mind. Once you find it, it becomes second nature, and you never forget it, like riding a bike—you can always and quite easily come back to it. </p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Breath</span></h1><p>Begin to bring your awareness to the breath, welling up and then returning to the <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hara_(tanden)" target="_blank">hara</a></i> (two inches below the navel, the physical and spiritual center of the body), that place of energy and abundance deep within the belly. Begin to lengthen the exhale, ten, twelve, fifteen seconds, and then inhale naturally, about five or six seconds. The entire breath takes the shape of a rolling ocean wave, the inhale being the steeper front, and then the gentle rolling-over the crest and down the long exhale, the back of the wave, then into the trough and up the next, again and again.</p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mind </span><br /></h1><p>And what of the mind? As your four limbs have come to rest in their proper places, so too your mind, another limb of the body, comes to rest, not up high in the skull as you might assume, but deep down in the <i>hara</i>, in the origin and source of our energy, the home of the breath. Simply place your awareness there, behind the <i>mudra</i> of the hands, even behind the expanding and contracting abdominal muscles as you breathe, to the place of stillness and balance deep within.</p><p>Nothing else to do.</p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Attributions</span></h1><p>Anandajoti Bhikkhu, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0" target="_blank">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons.<br /></p><p>Cosmic Mudra. <i>Unify Cosmos</i>.<br /></p>G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-8771576857082432702023-01-18T07:27:00.002-08:002023-01-18T07:33:06.400-08:00Eyes Open<h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">By <a href="http://zenbakersfield.blogspot.com/p/leadership.html" target="_blank">Gary Enns</a></span></h1>| 2022-12-7 | Saturday Morning Mondo | <p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Portia: When I first started meditating, I learned to keep eyes closed, but then at Mountain Spirit Center outside Tehachapi, they taught me to keep the eyes slightly open, and I was told it is because you don't fall asleep during the sitting, and here we keep the eyes open, too. What is the reason in our practice?</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJ8hqu5PlhY0qsiJQWUq6iZV8w9IxBug29OO0lUxrG7CrJmqaMw0zn9K665b5aN_fKtgCDlmKgNxD6tU2J_AwzqQnpUgabnQsHiINKlQRWQal14dvTIZhitgnFV-ZxmympyR1ZlxSSPBf8OteYKUQlnAw7DU2SRijewMH5kdO4sOLOrApPc7K5qlR/s680/Pair_of_eyes_MET_GR169.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="680" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJ8hqu5PlhY0qsiJQWUq6iZV8w9IxBug29OO0lUxrG7CrJmqaMw0zn9K665b5aN_fKtgCDlmKgNxD6tU2J_AwzqQnpUgabnQsHiINKlQRWQal14dvTIZhitgnFV-ZxmympyR1ZlxSSPBf8OteYKUQlnAw7DU2SRijewMH5kdO4sOLOrApPc7K5qlR/w400-h141/Pair_of_eyes_MET_GR169.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Greek; eyes from a bronze statue </span></td></tr></tbody></table>Mountain Spirit’s is a good, practical answer: we keep our eyes open so we don’t fall asleep. There is a time for sleep, of course, but zazen is not that time. The Japanese word <i>kontin </i>means sinking or falling into darkness, sleepiness, dullness, and it, along with <i>sanran </i>(distraction, over-activity), is one of two mental states we are to avoid when we sit in zazen. In zazen we are awake, aware, cultivating the energy of the universe, or rather, the energy of the universe cultivates us.<p></p><p>Recall the story of Bodhidarma’s eyelids. Tradition has it that he fell asleep seven years into his nine-years of continuous wallgazing. In order to avoid further drowsiness, he cut off his eyelids and cast them to the ground. The first tea plants sprouted up where his eyelids landed, and from then on tea became a useful stimulant for chasing away drowsiness.</p><p>This is an entertaining legend to explain the origin of tea, but it also exemplifies the correct psychophysical state of zazen: uprightness, wakefulness, awareness. Closing the eyes sends a message to the body that it is time to drift off, to rest, to dream. Eyes closed, our posture suffers: the head may loll forward, the shoulders slip, the spine collapse or lean to one side. Then what? The curtain opens, and dreams take center stage.</p><p>In <a href="https://antaiji.org/en/classics/fukanzazengi/" target="_blank">Fukanzazengi</a> Dogen instructs us to “always keep the eyes open.” He doesn’t explain the reason for this when he mentions the eyes, but later he says that in zazen, “the open mystery manifests, and there are no more traps and snares for you to get caught in.” Kontin is certainly a trap. He also says, “If you grasp the point, you are like a dragon gaining the water, like a tiger taking to the mountains.” These are not images of sleepiness, of lethargy, but of energy, power, and strength. Finally, he says that in zazen, “the true Dharma appears of itself, so that from the start dullness and distraction are struck aside.”</p><p>In eyes-open zazen, we are like the tiger on the mountain, like the dragon in water, abiding in our natural state, at one with reality as it is.</p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Attributions</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></h1><p></p><p>Dogen, Eihei. "<a href="https://antaiji.org/en/classics/fukanzazengi/" target="_blank">Fukanzazengi</a>." Antaiji.org. <br /></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"></h1><p><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pair_of_eyes_MET_GR169.jpg" target="_blank">Pair of Eyes</a>. Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0, Wikimedia Commons.<br /></p>G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-56044070326226473542022-09-23T15:08:00.002-07:002022-09-23T15:10:58.380-07:00Starting a Home Practice<h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">By <a href="http://zenbakersfield.blogspot.com/p/leadership.html" target="_blank">Gary Enns</a></span></h1><p>| 2022-9-10 | Saturday Morning Mondo | <br /><br /><b>First-time Visitor</b>: “How do you start a home practice?”</p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Location </span><br /></h1><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbP6IsRc5H0M2OGLsc_22F3jMJZ-frBlfixCKviOQxNvp5IxBsoEb_uy7mf4An3ssgD0MOT2-nM3bHCQxGH0sDkHXx0LPkWEEKwkgZscYGq8jW4DYkqFZQFcICsML6Wc6VWriGXzQCZN2Zf2kDFQEl--xrkjpI6Mf0arbfPJyz0ucEFVj7m2TEmFiE/s640/Green_Safu_and_black_Safuton_in_the_Zen_garden_of_the_monastry_Kosan_Ryumon-ji_(France).jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbP6IsRc5H0M2OGLsc_22F3jMJZ-frBlfixCKviOQxNvp5IxBsoEb_uy7mf4An3ssgD0MOT2-nM3bHCQxGH0sDkHXx0LPkWEEKwkgZscYGq8jW4DYkqFZQFcICsML6Wc6VWriGXzQCZN2Zf2kDFQEl--xrkjpI6Mf0arbfPJyz0ucEFVj7m2TEmFiE/s320/Green_Safu_and_black_Safuton_in_the_Zen_garden_of_the_monastry_Kosan_Ryumon-ji_(France).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><i>Where</i> you practice at home is probably the first consideration. Where are you going to set yourself up? </p><p>Especially when you are first starting out, a distraction-free environment is probably best, a quiet room or patio, for instance. All of us through force of habit are prone to follow distractions when they present themselves, so reducing these can help us to settle and focus. </p><p>That said, I will note that if a quiet place is hard to come by, don't let that stop you from practicing. You don't need to put on noise-proof ear muffs and a sleeping mask to cut off the senses. This is not sensory deprivation practice. Life is noisy, sometimes messy and chaotic, and Zen certainly isn’t about denying all of that. Even if you find a relatively quiet spot, cars may still rev by, kids may come and go, pouring cereal into bowls. The clock continues to tick, gardeners mow and blow, and garbage trucks clink and clank on the street. </p><p>These things, all out of your control, become the topography of your zazen as long as your Zen Spirit is right. As long as you are committed to accepting the here and now and remaining still and open to it all, these kind of phenomena become your teachers rather than your distractions.</p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cushion </span><br /></h1><p>Next, what do you have to sit on? I highly recommend a good zafu, but when starting out, you can use throw pillows, or firm blankets -- not squishy or lofty ones. If pillows, get some nice firm throw cushions or something you have around the house, maybe two or even three. If a blanket, fold and roll it to create a wedge for under the sit bone. You need height, six to seven inches or so. You don’t want anything that is going to flatten out too much, which would defeat the purpose of the cushion; if your sit bone is on or too near the ground, it's harder to get the knees down where they need to be, on the ground.</p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Consistency</span><br /></h1><p>Probably a final essential to consider is consistency. <i>When</i> are you going to practice? What time of day works best for you, and how often throughout the week are you going to sit? It's probably best when first starting out not to leave this to chance. Instead, commit to the days and times, and follow through. </p><p>Everyone's schedule of practice is different, so settle into what works best for you. Maybe it is four times a week, or five, six, seven. There is no set rule. Will you practice morning or night, or both? Some make zazen a nightly ritual just before bed. They feel they sleep better after zazen -- certainly a pleasant side effect! More often, it seems, people practice early in the morning -- a great way to start the day, connecting with the universe, cultivating balance, stillness, before stepping out and being with others.</p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Zen Spirit </span><br /></h1><p>These three practical decisions are consequential, as they establish consistent practice in our lives. <br /></p><p>Pervading all of the practicalities of location, time, and consistency is Zen Spirit, which energizes, motivates, emboldens. Zen Spirit means concentration, compassion, generosity, open-heartedness, open-mindedness, and acceptance of the here and now. These are not qualities that we strive for but Zen life itself, manifesting in every moment of our sincere practice.<br /></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Attributions</span></h1><p>Marko Kafé, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Green_Safu_and_black_Safuton_in_the_Zen_garden_of_the_monastry_Kosan_Ryumon-ji_(France).jpg" target="_blank">Green Safu and Black Safuton at Monastery Kosan Ryumon-ji in Weiterswiller, France</a> CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikimedia Commons.<br /></p>G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-73172093299437339712022-04-29T15:53:00.005-07:002022-04-29T16:12:43.582-07:00Dharma Gates and Beginner's Mind<h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">By <a href="http://zenbakersfield.blogspot.com/p/leadership.html" target="_blank">Gary Enns</a></span></h1><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p>| 2022-04-23 | Saturday Morning Mondo |<br /></p><p></p><p></p><h1 style="text-align: left;">Back to Basics<br /></h1><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-WGDXyKd8ypxdhW2N3tHtul_j6IUvY2doSp_4i-iSCw59ojobiNlw6YKkP9ggrstkSwM3L73un0hLhLFHb9Ir1F-yZzrA2MZEnMrvNV5KzQ2fJ-LerjRtIsynY2QgTUhEpWn9SKACcI6yH1ZHUfzZafrQ2WNYap-gCrnBPPpJBzeclViE3lRSyaH/s1024/1024px-Torii_path_with_lantern_at_Fushimi_Inari_Taisha_Shrine,_Kyoto,_Japan.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-WGDXyKd8ypxdhW2N3tHtul_j6IUvY2doSp_4i-iSCw59ojobiNlw6YKkP9ggrstkSwM3L73un0hLhLFHb9Ir1F-yZzrA2MZEnMrvNV5KzQ2fJ-LerjRtIsynY2QgTUhEpWn9SKACcI6yH1ZHUfzZafrQ2WNYap-gCrnBPPpJBzeclViE3lRSyaH/w400-h266/1024px-Torii_path_with_lantern_at_Fushimi_Inari_Taisha_Shrine,_Kyoto,_Japan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Practitioner 1</b>: "It’s
been eight years since I last sat. I should have stretched beforehand! I
had some pain in my ankles, but halfway through, they sort of adjusted.
I’m getting used to the breathing and the posture again. I’m getting
back to the basics."</p><p></p><p>Good! We always go back to the
basics, every one of us, every time we sit down on the cushion. Posture
first, then breath, for every one of us, this is the same returning. </p><p>In
this practice, we are cultivating our beginner's mind. We don't come to
the cushion with a bag full of concepts and ideas. We come fresh, with
an open mind, ready to continue cultivating that openness. </p><p>When
we sit down, we find the posture and breath again, coming back to them
like old friends. These are fundamentals—in fact, so fundamental to our
way of being that we don’t have to carry knowledge of them around, just
like we don’t have to relearn how to ride a bike or brush our teeth once
we know how to do these things. With practice, the posture and breath
become intuitive and natural. </p><p>Everything else, everything we
think we know, even about ourselves, we leave with our shoes at the
door. Just drop it all. So in that sense, everybody's in the same boat
together. In beginner's mind, we're all new beginners here every time we
sit, because each moment is fresh and new, and we can't possibly know
this occasion because we've never experienced it before. </p><h1 style="text-align: left;">Clearing the Mind <br /></h1><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Practitioner 2</b>: "Clearing
the mind, really it's quite difficult, you know, but I did enjoy it.
When I finally settled, there were a few moments of clarity, of
emptiness."</p><p>Thank you. That’s good to hear. And regarding this
difficulty, for first timers, we often hear of this hardship of clearing
the mind. Where did all this space junk of the mind come from, right?
Well, it's probably always there throughout the day, but now, in the
beginning of this practice of stillness, all of the thoughts are in
stark relief. We are opening up here, finding spaciousness, emptiness.
Well, now we see all of the crocodiles in the water of our minds,
churning things up. </p><p>How do we cope with all of it, all of the
past and future, all of the worry and all of the seriousness and
triviality? The way of zazen is not the way of engagement, of wrestling
and wrangling. Zazen practice releases us from the trap of thinking that
we have to wrestle everything into submission. Our practice instead is
to let whatever presents itself come and go without engagement. </p><p>And
remember that the function of the mind is to think, just as the
function of the heart is to beat and the function of the lungs is to
breathe. Functions of heart and lungs don’t bother us, right? Well, the
function of the brain need not bother us as well. You're not going to
get rid of thinking, just like you’re not going to get rid of breath and
heartbeat. Instead, you release the delusion of control and dominance
over that very natural function of the brain. In zazen, we knock down
the fences of the mind and set the horses free. Pretty soon, because
you’re not trying to dominate them and keep them in check, all those
mind creations can relax, wander into the meadows, and stop agitating
us.</p><h1 style="text-align: left;">Acceptance of Self<br /></h1><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Practitioner 3</b>: "What I've
learned is the importance of being kind to yourself, because you have
this expectation of reaching non-thinking, but it's impossible. The
monkey mind is very busy. And you can get so frustrated that you just
can’t do it. It's very difficult. I've learned over the years just to be
kind to myself and say, it's okay, some sittings just aren’t going to
go that well. It's just a consistent state of being kind to yourself and
just letting this experience be whatever it is."</p><p>Good point.
Thank you. And then even in those sittings that you say don't go so
well. Well, if you reframe it, even those have gone perfectly because
that's where you were at that moment in time, and you couldn’t have been
any other way. So that being kind to yourself, that radical acceptance
of the self as it is. coming to that conclusion you are speaking of, is a
great milestone in practice. We see then that we have been attached to
having things go well all the time. So we reach the end of twenty-five
to thirty minutes of sitting, and we think, Wow, I was just
mind-wandering the whole time, just planning my entire day. Well, that
realization at the end, in and of itself, is a precious gem of wisdom.
Those mind challenges during zazen were what the cosmos gave you to
practice with, so you can smile at all of it in gratefulness. How could
it be any other way?</p><h1 style="text-align: left;">Dharma Gates<br /></h1><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Practitioner 4</b>: "It
struck me when you mentioned dharma gates we vow to go through. In
sitting here, facing a wall or a mirror, how many times do we pass
through these energetic memories or pride or anything that presents
itself, again and again. Each time, there is a chance to cut through and
just feel it all fall away and come back to presence. Then, a few
seconds later, we enter a whole new embodiment, a whole new dharma gate."</p><p>Oh,
that's great. Thank you for sharing that. You are referring to the
dharma gates as mentioned in the Bodhisattva Vows. Dharma gates, what
are they? You’ve captured the experience well. There are lots of
definitions of the word dharma. Dharma is all of reality, for instance,
and Dharma also refers to the teachings of the Buddha. In the context of
the Bodhisattva Vows, we might think of the dharma gates of our lives
as learning moments. Well, when do those happen? If you think of each
present moment, this here and now, as sparklingly new and fresh, then we
are always passing through a dharma gate. This current gate can be a
great challenge, or it can be easy and mundane. Well, how do we pass
through them? How do we succeed in that moment? </p><p>In zazen, of
course, we simply drop everything, and in this sense, we pass through
our dharma gate in the posture of great ease, not grasping, not trying
to control. We let whatever presents itself come and go. In this way, we
fulfill the vow of passing through dharma gates. </p><p>At another
point in our day, maybe we meet a challenging person at the drugstore or
at school. That moment is our dharma gate, our opportunity to live out
our Zen, our expansive heart-mind. How do we pass through successfully,
or how do we trip ourselves on the threshold? We can all think of
scenarios where we have stumbled in some type of situation, where we
have not treated somebody with respect, where we have flared up in
anger. But even then, once we realize, once we repent—not in a
guilt-ridden way but in a way of open learning about ourselves—suddenly
we are passing through a new dharma gate—the gate of balanced
repentance. How do we hold that regret, give it the space it deserves,
and then let it go at the appropriate time? There is a way to pass
through this new dharma gate with grace, but we never would have
experienced it without our earlier trip-up, so even that earlier mistake
was needed. Stumbling in itself is its own flavor of dharma gate. </p><h1 style="text-align: left;">Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind<br /></h1><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Practitioner 5</b>: "For
class, we read the first chapter of Shunryu Suzuki’s <a href="https://amzn.to/3F0Ih4x" target="_blank"><i>Zen Mind,
Beginner’s Mind</i></a>, and in it Suzuki talks about how to live out our Zen
life by taking up the posture of zazen mentally as we go about our day."</p><p>Okay,
great. Well, I really like how you've summarized that—holding the
posture or keeping the posture even in your daily life. Of course, we
can't do this literally, keeping the physical posture 24/7. And yet the
spirit of zazen, what you learn about yourself in relation to reality,
about when to engage and not engage, how to create space within and
without, how to break down the barriers of the mind between yourself and
others. All of that is the spirit, the posture, of zazen that we can
live out in our daily lives. </p><p>If instead we don’t take this
posture into our daily lives, if this practice doesn’t transform us, or
alter how we view the world and live with others, it is interesting to
consider why this practice would have lasted for so long, stretching as
it does into the mists of time to reach us today. Why has it been
transmitted from one teacher to the next through the ages? Well, our
experience can answer the question. If we wholeheartedly practice, our
experience does affect every aspect of our lives. It percolates through,
gets into the nooks and crannies of everything if we let it, and if we
don’t continue to block it. </p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/3F0Ih4x" target="_blank"><i>Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind</i></a> is a
landmark book for us. Suzuki came from Japan and established practice
right here in California. The essays within are his oral teachings
written down by his students and meant for Westerners like us who may
not have grown up steeped in the traditions of the East. It is a book
that always seems fresh and vital, that dispenses with intellectualizing
and instead cuts through to the quick of the mind, always focused on
the shape and significance of the practice of Zen. Many of us come back
to this text time and time again, so I'm glad you've read some of it.
It's a good choice. </p><h1 style="text-align: left;">Conclusion</h1><p>I
hope this practice and this discussion, but particularly the practice
of zazen, has been revealing. Of course you can always intellectually
work through subjects like religion and Buddhism and Zen, and that type
of study will be revealing on the intellectual, theoretical level, but
if you stay in the head with it all, you will never truly know the
practice. To truly know, you must experience it. It's like wanting to
become an expert in taekwondo, so you go to the library and read ten
great books on the subject. You’ll hold a lot of facts, a lot of
history, a lot of theory in your head, but how will you perform when it
comes time to spar? At that moment, you may just need to run for the
exit. </p><p>Well, here it is. Now you've done it. My teacher Richard
has said many times, “Bring your zazen to the reading, don't
bring your reading to the zazen.” So now you can take this practice
experience back to the reading of your Zen texts and let the practice
illuminate the reading rather than the other way around. Keep
practicing, and your zazen will be the test of all texts. </p><p>Thank you, all of you, for sharing your practice and your observations today. </p><p> </p><hr /><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Attributions</span></h1><p><span style="font-size: small;">Morin, Basile. "Torii Path with Lantern at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, Kyoto, Japan." CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.</span><br /></p>G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-60166640831659331832022-03-12T08:00:00.015-08:002022-04-05T10:42:52.752-07:00Shikantaza<h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">By Gary Enns</span></h1><p>| 12 March 2022 | Saturday Morning Kusen |<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0hDxCStWjvmPuJaD4yiNuNegwgGIflr0jhm0exN8mel4bCX3iNXwdwZ49-cv80CiWJ8v5ex8l6x5-7lub6qBThPVwGo4ktWiNcNJISZ5DQiwNPvFBVPkkkF81eYjS4oNfwus8skhMU0Mgx131Zg3MVw_lu_hMurBHNnbmZzS-w2zxIU3-P6dpDMZp=s800" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Buddha at Zojoji Temple, Japan" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0hDxCStWjvmPuJaD4yiNuNegwgGIflr0jhm0exN8mel4bCX3iNXwdwZ49-cv80CiWJ8v5ex8l6x5-7lub6qBThPVwGo4ktWiNcNJISZ5DQiwNPvFBVPkkkF81eYjS4oNfwus8skhMU0Mgx131Zg3MVw_lu_hMurBHNnbmZzS-w2zxIU3-P6dpDMZp=w320-h213" width="320" /></a><i>"In this moment of sitting look into what sitting in itself is."</i> - Dogen <br /></p><p>At this moment, we are practicing <i>shikantaza</i>, another name for zazen. Shikantaza means just sitting. Only just sitting. </p><p>Think about how simple this is. There's no need to talk about the Cosmos or Buddha or anything. You're just sitting, facing a wall, facing your self, and letting everything go. </p><p>Zen is life unadorned, everything dropping away—complexities, worries, thoughts, sufferings. Simply place yourself in this simple, healthy posture, with shoulders back and down, relaxed, collarbones up, head presses the sky, hands resting in your lap. Reach, like a flower toward the sun. <br /></p><p>Settle into this posture of only-just-sitting and breathe, that’s it! Not trying to attain, transcend, or make yourself into something other than what you are, here and now. </p><p>Why? Just try it and see if there is any <i>why</i> to be had, or if you even need an answer to this question once you've given shikantaza a chance to work into the nooks and crannies of your life. This is simple acceptance as you sit with the self, or with others, and the entire world around you. </p><p>Be open to the coming and going of any phenomena that happens to appear—the cawing of a crow, the gardener's rake, someone's stomach grumbling, pain in the knees or ankles, a thought, another thought—not pushing away and not grasping, just letting whatever it is arise and fall without your engagement. If and when you find your mind wandering, very simply realize your drift, let go whatever it was you were following, and call again on the radical simplicity of this practice, this very moment. Come back to posture and breath, here and now. All else simply drops away. </p><p>Shikantaza.</p><p></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><a href="Buddha at Zojoji Temple, Japan " target="_blank"></a></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Attributions </span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="Buddha at Zojoji Temple, Japan " target="_blank">"Buddha at Zojoji Temple."</a> D. Fuka, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dogen, Eihei. <a href="Anzan Hoshin" target="_blank">"Zanmai-o-zanmai."</a> Translated by Anzan Hoshin and Yasuda Joshu Dainen.</span><br /></p>G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-32348512737026138142022-03-05T08:00:00.044-08:002022-03-06T17:43:38.327-08:00 The Middle Way: Balancing Stillness and Motion<div style="text-align: left;"><h1><span style="font-size: large;">By Gary Enns</span></h1></div><p>5 March 2022 | Saturday Morning Kusen</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwPW6i70yO7XPcIeeo_iYjkz-SSymCd7qnqValUsTPTiKcFeXsVDPy5_RDkEwrUq91V-GjHKxiPt95whZg_4n001cSoP2ZFZimYmWF6pIJQfaaGHBlIq1C7AcrXQQHyitVaJqJ-7Oxoeu_uXpOGeRbaNwUKslSKJ2b8En_tBRNVa3ytxwQd2kpcDMU=s768" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Kinhin, Zen Deshimaru, Wikimedia Commons" border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="511" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwPW6i70yO7XPcIeeo_iYjkz-SSymCd7qnqValUsTPTiKcFeXsVDPy5_RDkEwrUq91V-GjHKxiPt95whZg_4n001cSoP2ZFZimYmWF6pIJQfaaGHBlIq1C7AcrXQQHyitVaJqJ-7Oxoeu_uXpOGeRbaNwUKslSKJ2b8En_tBRNVa3ytxwQd2kpcDMU=w213-h320" width="213" /></a>Zen practice—the Middle Way—is the path of balance, the path that transcends extremes. One of the Buddha’s well-known metaphors from the <i>Anguttara Nikaya</i> compares our practice to the string of a lute: strung too loose, and it rings flat or thumps when struck, but strung too tight and it sings sharp, or worse, breaks. The Buddha taught that the Way requires “a consistent effort that avoid[s] the two extremes of punishing striving and lethargy and that a middle way must be walked” (qtd. in Bassis). In our practice, we must find the tuning that allows us to avoid the results of two extremes—the flatness of too little and the sharpness of too much. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>With stillness </i>and<i> motion we find the Middle Way. </i></span><br /></p><p>In zazen, for instance, we stretch the backbone, the head presses the sky, the exhale deepens and lengthens. In shikantaza (just sitting) there is a point of balance that allows us to sit for extended periods of time. Yet if striving enters the mix, we may tend toward over-tuning: we may reach for an even longer, deeper exhale, yet with this, the abdominal muscles begin to flex and tense up; we may sit taller still, yet too far, and our vertebrae hyperextend and we tire. Can we sit too long? If our quietude begins to crowd out other essential elements of our life practice, then yes. Striving often leads us too far, from balance to imbalance. What is too much? Too little? Just right? If in our practice we continue to truly listen and respond to the needs of the world (which include our own needs), our Foucault’s pendulum settles closer and closer to the center, and we come closer and closer to our answer.<br /></p><p>Our practice, of course, extends beyond zazen. Consider for a moment why we do kinhin (walking meditation) in the dojo? And why samu (work practice)? If zazen is our main practice, why not simply sit?</p><p>True, our lives may benefit from more zazen, but only when our choice of more is a measured one that listens to the needs of our entire being and the needs of the sangha (community of practitioners). A complete practice means both stilling the body and moving the body, both serving the individual and serving the greater good. For this reason we balance—or tune—between stillness and motion. We sit like mountains in zazen and then walk like mountains in kinhin; we do gassho (hands together); we do pai (prostration); in transition, we bend to the right and left to reacquaint our bodies with the feeling of movement; during kinhin we stretch the knees. With stillness <i>and </i>motion we find the Middle Way. </p><p>Our balance extends beyond our immediate selves to the sangha and the temple. Listening to and honoring the needs of the greater body, we get up from the zafu to practice our Zen in the form of samu—cleaning, building, repairing, cooking in mushotoku spirit (no personal gain) for the benefit of others. In this way the stillness of our personal practice is balanced with the activity and work we do for the world beyond ourselves.</p><p>We are attuned to the Middle Way when we balance stillness with movement, quietude with sound, individual with whole. Whether sitting, walking, or chanting, cleaning, cooking, or building, each moment of stillness or activity is its own dharma gate in the here and now, ready and waiting for us to pass through. </p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Works Cited</span></h1><p>Bassis, Kinrei. <a href="https://berkeleybuddhistpriory.org/2020/02/27/the-middle-way/" target="_blank">“The Middle Way.”</a> <i>Berkeley Buddhist Priory</i>, berkeleybuddhistpriory.org, 27 Feb. 2020. Accessed 5 March 2022.</p><p><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Posture_des_mains_en_kinhin.jpg" target="_blank">"Posture des mains en kinhin."</a> Zen Deshimaru, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. Accessed 5 March 2022.<br /></p>G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-36610730053914707572022-03-03T14:39:00.004-08:002022-03-03T14:39:30.912-08:00Meditation, Stress, and Anxiety - Bakersfield Californian<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2jCvdB6-MymsJ-JmhojBdvPd6Hv91Eo_FEraPIejGw0o4UBlk9gZLth6ihU0rwoDZ_-Vhfrf6EmJrKqrP-hCU2rhITIaSidOFOIxZ90ycGMhFobXbNnYGAksLFAGOz-ylWFvYVSxHgXGG8OjLQFUhRoGPGMUDHuHKR9u71yIFIKQJlKZkQ_z21Jh3=s380" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Meditation cushion in room" border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="380" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2jCvdB6-MymsJ-JmhojBdvPd6Hv91Eo_FEraPIejGw0o4UBlk9gZLth6ihU0rwoDZ_-Vhfrf6EmJrKqrP-hCU2rhITIaSidOFOIxZ90ycGMhFobXbNnYGAksLFAGOz-ylWFvYVSxHgXGG8OjLQFUhRoGPGMUDHuHKR9u71yIFIKQJlKZkQ_z21Jh3=w320-h286" width="320" /></a></div>The Director of the Zen Fellowship, Gary Enns, was interviewed for a recent <i>Bakersfield Californian Life</i> article about meditation opportunities. You can read the article here:<p></p><p>Desai, Ishani. <a href="https://www.bakersfield.com/bakersfield-life/meditation-offers-some-guidance-to-navigate-stress-anxiety/article_c4259fa6-8e58-11ec-82cd-9f86fb163883.html" target="_blank">"Meditation Offers Some Guidance to Navigate Stress, Anxiety."</a> <i>Bakersfield Californian</i>, 26 Feb. 2022.<br /></p>G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-472431213023757252021-11-10T09:00:00.018-08:002021-11-10T09:00:00.142-08:00On a Dying Rose - A Poem<h2 style="text-align: left;">by Lindsay Sharp<br /></h2><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kBfkle3uKEA/YYLm_77fzRI/AAAAAAAAKUk/fKex7RCph1IzoJrBoPdUI29E9tI9uB4WQCNcBGAsYHQ/s752/preying-mantis-sharp.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kBfkle3uKEA/YYLm_77fzRI/AAAAAAAAKUk/fKex7RCph1IzoJrBoPdUI29E9tI9uB4WQCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/preying-mantis-sharp.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Lindsay Sharp</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>On a dying rose<p></p><p>praying mantis cleans herself</p><p>like a content cat</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote><p><b>About the Poet</b>: Lindsay Sharp is a healing arts practitioner in her beautiful hometown of Bakersfield. She also enjoys cooking, making music and smelling all the roses.<br /></p></blockquote>G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-11737177450488597542021-11-02T11:04:00.007-07:002022-03-06T17:54:30.229-08:00Simply Sitting - A Poem<p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">by Portia Choi</h2><p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vUoAWI2do0g/YYGc7o7_GwI/AAAAAAAAKUc/Oa6qGP3apQkOw8jecMF1NpT8pPlu5si0ACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Portia%2BChoi%2Bfor%2BPeace%2BDay.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vUoAWI2do0g/YYGc7o7_GwI/AAAAAAAAKUc/Oa6qGP3apQkOw8jecMF1NpT8pPlu5si0ACNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Portia%2BChoi%2Bfor%2BPeace%2BDay.JPG" width="213" /></a>Sitting with one’s bottom on the cushion,</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">knees folded and relaxed,</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">top of the foot on the floor,</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">soles facing up.</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Back straight, head pressing the sky,</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">nose vertical, eyes horizontal.</p><p> </p><p>Ah—ready for deep concentration</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">trying to drop all thoughts from the mind</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">(with each breath, the mind wanders:</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">what will I eat for breakfast, what will I wear?)</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Breathing slowly, in and out.</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Bringing the mind back to slow breathing.</p><p> </p><p>After twenty minutes,</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">there is pain in the knees, then the thighs.</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Breathing in-out, in-out, slowly in-out, in-out;</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">and the pain is forgotten.</p><p> </p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Then, the foot starts to tingle,</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">It seems to change from aliveness to</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">concrete coolness.</p><p> </p><p>The bell sounds, the sitting has ended.</p><p> </p><p>The foot is numb and does not move, </p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">wriggle the toes, gently – slowly,</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">and vitality rushes to awaken the foot.</p><p> </p><p>Ah, learning from simply sitting.</p><p> </p><p><b>About the Poet</b>: Portia Choi has published a chapbook, <i>Sungsook, Korean War Poems</i>, about her personal experiences in that war. She administers <a href="https://kernpoetry.com/" target="_blank">Kern Poetry Online</a> and sits with the Dust Bowl Dojo of the Zen Fellowship of Bakersfield. <br /></p>G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-33009238682439269882021-06-18T11:00:00.015-07:002022-03-07T15:39:35.294-08:00Attitude of Mind, and Posture<h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Gary Enns</span></h1><p><i>Mondo
is a question and answer that typically occurs after a session of Zen
practice. This mondo with Gary is from Tuesday, 8 June, 2021. </i><br /></p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T6oF29qRQaI/YMzfNhNMMeI/AAAAAAAAKPQ/hOwANp0pBbkpdgkaVyozxTGIvXnQJ9SQwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/photo5.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Buddha of the dojo" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T6oF29qRQaI/YMzfNhNMMeI/AAAAAAAAKPQ/hOwANp0pBbkpdgkaVyozxTGIvXnQJ9SQwCNcBGAsYHQ/w240-h320/photo5.JPG" width="240" /></a>Being as this is your first time with us, how did it go?<br /><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">VISITOR: “I need to practice more.”<br /></p><p>We
all need that! There is a phrase in Zen--beginner’s mind. Longtime
practitioners, brand new practitioners, we're all in beginner's mind,
all absolute beginners when we come back to zazen because it is always
fresh and new, as every moment is fresh and new. In this way, we can all
be surprised by practice.<br /></p><p>Different things will arise during
zazen, always, because the world is flowing and we're flowing.
Everything is in flux and changing, so everything is always new. We come
back again to the fundamentals: posture first, then breath.<br /></p><p>The
attitude of mind in zazen is concentration--on just this moment, this
here and now, this posture, this one breath. Let everything be as it is,
not fighting to push away the bad or gain the good. Zazen is the
autotelic experience of being one with this immediate practice of
sitting, completely in the present moment. We have everything we need
right here.<br /></p><p>Yes, we all need to practice more, I think.<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">VISITOR:
“Thank you so much. I noticed that my legs started to lose circulation.
Why is that, and what can I do to keep that from happening?”<br /></p><p>The
first month of anyone's practice will likely be a month of
experimentation, and really, we are all continuously adjusting our
practice to suit our bodies’ particular needs as they change. This
morning, you were sitting in the Burmese cross-legged position that we
talked about, so next time try having the other leg in front. That's one
experiment.<br /></p><p>Another is to give yourself some more height by
flipping your zafu on its end and sitting in one of the cross-legged
positions, just a bit taller.<br /></p><p>You might also try the seiza
position. Take your zafu, flip it on its edge and point it forward. Then
kneel on the ground and bring the sit bone down on the zafu, kind of
like riding a horse. If you can position yourself so that your big toes
touch in back, that helps to create a nice tripod base. Seiza is a
forgiving position that may alleviate the issue in the legs and feet.</p><p>In
whatever position you choose, make sure you have that slight curve and
your lower back, shoulders back, arms dropped, head presses the sky.
Concentrate on the posture.</p><p>Now, I will say this: my feet still
fall asleep sometimes. I just let that drop off, too. You may or may not
be able to “fix” this, but it may not be something that needs to be
fixed, so don’t let it discourage you from practicing. Ultimately, it
may just be more of the phenomena of life, the topography of practice,
that we accept and let come and go, like an itch, a sore back, the
meowing cat, the ticking clock. It’s all the same. If we were never
challenged with such things, such teachers, we would never be able to
grow and strengthen our patience, our acceptance, our equanimity.<br /></p>G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-74538055813900152021-06-15T10:11:00.009-07:002022-02-26T11:11:53.465-08:00Back to the Dojo! Visitation and Protocols<p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span>Note: The information of this post is now out of date. For up-to-date Covid-19 protocols, see the <a href="http://zenbakersfield.blogspot.com/p/visit.html">Visit</a> page.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>D</span>ear Friends of the Dust Bowl Dojo,<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Buddha_in_Zazen.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Buddha_in_Zazen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><br />We
have begun our live dojo practice again, with some restrictions. As we
begin in-person practice and instruction, we want to make sure that
precautions are taken to minimize risk. <br /> <br />Due to the size of the
dojo and the lack of open-air ventilation, dojo practice is limited to
those who have completed the vaccination process. If you would like to
attend, please fill out the <a href="https://forms.gle/6QxeVRCnnwFqL6LPA" target="_blank">In-Person Zazen Attendance Form</a>. and then be sure to bring your vaccination card for confirmation. <br /> <br />Proof
of vaccination is required at this time in order to attend in person,
and masks, though not needed during zazen, will be worn during chanting
and must be brought to the dojo.<br /><br />If you have not completed the vaccination process, you are welcome to participate
via Zoom. See the dojo calendar for Zoom links.<br /><br />Thank you for your cooperation. We look forward to practicing together safely! G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-49378509143638926852021-04-17T16:37:00.001-07:002021-04-17T16:37:20.659-07:00Zen in the Gardens - 24 April 2021<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OOjkECt1ORo/YHtwqPi3z8I/AAAAAAAAKKM/TkfehCrOF3cGMqNoaDqd3Q0OacAJA7f3ACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/125395635_5242676669083124_2519192580488230770_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Zen in the Gardens" border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="2048" height="336" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OOjkECt1ORo/YHtwqPi3z8I/AAAAAAAAKKM/TkfehCrOF3cGMqNoaDqd3Q0OacAJA7f3ACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h336/125395635_5242676669083124_2519192580488230770_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> Join us Zen practice in the gardens of the Bakersfield Museum of Art. <p></p><p>We will be outside in the fresh air and socially distancing, with plenty of space (more than the minimum distance) between practitioners, but do please bring your mask for any necessary facility usage or before/after socializing.</p><p>Beginners welcome. If you are new to practice, contact us in advance for more information. <br /></p><p>See the description on the <a href="https://fb.me/e/20N9cOSPG" target="_blank">Facebook Event</a>.<br /></p><p><br /></p>G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-10257671711664317922021-03-09T17:38:00.005-08:002021-03-09T17:38:51.216-08:00Afternoon of Mindfulness - CSUB - 13 March 2021<p>This event is coordinated by the Common Ground Club of CSUB. 2-3 PM, 13 March 2021. Gary will briefly discuss Zen practice and lead a short session of zazen.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oJHiirSScBE/YEgipEzMOyI/AAAAAAAAKHo/KwS0UIyKTSAoULQ1OI9eDSEwN-TGD0mQwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Mindfulness%2BEvent%2BFlyer%2B-%2B3_13_21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oJHiirSScBE/YEgipEzMOyI/AAAAAAAAKHo/KwS0UIyKTSAoULQ1OI9eDSEwN-TGD0mQwCNcBGAsYHQ/w414-h640/Mindfulness%2BEvent%2BFlyer%2B-%2B3_13_21.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><br /><p></p>G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-45377994071127002892020-03-25T16:52:00.003-07:002020-03-25T16:55:46.865-07:00Zen Fellowship Virtual Dojo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KqSBSnNhY_I/XnvvaXryIhI/AAAAAAAAJxk/N4oUNWzo4foA3adh29KF942iQi5eyqsdQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/virtual-dojo-banner.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Zen Fellowship Virtual Dojo" border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="334" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KqSBSnNhY_I/XnvvaXryIhI/AAAAAAAAJxk/N4oUNWzo4foA3adh29KF942iQi5eyqsdQCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/virtual-dojo-banner.PNG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Continue your Zen practice in this time of physical distancing. The Dust Bowl Dojo meets for group practice via Zoom on the following day and time or for private introductions by appointment: <br /><br />Saturday Mornings 7:30-9:00 am PT - Zazen and Ceremony. <br /><br />Visit our website calendar for the Zoom link. We will announce more opportunities soon. For private introductions to practice, contact us with your request.G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-42082163518016409372020-02-11T08:25:00.001-08:002020-02-11T08:25:21.003-08:00CSUB Interfaith Fair - 19 February 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rjnApeayokM/XkLVA4JnknI/AAAAAAAAJtM/9w8I_VNyrDsr-5iQhjbUqK88MHU-LptgwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/csub-interfaith-fair.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="334" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rjnApeayokM/XkLVA4JnknI/AAAAAAAAJtM/9w8I_VNyrDsr-5iQhjbUqK88MHU-LptgwCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/csub-interfaith-fair.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2>
When and Where</h2>
<br />
Wednesday, February 19, 2020 at 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM<br />
<br />
CSUB Quad<br />
<br />
<h2>
What</h2>
<br />
The Zen Fellowship will participate in the Second Annual CSUB Interfaith Fair, which offers an opportunity for students and community members on campus to engage in interfaith conversation and dialogue with people from various faiths. <br /><br />The event is held outdoors in the quad area. Last year, representation from the following faiths participated: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, New Thought, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Baha’i Faith. <br /><br />Come talk with us and try out Zen meditation!G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-12319066053903337032020-02-10T18:12:00.000-08:002020-02-10T18:14:09.270-08:00Zazenkai - 4 April 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hdg8Tu9re68/XkIMmEzn09I/AAAAAAAAJs8/EEel4ExTa8wA5npQkDENFS2RWz0LK0YfQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/zazenkai-cover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="1600" height="235" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hdg8Tu9re68/XkIMmEzn09I/AAAAAAAAJs8/EEel4ExTa8wA5npQkDENFS2RWz0LK0YfQCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/zazenkai-cover.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
1 pm - 5 pm<br />
<br />
Literally
"to come together for meditation," a zazenkai is an opportunity for
participants to cultivate Zen practice in their lives. <br />
<h2>
Included</h2>
<h2>
</h2>
<ul>
<li>Zen instruction</li>
<li>Zazen (Zen meditation)</li>
<li>Samu (work practice)</li>
<li>Yoga</li>
<li>Talk on a classic Zen text</li>
<li>Ceremony</li>
<li>Mondo (question and answer)</li>
</ul>
Upon conclusion, you may join us for an optional celebratory dinner at one of our excellent downtown Bakersfield restaurants.<br />
<h2>
Cost</h2>
<h2>
</h2>
Payable by cash, check, or card the day of the event:<br />
<ul>
<li>$45 regular</li>
<li>$40 member in good standing</li>
<li>$25 student</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Experience</h2>
<h2>
</h2>
If
you are new to Zen practice, we encourage you to reach out to us to
receive some instruction and to attend one or more of our weekly
sittings before committing to this more intensive retreat.<br /><br />Zazen
can be practiced on a sitting cushion (zafu), small seiza bench, or
chair. We have a number of dojo cushions, some seiza benches, and
suitable chairs if you need one. If you have a preferred sitting cushion
or seiza bench at home, we encourage you to bring it so that we will
have enough sitting options to go around.<br />
<h2>
Reservations</h2>
<h2>
</h2>
Reservations are required. Confirm here or visit our website and contact the director.<br /><br />Contact us with any questions. We will be happy to assist further.G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-86685444136980793232020-02-09T11:06:00.000-08:002020-02-09T11:06:01.663-08:00Zen Family Practice Day - 20 March 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LRV0JtP43hQ/XkBXmUEsT0I/AAAAAAAAJsg/pYx1B961MJIRx9gC_TlVava8WstKuLmtwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/zen-family-practice-day-2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="334" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LRV0JtP43hQ/XkBXmUEsT0I/AAAAAAAAJsg/pYx1B961MJIRx9gC_TlVava8WstKuLmtwCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/zen-family-practice-day-2.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
We could all use some Zen in our lives—kids included! Bring family and friends to learn Zen practice together.<br /><br />Cost is free to public, donations encouraged. All proceeds support the Zen Fellowship in its mission to promote Zen practice in the community.<br /><br />Please let us know in advance if your child is in the 4-or-under age group to allow us time to schedule our child care provider.<br /><br />Message with your reservation or any questions. We look forward to practicing with you.G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-3036698015596271142020-02-09T11:02:00.001-08:002020-02-09T11:02:16.906-08:00Introduction to Practice - 6 March 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ARhv81O4ftk/XfaaBXmy_CI/AAAAAAAAJoE/N4AUklZgHi0INdV6GfU2wUnEIr04g6JRACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/introduction-to-practice-banner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="960" height="334" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ARhv81O4ftk/XfaaBXmy_CI/AAAAAAAAJoE/N4AUklZgHi0INdV6GfU2wUnEIr04g6JRACNcBGAsYHQ/s640/introduction-to-practice-banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div data-contents="true">
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<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dvacn-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="dvacn-0-0"><span data-text="true">Friday, 6 March 2020, 6-8 pm</span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dvacn-0-0">
</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dvacn-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="dvacn-0-0"><span data-text="true">In
this introduction, participants will be introduced to Zen practice,
including dojo etiquette, zazen (sitting concentration), kinhin (walking
meditation), and traditional chanting of the Heart Sutra in Japanese.
Upon completion, participants will be ready to join regular dojo
practice. </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="5t0e7" data-offset-key="6r2vk-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6r2vk-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6r2vk-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="5t0e7" data-offset-key="12na-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="12na-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="12na-0-0"><span data-text="true">Refreshments included.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="5t0e7" data-offset-key="901ni-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="901ni-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="901ni-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="5t0e7" data-offset-key="8guii-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8guii-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="8guii-0-0"><span data-text="true">Suggested Donation: $20 (students $10). Reservations required.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="5t0e7" data-offset-key="9qbbr-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9qbbr-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="9qbbr-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="5t0e7" data-offset-key="cfjh2-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cfjh2-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="cfjh2-0-0"><span data-text="true">Message us for more information and reservations.</span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-43174671613268132782020-02-09T11:00:00.002-08:002020-02-09T11:00:19.587-08:00Zen Reading Group<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uAhuozCPKmM/XkBWgh2ywmI/AAAAAAAAJsY/8SleVWLsEKwLySR5me3soqZ6yCWMBCBgQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/zen-reading-group-banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="960" height="334" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uAhuozCPKmM/XkBWgh2ywmI/AAAAAAAAJsY/8SleVWLsEKwLySR5me3soqZ6yCWMBCBgQCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/zen-reading-group-banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Let's relax and have some fun together as we discuss classic Zen texts and stories over tea and coffee. This gathering is held on the second Friday of the month unless otherwise noted on the calendar.<br /><br />Contact us or read the discussion comments within this Facebook event for the specific text of the evening.<br /><br />All are welcome! This event is a chance for us, together, to bring our zazen to the rich storehouse of Zen literature.G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-1835826374090559962020-02-09T10:57:00.001-08:002020-02-09T10:57:10.413-08:00Evening Zazen Wednesdays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qWzcryn_hss/XkBVIJkcgZI/AAAAAAAAJsM/Hv5Cf_uKjqMDyFqfJ-sJTSXHk9z3P9_6gCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/evening-zazen-banner.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="334" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qWzcryn_hss/XkBVIJkcgZI/AAAAAAAAJsM/Hv5Cf_uKjqMDyFqfJ-sJTSXHk9z3P9_6gCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/evening-zazen-banner.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This
mid-week practice is set in the evening and includes one sitting,
followed by a short dedication. End the workday reconnecting to the here
and now.<br />
<br />
Time: Wednesdays, 5:15-5:50 pm <br />
<br />
Beginners are welcome. Contact us for more details.<br />
<br />
For directions to Bakersfield Budo, see out Visit page.G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-1860281084613998472019-12-15T12:45:00.001-08:002019-12-15T12:45:30.352-08:00Zazen and Genmai - 25 January 2020<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-781pW9FtgWM/XfabGUQB3ZI/AAAAAAAAJoM/Xlh5HSwpMNs5DHBDX_i6eerTdv332FqMwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/zen-and-genmai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="960" height="334" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-781pW9FtgWM/XfabGUQB3ZI/AAAAAAAAJoM/Xlh5HSwpMNs5DHBDX_i6eerTdv332FqMwCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/zen-and-genmai.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div data-contents="true">
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="e0eok" data-offset-key="6ne6l-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6ne6l-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6ne6l-0-0"><span data-text="true">Saturday, 25 January 2020</span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6ne6l-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6ne6l-0-0"><span data-text="true">7:30-9:30 am</span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6ne6l-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6ne6l-0-0"><span data-text="true"> </span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6ne6l-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6ne6l-0-0"><span data-text="true">It's genmai time! </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="e0eok" data-offset-key="bqqp0-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="bqqp0-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="bqqp0-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="e0eok" data-offset-key="c60j4-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="c60j4-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="c60j4-0-0"><span data-text="true">On this day, Zen service includes a traditional monk's breakfast of genmai (rice and vegetable porridge) and tea after zazen (meditation). This is a great time to experience Zen practice and enjoy conversation over a yummy traditional Zen meal.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="e0eok" data-offset-key="3ed7e-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3ed7e-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="3ed7e-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="e0eok" data-offset-key="c92r2-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="c92r2-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="c92r2-0-0"><span data-text="true">Beginners are always welcome. If you are new to practice and would like to attend, we recommend contacting us first and then planning on arriving twenty minutes early for a brief introduction.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="e0eok" data-offset-key="bp4ol-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="bp4ol-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="bp4ol-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="e0eok" data-offset-key="ern7i-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ern7i-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="ern7i-0-0"><span data-text="true">For your comfort during meditation, we advise loose, comfortable clothing such as sweats or yoga pants. Black, dark gray, or brown color choices help to maintain the harmony of the dojo experience.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="e0eok" data-offset-key="7sv5j-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7sv5j-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="7sv5j-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="e0eok" data-offset-key="5sudv-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5sudv-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="5sudv-0-0"><span data-text="true">Message us with any questions. We look forward to practicing with you.</span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-64392518289031685512019-12-15T12:41:00.000-08:002019-12-15T12:41:09.311-08:00Introduction to Practice - 17 January 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ARhv81O4ftk/XfaaBXmy_CI/AAAAAAAAJoE/N4AUklZgHi0INdV6GfU2wUnEIr04g6JRACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/introduction-to-practice-banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="960" height="334" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ARhv81O4ftk/XfaaBXmy_CI/AAAAAAAAJoE/N4AUklZgHi0INdV6GfU2wUnEIr04g6JRACNcBGAsYHQ/s640/introduction-to-practice-banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div data-contents="true">
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="5t0e7" data-offset-key="dvacn-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dvacn-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="dvacn-0-0"><span data-text="true">Friday, 17 January 2020</span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dvacn-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="dvacn-0-0"><span data-text="true">6-8 pm</span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dvacn-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="dvacn-0-0"><span data-text="true"> </span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dvacn-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="dvacn-0-0"><span data-text="true">In this introduction, participants will be introduced to Zen practice, including dojo etiquette, zazen (sitting concentration), kinhin (walking meditation), and traditional chanting of the Heart Sutra in Japanese. Upon completion, participants will be ready to join regular dojo practice. </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="5t0e7" data-offset-key="6r2vk-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6r2vk-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6r2vk-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="5t0e7" data-offset-key="12na-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="12na-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="12na-0-0"><span data-text="true">Refreshments included.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="5t0e7" data-offset-key="901ni-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="901ni-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="901ni-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
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<span data-offset-key="8guii-0-0"><span data-text="true">Suggested Donation: $20 (students $10). Reservations required.</span></span></div>
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G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-79552897472198773762019-12-15T12:36:00.001-08:002019-12-15T12:42:20.905-08:00Zen Reading Group - 10 January 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GXzQ0tMZFnk/XfaXZnPsZ3I/AAAAAAAAJn4/rsjogkTqnocqHMmDGhv2qen8McL0goadwCEwYBhgL/s1600/zen-reading-group-banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="960" height="334" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GXzQ0tMZFnk/XfaXZnPsZ3I/AAAAAAAAJn4/rsjogkTqnocqHMmDGhv2qen8McL0goadwCEwYBhgL/s640/zen-reading-group-banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Every second Friday at 4 pm (unless otherwise noted on our calendar).<br />
<br />
Let's relax and have some fun together as we discuss classic Zen texts and stories over tea and coffee.<br />
<br />
Friday 10 January 2020 is our next gathering. We will continue our discussion with stories 41-50 from the collection <i>Zen Flesh, Zen Bones</i> by Paul Reps and Nyogen Senzaki. New and used copies of this book can be found on Amazon. There is also a free online version of <a href="https://terebess.hu/zen/Shaseki.doc" target="_blank">101 Zen Stories</a> where you will find the material.<br />
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This will be a chance for us, together, to bring our zazen to the reading.<br />
<br />
Contact us for details.<br />
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G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-20817800475069189192019-11-27T21:01:00.001-08:002019-11-27T21:13:23.813-08:00New Space, We Begin Again<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5ZX7hio0-G/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;">
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<div style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5ZX7hio0-G/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Zen Fellowship of Bakersfield (@zenfellowship)</a> on <time datetime="2019-11-28T04:55:50+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Nov 27, 2019 at 8:55pm PST</time></div>
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We are happy to announce that the Zen Fellowship has found a beautiful new space to continue group Zen practice in Bakersfield. Join us Saturday, December 7, 7:30-9:00 am, for our first zazen and ceremony at Bakersfield Budo, 1100 24th Street, Bakersfield, CA 93301. We look forward to our new partnership with Bakersfield Budo.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d3252.967031022419!2d-119.0164808856625!3d35.38127368026527!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x80ea41b2e0d11143%3A0xc8da6c46a6d28566!2sBakersfield%20Budo!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1574914948016!5m2!1sen!2sus" style="border: 0;" width="400"></iframe><br />G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3854311577301545020.post-22967399357842489222019-11-22T17:00:00.000-08:002019-11-23T12:22:13.873-08:00Zen Reading Group - 13 December 2019<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5MEgRLAbdO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Zen Fellowship of Bakersfield (@zenfellowship)</a> on <time datetime="2019-11-23T00:55:57+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Nov 22, 2019 at 4:55pm PST</time></div>
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Friday, December 13, 4:00-5:00 @ <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/BtUZaJoFmLgGM18JA" target="_blank">Dagny’s</a>.<br />
<br />
Let's relax and have some fun together as we discuss classic Zen texts and stories over tea and coffee.<br />
<br />
We will continue our discussion with stories 21-40 from the collection <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0804831866/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_mri2DbSVEHZNY" target="_blank">Zen Flesh, Zen Bones</a> by Paul Reps and Nyogen Senzaki. New and used copies of this book can be found on Amazon.<br />
<br />
This will be a chance for us, together, to bring our zazen to the reading.<br />
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Contact us for details.<br />
<br />G. S. Ennshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17500753855116821248noreply@blogger.com0