 Practice Recap
 Other newsBoard focusing on strategic planning and considerations for reopening: Sanshin Zen Community’s board of directors remains deeply engaged in the process of tending to the long-term health of our sangha. Several board members and practice leaders are in communication with TDC, a non-profit consulting group, with the goal of developing a regional dharma center and establishing a residential program. Meanwhile, we are paying close attention to the evolving situation locally with an eye toward re-opening the zendo when it is safe and wise to do so. Please look for updates on this front over the next couple of months. Sanshin’s board members are always eager to hear from people in our dharma community. If you have any concerns or questions you would like to relay to the board, please don’t hesitate to reach out to President Mark Fraley here.  Sanshin Network
 French-speaking dharma teacher needed in Belgium: Mokusho DePreay of the Centre Shinaktaza in Mons sends the following request: I am a Belgian disciple of Shohaku Okumura Roshi (Sanshinji, Bloomington, IN). I would normally have received dharma transmission in the fall of 2020, but the coronavirus crisis decided otherwise. If the health situation allows, I hope to travel to the United States next fall. In September 2018, Okumura Roshi came to Belgium to inaugurate the temple I had built in Mons (50 km from Brussels, 250 km from Paris, 275 km from Amsterdam and 360 km from London). The Mons sangha has existed for 25 years. I myself am 70 years old and my wish is that the practice of Soto Zen and the teaching of Okumura Roshi can continue after my death. After my demise, the temple will be bequeathed to the association. That is the plan. No one in our group seems to be able to take on such a responsibility. For this project to be realized, we would need a competent, experienced person who speaks a minimum of French and is willing to improve his or her skills. I have the necessary skills to give intensive French courses. The person who would take over the management of Daishinji Temple for at least a few years should be a practitioner in the lineage of Okumura Roshi, Uchiyama Roshi or Sawaki Roshi. If anyone is interested in this project, I suggest that we have a Skype conversation. If you are interested in this project, you can first contact me at this email address or this one.  Coming up April 18 work day: While some practitioners will gather at Sanshin itself on Sunday for the work day, there will also be a virtual option. Zazen will happen as usual at 9:10 am both in person outside on the lawn and virtually before work on the grounds gets underway. Outdoor lunch will be served and work will resume for the afternoon. Virtual workers will join the initial zazen period and then work on their own at home until lunch, when they'll be bringing their food to their computers and chatting together. Following lunch they'll work again on their own. The in-person work day has no organized ending or checkout, but virtual participants can decide at lunchtime whether they'd like to come together one more time to end the day. No registration is required for in-person participation; if you've not participated in virtual practice before at Sanshin, please email here to receive link information. 
 Giving to Sanshin Gifts of financial support
Whether as a practitioner, a financial supporter, a listener/reader or simply as an interested friend, Sanshin welcomes you to our international sangha. Like all nonprofit organizations, Sanshin depends on the generous offerings of those whose lives are helped by the work it does. Visit this page to set up a monthly donation or make a one-time gift online, or download a form to use when giving by check. Community give-back programs Designating Sanshin Zen Community as the recipient of give-back programs is a painless way to provide funding support simply by making your usual purchases! Amazon Smile: Instead of going to Amazon's regular homepage, go to Amazon Smile and sign into your Amazon account. Choose Sanshin Zen Community as your charity, and .05% of what you spend will come to us. Remember, only purchases at smile.amazon.com (not www.amazon.com or the mobile app) support Sanshin. Kroger: If you shop at Kroger with a Plus card, your regular purchases of groceries and household goods can provide financial support for Sanshin. Create or sign in to your Kroger account, enroll in Kroger Community Rewards® with your card, and choose Sanshin as your organization. Every time you shop and swipe your card, a percentage of what you spend will come to us. Fifteen households are already participating on Sanshin's behalf. Employer giving programs Friends of Sanshin who work at companies like Google and Adobe are providing regular financial support through payroll deduction and employer gift-matching programs. Check with your employer's human resources or community relations department to see whether giving opportunities like these are available at your workplace. |
Sangha NewsOur newsletter is posted once a month. Sign up for our mailing list to get notifications of new issues. Archives
May 2025
|
RSS Feed