This blog hosts articles contributed by members of the Chicago Zen Center. For news about events at the Center and in Chicago, please visit our Spring Notes
Spring brings the return of grounds caretaking days as noted on the calendar. These are a great chance to spend an hour or two after Sunday sitting to help rake, plant, weed or do anything else that needs doing in the Center’s gardens. You don’t need to be an expert—just bring some work clothes. Ask Laurel Ross if you have any questions.
In May, the Center will hold the annual sangha meeting and election. As is true every year, two Trustee positions expire: Laurel Ross has served for two consecutive terms and is not eligible for election to the Board for a year; Fran Spellman is eligible for reelection. Information will be emailed soon on how members can download a ballot. (Ballots will also be available at the Center.) Please take the time to vote.
Vesak and Jukai are also in May. Rakusus are available to anyone who has been a member for at least a year and has gone through a formal student ceremony with Sensei. The rakusu ceremony happens at Jukai and they must be sewn, so please inquire soon if interested. For Vesak, we will have fun and games and a great potluck as always.
The Cedar Rapids Zen Center and the Milwaukee Zen Center are collaborating to offer a joint sesshin for sanghas around the Midwest at Hokyoji in southern Minnesota from August 20-27, 2005. Teachers will include Sevan Sensei, Genymo Smith of Prairie Zen Center, Rosen Yoshida of Missouri Zen Center, Dokai Georgeson of Hoyoji, Tonen O’Connor of Milwaukee Zen Center and Zuiko Redding of Cedar Rapids Zen Center. Each will give dharma talks and do daily practice with sesshin participants. Further details will be available late in the spring. CZC members should feel free to apply—please speak to Sensei first.
Coming to the Path
As we go along now, starting with this summer, there will occasionally be talks given in place of teisho called "Coming to the Path" talks. These talks will be given in the Buddha Hall after the usual Sunday sitting and chanting. Each talk will be given by individual Sangha members asked by Sensei to do so, with the talk being centered on how the speaker came to practice Zen, along with the problems and insights encountered along the way. These talks have been given for years at the Rochester Zen Center and have proved to be inspirational to both the Sangha and the speaker alike. The talks will close with a short Q & A period.
In May, the Center will hold the annual sangha meeting and election. As is true every year, two Trustee positions expire: Laurel Ross has served for two consecutive terms and is not eligible for election to the Board for a year; Fran Spellman is eligible for reelection. Information will be emailed soon on how members can download a ballot. (Ballots will also be available at the Center.) Please take the time to vote.
Vesak and Jukai are also in May. Rakusus are available to anyone who has been a member for at least a year and has gone through a formal student ceremony with Sensei. The rakusu ceremony happens at Jukai and they must be sewn, so please inquire soon if interested. For Vesak, we will have fun and games and a great potluck as always.
The Cedar Rapids Zen Center and the Milwaukee Zen Center are collaborating to offer a joint sesshin for sanghas around the Midwest at Hokyoji in southern Minnesota from August 20-27, 2005. Teachers will include Sevan Sensei, Genymo Smith of Prairie Zen Center, Rosen Yoshida of Missouri Zen Center, Dokai Georgeson of Hoyoji, Tonen O’Connor of Milwaukee Zen Center and Zuiko Redding of Cedar Rapids Zen Center. Each will give dharma talks and do daily practice with sesshin participants. Further details will be available late in the spring. CZC members should feel free to apply—please speak to Sensei first.
Coming to the Path
As we go along now, starting with this summer, there will occasionally be talks given in place of teisho called "Coming to the Path" talks. These talks will be given in the Buddha Hall after the usual Sunday sitting and chanting. Each talk will be given by individual Sangha members asked by Sensei to do so, with the talk being centered on how the speaker came to practice Zen, along with the problems and insights encountered along the way. These talks have been given for years at the Rochester Zen Center and have proved to be inspirational to both the Sangha and the speaker alike. The talks will close with a short Q & A period.
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