This Weekend: Finding Your Seat (Saturday Online) and Teisho (Sunday)

If you are new to Zen practice (or not!), it can be a challenge to maintain daily sitting. But not to worry: Finding Your Seat is here to help. There will be two Saturday sessions this month: December 4 (tomorrow) and December 18, both from 11 am to noon (EST). No need to RSVP; just show up online. Contact Jeanette Prince-Cherry for the Zoom meeting ID and password (or link).

Sensei will be giving teisho this Sunday, December 5. His tentative topic is “Zen Practice and the Thinking Mind.”

Roshi Away

Roshi will be in Santa Fe, New Mexico, visiting kin, December 8-15 (a visit rescheduled twice over the past two years because of COVID-19). That means he won’t be available for online dokusan that week.

Winter 2022 Calendar Is Now Available

The quarterly calendar for January, February, and March is filled out and available. Here’s a link to the printable Adobe Acrobat file. And a paper copy (light blue) is also available on the table in the Link at the Center.

Buddha’s Enlightenment Ceremony Next Week

On Tuesday evening, December 7, we’ll hold the annual ceremony that commemorates the Buddha’s Great Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree, complete with sutra reading, chanting, and warm milk-rice in the candle-lit dining room. Sitting begins at 7:00 pm, and the ceremony will follow at 8:00. The ceremony (and sitting) will also be streamed on Zoom.

From the Sangha Programs Office: Winter Sangha Cookie Swap!

Winter is here. Do you love baking and/or eating cookies or similar cold-weather treats? Sign up for our inaugural Winter Sangha Cookie Swap, which will take place on Sunday, December 19!

Simply answer a few logistical questions using the online sign-up form we’ll be providing in next week’s announcements, and bring your cookies with you to the sitting on the morning of Sunday, December 19. Drop them off in the Link, and we’ll take care of the swapping. Our kids’ group will also be offering their artistic skills in creating winter-themed bags for us! You can then pick up your “swapped” cookies after teisho. Extra cookies will be donated to the House of Mercy.

COVID-Positive Member at Jukai

A fully-vaccinated participant at last Saturday evening’s Jukai ceremony developed COVID-19 symptoms the next day, tested positive, and is currently in quarantine at home. The person was masked the entire evening – including in the changing room and Link – and did not have any refreshments. With full vaccination and masking, transmission is quite unlikely, but we want to be transparent and let everyone know.