Sunday Practice

We've practiced now for four weeks in our new space, the Solar Addition of the UFM. It's a lovely space, a bit small but full of light with red tile floors. I'll try to post some pictures soon.

We meet from 3:00 - 4:30. We do nine prostrations, chant Kwan Se Um Bosal, sit for two rounds with walking meditation, then close with the Heart Sutra in English and the Great Dharani. This is a wonderful way to bring the weekend to a close.

What will you be doing next Sunday at 3:00?

Practice Schedule / Location Change

Margaret and I are excited to announce a change to both our practice schedule AND location. Beginning Sunday February 12, 2012 we will hold practice on Sundays from 3 - 4:30 in the solar addition of UFM (1221 Thurston St, Manhattan, KS). Here's a link to a map: http://g.co/maps/nj3mn.

Effectively immediately, we will no longer practice at Mercy Hospital Chapel. This means no practice tomorrow (Saturday February 4) or Tuesday (Feb 7).

We hope to see everyone very soon.

Interdependence

I found this shell in the shallow water of the Banana River, a lagoon that runs from Cape Canaveral in the north to the Indian River in the south. I picked it up because I was attracted to the deep green color, which of course dried to an ordinary grey. But I love it for its worm casings and barnacles, the traces of the many lives nurturing and nurtured by the creature that made this shell, concrete proof that our lives continue on past the death of the biological body and the mass of psychic energy we call the self. Had I resisted the temptation to plunge my arm into the cold water and take this shell, it undoubtedly would have offered refuge to a succession of hermit crabs before it began breaking up, turning slowly to sand, shifting back and forth under the surface of the clear green water.

Our bodies are as soft and vulnerable as the mollusk that grew this shell. And our selves have no more substance than the waves that break on the shore. But we do exist beyond what we call our "selves," in the wind and the tides and the sand under foot.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Cocoa Beach

Practice Canceled Tonight, 12/20/2011

We are canceling practice tonight due to inclement weather. But we are planning to be there Saturday morning, usual time, usual place. See you?

Winter Solstice Events

Tallgrass Zen Center
Winter Solstice
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Deep Creek Community Center

Meditation from 9 am - 5 pm
with consulting interviews
bring your own lunch
tea provided

Potluck at 5:30 pm

Candlelight Kido at 6:30 pm

All events are open to the public,
no prior experience necessary
free will offering to cover rental of facility

for directions call 785-537-8713 or e-mail tallgrasszen @ yahoo. com

Practice cancelled Saturday, November 12, 2011

We are unable to be there for practice this morning. Regular practice schedule will resume on Tuesday evening.
Margaret & Christina

Kwan Se Um Bosal / Ji Jang Bosal

Yesterday we had our first ever kido retreat led by Linc Rhodes, JDPSN. It featured about seven hours of chanting kwanseumbosal over and over while sitting and walking and keeping time with percussion instruments. In the words of Sam Wisely, it was "interesting." At one point, about 4 hours into our afternoon chanting, everyone seemed to wake up together and began hitting their instruments hard. Several us of were hitting the floor. The energy was palpable. This went on for a while. It's hard to explain how one minute you can be practically falling over with exhaustion and the next minute clear and exhilarated.

This morning we had practice at Ana Franklin's Yoga Studio and chanted Ji Jang Bosal to commemorate 9/11. Ji Jang Bosal is the "earth storehouse boddhisatva," which is a lovely way to think of the dead. Afterward we sat in a circle and talked and ate Ana's delicious meal. Thank you, Ana!

And many thanks to everyone who participated in both events, especially to Linc for traveling so far and being so steady.

kwanseumbosal kwanseumbosal kwanseumbosal