Autumn Zazenkai — Shelter in Place
You are warmly invited you to join Zen Open Circle for a special zazenkai (short Zen retreat) that takes place in your own home.
Combining online, self-guided aspects, and lead by Roshi Susan Murphy with assistance from Sensei Kynan Sutherland, this retreat is a time for deep conversation with the Earth.
Take the audacious step of stepping away from the news and social media for a moment, and explore the world that presents itself in your home and local area. During this day and a half of practice we will enjoy a mixed program of sitting meditation, walking meditation, dharma discussion, and koan practice. Newcomers welcome.
Full details can be found at http://zenopencircle.org.au/autumnzazenkai2020/
About
Teachers — Roshi Susan Murphy assisted by Sensei Kynan Sutherland.
When — 7pm-8pm Friday 29th May | 6am-8pm Saturday 30th May | 6am-11am Sunday the 31st May
Delivery — A combination of online and self-guided (see detailed schedule below)
Cost — Sliding scale $30-$120 + Dana (donation… see below)
Registration — Click here to register
Enquiries — gassho@zenopencircle.org.au
From Susan Murphy Roshi
After our powerful summer baptism by fire, and its aftermath of flood, has come the intervention of virus to invert all the ‘normal’ settings of our world and upturn all expectations. Powerful lessons in the art of living well within uncertainty, of noticing and learning from all that this severe interruption lays bare about the way the world has been organised, and an indelible exercise in the reality of interdependence.
Let’s take the intention of our planned early April ‘Ecology of Mind’ sesshin, that was overturned and cancelled by the eruption of COVID-19 into our midst, and focus on the strange opportunity to realise this mind as we shelter-in-place – this time not under the threat of advancing fire, but the obligation to protect each other’s health by withdrawing from direct human touch.
We will sit with each other, both online and offline; unfold together some powerful koans of this time; share the intimacy of its profound and unavoidable state of not-knowing; mourn the loss of so many beings, both human and non-human; and open a space in which we can wise up together in the light of the suffering we cannot avoid.
Schedule
Throughout the Zazenkai we will follow a formal schedule. The schedule incorporates aspects of online and self-guided practice. We ask that you commit to attending to each event in the schedule to the best of your ability. If you have questions about the schedule, or if you need a modified schedule, please contact gassho@zenopencircle.org.au
Friday 29th May (Evening)
6.00pm-6:30pm — Optional orientation and introduction to Zen practice (Online)
7:00pm-8:00pm — Opening Words, Guidelines, Great Vows, enter silence (Online)
Saturday 30th May (Whole Day)
6:00am-7:00am — Zazen (Self-guided)
7:00am-8:00am — Exercise/Movement Practice (Self-guided)
8:00am-10:00am — Personal Time (Breakfast/Shower/Etc) (Self-guided)
10:00am-12:00pm — Gather online for: Sutras; Zazen (sitting meditation); Kinhin (walking meditation); Koan inquiry with Roshi Susan (Online)
12:00pm-1:00pm — Lunch
1:00pm-2:00pm — Outside sitting/walking/bearing witness practice (Self-guided)
2:00pm-2:30pm — Zazen (Online)
2:30pm-4:00pm — Dharma Talk with Roshi Susan; Dharma Discussion; Great Vows
4:00pm-7:00pm — Rest
7:00pm-8:00pm — Zazen
Sunday 31st May (Morning)
6:00am-7:00am — Zazen (Online)
7:00am-9:00am — Personal practice (Exercise/Breakfast/Shower) (Self-guided)
9:00am-11:00am — Gather online for our closing circle, Great Vows, dedications, and ending (Online)
Orientation and Guidance
At 6pm on the opening night of the Zazenkai, we will provide an orientation session for those who are new to Zen, or who would enjoy a refresher. This session is open to everyone and will incorporate basic Zazen instruction.
At 7pm, during the formal opening of the retreat, we will provide guidance about the flow of the retreat and our time together. We will also provide participants with access to a private online webpage that will act as our noticeboard for this Zazenkai. That page will contain all the information you need to know to help you move through the schedule without needing to spend extra time online.
About Dana
Dana is a core tenet in Zen Buddhism and refers to the practice of generosity. At Zen Open Circle we don’t charge a fixed fee for these events. Instead, we provide a sliding scale for the fees, and an opportunity to experiment with giving. The money that you donate as dana will go towards supporting our teachers Roshi Susan Murphy, and Sensei Kynan Sutherland. We will provide details about how to make a dana contribution closer to the day of retreat. Please give generously to ensure this work can continue. ()