Joining the 7-day Sesshin (July 23-30) on Zoom
The regular schedule for morning and evening Zoom sittings is suspended during sesshin. However, even if you’re not signed up, you’re welcome to join any block of sitting (though without dokusan) in our usual Zoom room. If you do join us, please log on before a block begins or during a kinhin to minimize distraction. Likewise, if you cannot stay for an entire block, leave during one of the kinhins whenever possible. Here is the schedule so you know what times to enter and join (the rounds are 35-minutes long with a 7-minute kinhin in between). Roshi’s teishos will also be streamed on Mixlr, where the sound is a bit better. The regular schedule of Zoom sittings will resume Monday, August 1, at 7 a.m.
Private Instruction Change
With Donna Kowal, the Head of Training at Chapin Mill, having recently begun her novitiate period as a Zen priest, Roshi, in consultation with Sensei John, has asked her to take over from Wayman Kubicka in giving weekly Private Instruction (on Tuesday evenings) at Chapin Mill.
Naturally, anyone who wants to see Wayman privately, about practice or anything else, is free to request that of him.
Priest vs. Teacher
The announcement in a recent Sangha email that Donna Kowal and Desiree Jaeger-Fine had gone through a priest novice ceremony left some questions — again — about what the relationship is between a priest and an authorized teacher.
Answer: In the RZC lineage, they’re not the same. We’ve long had priests who are not teachers, and teachers who are not ordained. This is different than at some Zen centers and temples, where ordination confers authorization to teach.
Zen of Living and Dying, Sunday, July 31
On the Sunday after sesshin, Zen of Living and Dying will meet online at 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Contact Eryl Kubicka for Zoom access.
Brunch with us again on Sunday, August 21!
Every good turn deserves another. Following the overwhelming success of the Sangha Programs Office’s inaugural “Sangha Brunch Social” on June 26, a second brunch is on the books — and we hope you’ll join us again for delicious food, relaxed social time, and fun activities.
Mark your calendars for Sunday, August 21, at 10:30 a.m. (after teisho). Friends and family are welcome! There’s no fee to attend, but it would be helpful to the kitchen staff to have RSVPs by noon on Friday, August 19.
Looking forward to seeing you there!