Windhorse Update: July 27-August 3

Greetings, all! And warm greetings, also, from our sister sangha in Poland. Another member of that sangha has come back with me: Magda Kadlubowska (aren’t you glad we’re all on a first-name basis). She’ll be staying and training here at Windhorse for the next few weeks.

Also just arrived today is Meredith Rolley, recently of Florida, but who lived for years in New Mexico. She too will be living here in training and attending the upcoming 5-day sesshin.

And after several weeks once again hiking the Appalachian Trail, former and periodic resident John Swart is back in town. He will also be staying with us through the August sesshin and perhaps longer. This weekend, more guests will be staying here for the workshop and teisho. A lively place, this 580 Panther Branch!

Wonderful to look down yesterday early evening, in the last leg of our long trip, and to see these beloved mountains. It brought to mind those words engraved on a bench at the UNCA botanical gardens – the words of a local poet, Christine Lassiter, who died in 2001 at the age of 50:

I go home to North Carolina wet with the mist of trees breathing life, each mountain singing into the next, green ridges rolling into blue -- softer, softer, then silent.

Yes, good to be home! -- Sunya

Tuesday, July 27

Our weekly Tuesday schedule includes 3 rounds of zazen with dokusan (both teachers) and chanting; 7- 9 at Panther Branch.

Thursday evening, July 29

We’ll resume our usual schedule: 3 full rounds of zazen with dokusan.

Friday, July 30

We’ll hold our in-town evening sitting at the rented zendo on 12 Von Ruck Court: 5:30 – 7:15, with 3 shorter rounds of zazen followed by chanting.

For the sake of getting along with neighbors there, many of whom have no garage and need to park their cars on the street, please remember to park your vehicle in the driveway if at all possible.

If you arrive late: Please park in the driveway anyway, enter quietly, and simply do zazen in the entrance room until kinhin.

Saturday, July 31

Lawson-sensei will be leaving early Saturday morning to visit his mother in Albany.

Because of the workshop from 9:45am – 2:00pm, our morning sitting this Saturday will be from 6:30 – 7:30am.

Cost of this workshop, including a vegetarian lunch, is $25 for those who preregistered and $35 at the door.

Sunday, August 1

We’ll have our usual Sunday morning program with chanting and teisho from 9:30–11:30, followed by tea and whatever vegetarian brunch offerings people may bring to share.

Tuesday, August 3

Same schedule as usual -- see above.

What’s Happening at Windhorse:

We’ll hold to our usual schedule tonight, with 3 rounds of zazen with dokusan, followed by chanting. 7- 9 PM at Panther Branch.

Thursday evening, July 22 & Friday morning, July 23

Thursday night and Friday morning sittings will continue to be informal until next week. People are welcome to come at any time, sit as long as you want, and leave whenever. The zendo is open, but the rounds will not be timed.

Friday evening, July 23

Our Friday in-town sitting starts, as usual, at 5:30. We'll sit three shorter rounds with dokusan offered by Lawson-sensei. We'll be ending the sitting with the weekly memorial service for Fran.

Sunday, July 25

On Sunday, July 25, Lawson-sensei will be giving the third of three Dharma talks on "Zen and Psychotherapy." These talks are open to members and non-members, and more detailed information will be sent out later in the week.

As usual, our program begins at 9:30, ends by 11:30, and is followed by a vegetarian potluck brunch. (No one has to bring anything, but we’ll share whatever offerings arrive.)

Monday, July 26

Sunya-sensei will be returning from Poland late on Monday, July 26th.

Upcoming events:

On Saturday, July 31 there will be an introductory workshop:

“In Every Leaping Moment: The Spirit & Practice of Zen”

If you haven’t been to one of these workshops, please consider joining us; and if you know someone who might be interested, please don't hesitate to spread the word.

And as a reminder, our next sesshin will be August 10-15.

This Week July 13, 2010

We'll hold our usual schedule tonight with 3 rounds of zazen with dokusan offered by Lawson-sensei, followed by chanting, 7-9 PM at Panther Branch.

Thursday night and Friday morning sittings will continue to be informal until the week of July 26th. People are welcome to come at any time, sit as long as you want, and leave whenever. The zendo is open, but the rounds will not be timed.

Our Friday in-town sitting starts, as usual, at 5:30. We'll sit three shorter rounds with dokusan offered by Lawson-sensei. We'll be ending the sitting with the weekly memorial service for Fran.

On Sunday, July 18, Lawson-sensei will be giving the second of three Dharma talks on "Zen and Psychotherapy". These talks are open to members and non-members, and more detailed information will be sent out later in the week.

As usual the Sunday program will begin at 9:30 AM, and be followed by a vegetarian brunch.

Rakusu Information:

Last Sunday we had our first group meeting about the significance of receiving a rakusu, and the role of ordination here at Windhorse. Now, in terms of planning for this fall's rakusu ceremony, it would be helpful to get some idea of the number of Windhorse members who are considering the possibility of sewing a rakusu for the precept ceremony. So if you are interested, or would like further information, please send us an e-mail.

And for those of you new to this area of practice, a rakusu is an abbreviated kesa, the robe worn by bhikshus and bhikshunis since the time of the Buddha. During the persecutions of Buddhism in T’ang China many bhishus and bhikshunis were forced to return to lay life, so to remind themselves that they were still Homeless Ones they fashioned a small version of kesa and wore it around their necks under their lay clothing. Since that time receiving a rakusu has symbolied the time of formally joining the Buddha's family.