Introduction to koan practice
A free online class
Four tuesdays, June 5, 12, 19, 26
7:30 pm pst live, then available on video
In this free online class with Megan Rundel, Sensei, we will explore contemporary Zen koan practice. We will learn about the history of the koan tradition, including its roots in the Buddhist tradition and a Taoist cosmology. There will be a consideration of the different facets of a koan, and what it means to "pass" a koan. We will talk about different ways modern Zen practitioners can take up koan practice. As we go we will meditate together with koans and see where they take us.
Koans are not tests, they are not here to make your brain explode, there is no "right answer." Rather they are meant to catalyze and expand the spiritual imagination. Engaging with koans takes us on a journey that is both personal and profound, creative and playful.
This class is part of a project to explore how koans are becoming a part of Western Zen practice. Are there adaptations that could be made to the Asian Zen traditions we have been trained in? Can we add koans that would speak more directly to our modern Western lay lives? What approach to koan study preserves and honors the depth of the tradition while making it relevant and fresh today?
This class is appropriate for anyone with a steady meditation practice. Attending the entire class is highly recommended.
The class will be broadcast via Zoom. It will be available on any device with a connection suitable for streaming video. After the live broadcast you can download it, so if you can't attend a class you can catch it later. Zoom is very easy to use, you don't have to install anything, just follow a link.
To register, follow the link below.
You are invited to a Zoom class.
When: Jun 7-28, 2018 7:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/c5e6023677568bb8c5b9141539e44ee6
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Dana gratefully accepted.
Koans are not tests, they are not here to make your brain explode, there is no "right answer." Rather they are meant to catalyze and expand the spiritual imagination. Engaging with koans takes us on a journey that is both personal and profound, creative and playful.
This class is part of a project to explore how koans are becoming a part of Western Zen practice. Are there adaptations that could be made to the Asian Zen traditions we have been trained in? Can we add koans that would speak more directly to our modern Western lay lives? What approach to koan study preserves and honors the depth of the tradition while making it relevant and fresh today?
This class is appropriate for anyone with a steady meditation practice. Attending the entire class is highly recommended.
The class will be broadcast via Zoom. It will be available on any device with a connection suitable for streaming video. After the live broadcast you can download it, so if you can't attend a class you can catch it later. Zoom is very easy to use, you don't have to install anything, just follow a link.
To register, follow the link below.
You are invited to a Zoom class.
When: Jun 7-28, 2018 7:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/c5e6023677568bb8c5b9141539e44ee6
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Dana gratefully accepted.
Bodhicitta
a workshop on cultivating the energy for awakening
September 23, 2018, 1-4 pm
3824 Grand Avenue, Oakland
In this three-hour workshop, we will explore the quality known as bodhicitta--the desire to awaken for the benefit of all beings. Where does this desire come from, and how can we most skillfully work with its energy? How can we cultivate a strong commitment to practice, with steady and creative engagement? What gets in our way?Our time together will be experiential, with periods of guided meditation, as well as practical as we explore the qualities of heart, mind, body, and community that facilitate the arising of bodhicitta.
Great Autumn Sesshin
October 7-14, 2018
St. Dorothy's Rest, Camp Meeker, Sonoma County
Join us for this week-long Zen sesshin in beautiful western Sonoma county, held with our sister group City Zen of Santa Rosa. We keep a traditional schedule of rising early and sitting lots. There is great food, dharma talks, lovely trails to walk, and daily dokusan with the teachers. Cost for the week is about $900.
If you are interested in attending, come sit with us on a Sunday night and talk to us about your interest in sesshin.
St. Dorothy's Rest, Camp Meeker, Sonoma County
Join us for this week-long Zen sesshin in beautiful western Sonoma county, held with our sister group City Zen of Santa Rosa. We keep a traditional schedule of rising early and sitting lots. There is great food, dharma talks, lovely trails to walk, and daily dokusan with the teachers. Cost for the week is about $900.
If you are interested in attending, come sit with us on a Sunday night and talk to us about your interest in sesshin.