Sunday, October 4, 2015

Tallgrass Zen Center One Day Retreat
Deep Creek Community Center

Join us for a one day retreat in the beautiful Flint Hills. Retreat is at Deep Creek Community Center, just 10 minutes outside Manhattan, KS. We will gather at 7:30 am for breakfast, set up the space and begin practice at 9:00 am. Please bring a sack lunch, or if you prefer a vegetarian dish to share. Consuting Interviews will be provided by a Senior Dharma Teacher. Wear loose comfortable clothing, which covers your knees and shoulders (no shorts). Please RSVP on our Facebook page, our Meet Up site or e mail tallgrasszen @ yahoo.com so that we will have enough mats and cushions. One can also sit in a chair.


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Sunday, July 5, 2015

Your lucky day!

Have you been thinking, "you know, I really should learn to  meditate"? Have you every thought, "maybe I should check out Tallgrass Zen Center." Well, today's your lucky day: we will be practicing from 3-4:30 in the Solar Addition of the UFM in Manhattan, KS. There's plenty of free parking in the back, and Margaret and I will help you to understand what's going on and why we're doing it. Christina

Saturday, May 23, 2015

What I learned from my brother

His liver collapsed in May or June of last year, out of the blue. He was acutely ill for about two months. He stabilized but never recovered. He was not in pain but as the toxins built up in his body, he grew weaker and weaker. The bilirubin caused his skin to itch. Nothing relieved the itching which only grew worse as the days and weeks passed. He died three months ago, on February 22.

My brother meditated for thirty years, every day or almost every day, an hour in the morning, an hour at night. One time, when I was visiting him, about two months before he died, I tried to get him to meditate because I thought it would help stabilize his mind, help him to accept what was happening to his body. My gentle pressure--just five minutes, Rick--caused him so much distress--I can't, he said, I can't--he was almost whimpering--that I never asked again.

Later he he said, "an advanced student would be able to meditate through this. I guess I'm not an advanced student."

But those years on the cushion were not wasted. Rick was frequently sweet. He smiled a lot. He was grateful for every small kindness. And when his grief, anger and disappointed overwhelmed him and came flooding out, he self-corrected quickly, found his balance.

Death comes to us all. It does not care about your plans or aspirations. It is a violent, often painful disruption of bodily integrity, of familial, and social bonds. It can be resisted, never defeated. And nothing can help you except a steadfast spiritual practice. Not your good diet, exercise, hard work, success, family or friends. Only practice. So pick a practice and never stop. And if you find that you have lapsed, start again, and vow to never stop.

Christina Hauck
Abbot, Tallgrass Zen Center








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Monday, May 18, 2015

Retreat Poem

Retreat Poem

Listening all morning
Bird song and wind
Trees waving their arms

Thoughts roll through like thunder
Like horses galloping along the crest of a hill
Like bulldozers, like artillery shells, like . . .

Is that a cow or a bullfrog?

KATZ!

Wind shakes last night's rain from the trees.

--Christina Hauck, with gratitude


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Christ's Peace Retreat Center, KS

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Weekend Meditation Retreat: June 12 -14, 2015

Deep Creek Community Center

3223 Deep Creek Road

Manhattan, Kansas


Set in the Flint Hills ten minutes from downtown Manhattan, Kansas. This retreat welcomes newcomers and experienced practitioners. Instruction given in bowing, chanting, seated meditation, walking meditation, gentle yoga, four bowl style vegetarian meals. Retreat includes private kong-an interviews with our Guiding Teacher Linc Rhodes JDPSN.

Retreat begins Friday June 12th  at 6:15 pm and runs through noon on Sunday June 14th. Late entry times: 5:45 am; 8:30 am; 1:00 pm and 6:15 pm.

Camping is available on site, there are no shower facilities.

Full retreat $120 public; $100 Kwan Um members; $ 85 Dharma Teachers/ DTIT. Per day $50/$45.
Registration: www.facebook.com/TallgrassZenCenter, tallgrasszen@yahoo.com; find us on Meet Up.


Thursday, February 12, 2015

Two Upcoming Events

On Friday April 17, 7:30 pm, Dave Peters, author of "Who Is Singing In Chinese? Notes From A 100-Year Zen Retreat," will read from his book and answer questions.

Our co-sponsor, Orange Sky Yoga, is hosting this reading, which is free and open to the public. OSY is located at Blue Earth Place (corner of So 3rd St and Fort Riley Blvd, Manhattan, KS). Please use the staircase on the SE side of the building near the Radina's drive-thru.

On Saturday April 18, Dave will lead a retreat and give consulting interviews. 

The retreat will begin at 5:45 am and end at 4:15 pm. We will bow, chant and sit together in a one room limestone school house in the Flint Hills, ten minutes from downtown Manhattan, KS.

The retreat is open to the public. Cost is $45 for the general public, $30 for members of the Kwan Um School of Zen, and free for Dharma Teachers and Dharma Teachers-in-training.

Retreat fees include breakfast, but not lunch. Please bring a sack lunch. 

You may sign up for the retreat one of three ways:

RSVP via our meetup at http://www.meetup.com/Tallgrass-Zen-Center/

RSVP via our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TallgrassZenCenter

Or shoot us an email at tallgrasszen@yahoo.com

Dave Peters is abbot and senior dharma teacher of the Isthmus Zen Community in Madison, Wisconsin. He began Zen practice in 1973 at Shasta Abbey, Mt. Shasta, California, under the direction of Roshi Jiyu-Kennett. For many years he wandered in and out of zendos and dharma halls in California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Wisconsin, carefully avoiding commitment to any tradition. In 1997 David began practice in the Kwan Um School of Zen with Zen Master Dae Kwang and William Brown, JDPSN, and in 2007 received bodhisattva teacher precepts from guiding teacher Thomas Pastor, Zen Master Ji Haeng.

Friday, January 9, 2015

Tallgrass Zen Retreat

February 6-8, 2015

Weekend Meditation Retreat 

Deep Creek Community Center 

In the beautiful Flint Hills

3223 Deep Creek Road
Manhattan, Kansas


This retreat welcomes newcomers and experienced practitioners. Instruction given in bowing, chanting, seated meditation, walking meditation, gentle yoga, four bowl style vegetarian meals. Retreat includes private kong-an interviews with our Guiding Teacher Linc Rhodes JDPSN. 


Retreat begins Friday at 6:30pm and runs through noon on Sunday. Late entry times: 5:45 am; 8:30 am; 1:00 pm and 6:15 pm. 


Full retreat $150 general public; $130 Kwan Um members; $110 Dharma Teachers/ DTIT. Per day $50/$45. To register  e-mail tallgrasszen @ yahoo.com, contact us at www.facebook.com/TallgrassZenCenter or call 785-537-8713.