Buddha's Enlightenment Day is celebrated on the 8th Day of the 12th month. So this year on a lunar calendar it is December 23rd, on a solar calendar it is December 8th. Which do you like?

Saturday December 5, 2009: Tallgrass Zen Extended Morning Practice with Consulting Interviews 7:30 -9:30 am: Mercy Chapel - 1823 College Avenue - Manhattan, Kansas - Followed by Sangha Breakfast at a local restaurant

Sunday December 6, 2009: PrairyErth Zen: Buddha's Enlightenment Day Ceremony 10:30 am 2221 Edgewater -Topeka, Kansas. Followed by a Sangha Potluck.

Saturday December 19, 2009: Day of Meditation with Consulting Interviews 9am - 4:30pm. Deep Creek Community Center - Manhattan, Kansas. Bring a sack lunch. Potluck Dinner to follow before the Kido at 6:30 pm

Saturday December 19, 2009: Buddha's Enlightment Day Kido 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm - Deep Creek Community Center. Kido is means Energy Way - and we chant along with percussion instruments, so bring a moktak, drum, rattle. All are welcome.

For more information contact us at tallgrasszen@yahoo.com or call 785-537-8713

Surprise!

For several weeks now, Aussama has been telling us that she would bring two Korean friends to practice with her this Saturday, people she met in Korea. We were pleased because today was the first time we were able to offer consulting interviews (with Senior Dharma Teacher Margaret Wheeler). When we arrived at the chapel we learned that one of Aussama's friends was also an old friend of ours--Jee Hyun Lee, who has been living in Philadelphia where is an Assistant Professor at Drexel. What a surprise! We were also happy to meet Jee's friend, Jin, who is also a first-year Assistant Professor at Drexel. How lucky we all are to have such wonderful friends to practice with.

Kido Retreat with Linc in California

Ji Jang Bosal

John Daido Loori, Roshi, died today. You can read about him here.

Retreat with Linc Rhodes

Our retreat starts tonight at 6:30. There are still seats left for Saturday and Sunday. Email for more information.

People Smiling

Susan, Margaret, Rebecca, Linc, Christina, Judy, Liatris, Dennis

People Walking

During our circle talk at the end of the retreat held at Praireyrth Zen Center last weekend, Dennis talked about doing walking meditation outside. At first, he said, he was nervous because he worried about what people would say if they saw us. Once we got outside though, he realized that there were no people around to gawk and possibly criticize us. But there were lots and lots of birds, he said, watching us.

"What did they say?" I asked.

Linc Rhodes, JDPSN answered, "The people walking are the great sutras."