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.
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