Finding Your Seat

This Saturday, October 31, from 11:00 am to noon. More information is here.

Fall Back This Weekend

Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 am on Sunday morning, November 1. That’s when we get back the hour that was taken from us in the Spring, so you can be well rested for the beginning of Sunday’s Extended Sitting. It’s from 6:15 am to 3:30 pm (four blocks of zazen). Here’s the full schedule.

Sesshin Deadline & Acceptances

The deadline for next week’s 5-day sesshin is Monday, November 2, at 4:00 pm. Acceptances will be emailed the following day. If you can, get your application in on time, as it will reduce the monitors’ workload. But if you can’t, it’s still OK to apply late.

Lotus and Stone

Last week’s dedication of the Chapin Mill courtyard, with Todd McGrain’s sublime paired lotus sculptures, is now part of Zen Center history. The light rain let up just long enough for the twenty masked, socially-distanced participants (mostly staff), chanting the Kannon Gyo, to circumambulate the two lotuses. Each person in turn scooped a cup of water out of the pool of the submerged lotus and then proceeded on to anoint the above-ground, blossoming lotus with it.

Given the conditions that day, we got only a couple of good photos, but you can see them here and here as well as “A Day in the Courtyard,” a recent time-lapse video. And here you can hear the short talks by Roshi, Todd, and Andy Stern that opened the ceremony.

Fall Ceremonies

Pandemic notwithstanding, we’ll have our customary Ceremony of Gratitude on Sunday, November 22, and the Taking of the Precepts (Jukai) the following Saturday, November 28. The ceremonies will be via Zoom, but if the coronavirus is dormant enough locally, a handful of staff may be able to safely participate, in person, at Arnold Park or Chapin Mill. In early December, we’ll also have our Buddha’s Enlightenment Ceremony.

Stay tuned for details.

COVID Alert NY: Add your phone. Stop the Spread.

COVID Alert NY is a voluntary, anonymous, exposure-notification smartphone app. You will get an alert if you were in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19. Knowing about a potential exposure allows you to self-quarantine immediately, get tested, and reduce the potential exposure risk to your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and others.

The more people who download COVID Alert NY, the more effective it will be. Help protect your community while maintaining your privacy. The free mobile apps are available for download from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

To learn more, go to: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-alert-ny