This Morning: Ordination of Scott and Dené Redding
Today, at 10:30 a.m., Roshi will formally ordain the Reddings as Zen priests. The ceremony will take place in the Buddha Hall and will be broadcast on Zoom. Refreshments will be served afterward in the dining room and back yard. For those attending, robes may be worn, but they’re not required.
Zen Teacher Sanctioning Ceremony
The sanctioning ceremony for Donna Kowal will take place on Sunday, October 16, at Chapin Mill, where there’s more room and ventilation. The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m., both in the Chapin Mill zendo and on Zoom. It’s relatively short, and light refreshments will follow.
Sitting & Teisho by Roshi, October 9, 8:30 am – 10:30 am
On Sunday we’ll have an extended round with a bell at the half-way point for a posture change, then kinhin, a short chanting service, and Roshi’s teisho. As usual, the Sunday sitting and teisho will be broadcast on Zoom.
Fall Term Intensive
It’s not too late to join the Term Intensive (TI), which runs from October 6 to 27. The TI offers a supportive structure to extend our Zen practice for a set period of time. Participants pledge to uphold a schedule of increased sitting and, if they wish, other aspects of discipline that relate directly or indirectly to their practice. We’ll hold hybrid meetings each Thursday evening to share our TI experiences. Complete the Term Intensive Form to participate.
October/November 7-day Sesshin Application Deadline, October 13
Our next sesshin will be October 29 to November 5 and will be led by one of Roshi’s Dharma heirs, Sensei Amala Wrightson, Spiritual Director of the Auckland Zen Centre, who is visiting from New Zealand. Anyone who has been to an introductory workshop may apply to attend in-person or online. The application deadline is October 13. Here’s what to know before applying to sesshin.
Monday, October 17: Sangha Hike at Corbett’s Glen Nature Park
This short Sangha hike, led by Arnold Park resident Jake Langendorfer, will take place at Corbett’s Glen. The moderate-difficulty, roughly two-mile hike will start at the trailhead at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, October 17. You may want to wear hiking boots with traction and bring a hiking pole for a couple of steep spots. Contact Jake to RSVP and request carpool space; given the small size of the parking lot, carpooling is recommended.
Wednesday, October 19: Uprooting Racism Silent Reading Room
Join together with RZC Sangha members from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, October 19, to silently read Uprooting Racism’s Community-Read book, for companionship and “moral support”!
The book is Justin Murphy’s Your Children Are Very Greatly in Danger: School Segregation in Rochester, New York, available on the table in the Arnold Park third-floor library for member checkout. You can also purchase the book at local indie bookstores Hipocampo Children’s Books or Akimbo Books, through Bookshop.org, or anywhere else you get your books. This book is not yet available in audiobook format.
We’ll read together in the Arnold Park library in person, and folks will also be welcome to join via Zoom with RSVP. To RSVP and receive the Zoom meeting information, please email uprooting.racism@rzc.org.