 Platinum Anniversary Celebration Updates
 News Goodbye to 1708: Sanshin will be moving out of its rental facility (1708), next to its main building (1726), in mid-July. The funds now going toward the monthly rent will be redirected to other areas of the operation as the board of directors continues its work to ensure Sanshin's financial sustainability. Over the years, 1708 has served as a short-term guest facility, a storage space, the kitchen and meals area for sesshin and retreat, a workshop space for robe sewing retreats, a meeting area, and, most recently, housing for three residential practitioners. Giving up 1708 means putting Sanshin's fledgling residential practice on pause for awhile, since there is nowhere else on campus for residents to live. Camping in the yard or sleeping in the zendo during sesshin and retreats will still be possible. Meals during sesshin and retreat will be taken in the zendo using oryoki, and Sanshin has begun production on an orientation video that explains how that works in our particular style and space. Without residents, carrying out practice and programs will fall mainly to staff, which consists of one full time and one part time employee. The significant drop in available human resources will result in fewer practice activities for at least the next year. Our schedule and calendars page will always have the latest and best information about what's happening at Sanshin. Sanshin's board is working with consultant Norma Fogelberg to create a fundraising team that will launch its training and work in July. Three projects requiring major expenditures will be necessary for Sanshin to meet its strategic goals: acquiring a new home for the Okumuras, renovating the existing facility at 1726, and hiring additional staff. This will be a meaningful time to step back, reevaluate, set priorities, increase Sanshin's sustainability, and determine a direction for the future. Sanshin leaders at Sotoshu anniversary events: Okumura Roshi, Hoko, shuso Shinko Hagn, board member Zuiko Redding, and Shoryu Bradley were part of recent large-scale events at Sotoshu North America in Los Angeles. Seven ceremonies over three days recognized Sotoshu's 100th anniversary in North America and the 700-year memorial for Keizan Jokin, considered one of the founders of Sotoshu. Okumura Roshi and Zuiko served as gosendoshi, Shoryu and Hoko returned as ino, and Shinko absorbed as much as he could and made a number of useful contacts for himself. While the ceremonies were less complex than the last round in November, they were on a larger scale and included some very high-ranking clergy from Japan. Okumura Roshi and Zuiko were called up to the platform for individual recognition by the head of Sotoshu in Japan for their many years of service to the dharma in North America. Hoko was taken under the wings of the two high-ranking baika teachers from Japan, who invited her to sing with them whenever she wasn’t up on the platform serving as ino.
 Practice recapJune sesshin: Eight practitioners sat together for five days, the final sesshin to make use of the kitchen and meals area at 1708. Four participants were from out of town, and two were first-timers. Our next sesshin is August 31 - September 3.  Jinryu makes virtual classroom visit: A Japanese language instructor from IU asked for a Sanshin representative to spend virtual time with her 30 summer program students. Residential practitioner Jinryu, who is here from Germany, took on the challenge of introducing Zen by computer in English. She taught zazen, answered questions, and helped the class discuss the concept of ichigo ichie, or the once-in-a-lifetime encounter,  Coming up Shuso ceremonies: Sanshin will mark the ending of the ango and the end of Shinko's term as shuso with the usual ceremonies Everyone is welcome to participate, either in person or online. Shinko has chosen a case from the Shoyoroku, or Book of Serenity, for this ango, and Konjin Godwin, Director of the Soto Zen Buddhism International Center in San Francisco, will talk about it during the honsoku gyocha (June 17, 7 pm). Shinko will answer formal questions about it from the sangha during the shuso hossen (June 18, 10 am). A potluck lunch will follow; please contact us ASAP if planning to attend. Go to our ango page for the complete case and other information.  Precepts retreat with Hoko (July 4 - 9): This retreat focuses on the study of the sixteen bodhisattva precepts that Buddhists receive as guidelines for living a life of practice. The daily schedule includes zazen, lectures, work practice and silent meals, and a precepts ceremony (jukai-e) is held during the last day of the retreat, during which those receiving the precepts will make their vows and receive a dharma name and a rakusu, or small robe, which they have sewn beforehand. Learn more here.  Save the date for November virtual dharma study retreat: Plans are underway for Dogen Institute to sponsor Okumura Roshi’s virtual ten-day dharma study retreat in November 2023. This once-a-year event is meant as a successor to Okumura Roshi’s genzo-e retreats, which will no longer be held. The format for this new retreat includes one morning lecture a day for ten days. This format will provide a less strenuous schedule for Okumura Roshi as he transitions into the Founding Teacher role. In November 2023, he plans to lecture on Dogen’s Shobogenzo fascicle “Zazenshin.” Registration for online attendance will open sometime after mid-July. In-person attendance will be restricted to support personnel.  Sanshin Network
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November 2024
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