Category: Village Zendo

Village Zendo: A Zen Temple in New York City whose teachers help guide our practice.

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December Event Schedule

Fri Dec 6 – Sat Dec 7: Rohatsu: All-night sit to commemorate the Buddha’s awakening. All are welcome! Arrive between 8:10-8:20 PM when the building doors are open. We will conclude on Saturday morning at 7 AM.

Thu Dec 12: Fusatsu: Evening ceremony of atonement, awakening, and renewal. Starts at 5:30 PM, ends around 7:00 PM. Please arrive a few minutes early to set up the space, and settle in.

Sun Dec 15: Study at Magna House from 10AM – 11:30 AM, after the regular morning sit. Read the chapter on Linji/Rinzai in the study text “Making Zen Your Own” and share your reflections when we meet.

Year-end Retreat, Dec 26-Jan 1: Enter deep silence and stillness with this Zen retreat hosted by the Village Zendo at the Garrison Institute. Learn more and register!

Rohatsu

We’re excited to announce a very special event, namely an all night sit to celebrate the Buddha’s Enlightenment, called “Rohatsu” in our Japanese Zen tradition.  It will take place in our new home at the Friends Meeting House!   All are welcome!!  
On Rohatsu we commemorate the Budda’s enlightenment by doing as he did — sitting Zazen all night.
Start: Friday December 6 evening (~ 8:15 PM)
Ends: Saturday December 7 in the morning (~7 AM)

There will be a Dharma Talk by Soshin Hoshi.
Short breaks for rest are included and a light meal will be served around the halfway point.  Please join us!  Help us celebrate this most important date on the Buddhist calendar.   Please note that you may leave the building at any time, but there is no entry or re-entry after 8:15 PM

Fusatsu

Fusatsu is an ancient ceremony of atonement, awakening, and new beginnings — recognizing and celebrating the circle of the year nearing its completion, and a new circle beginning.  Making all fresh and new!

All are invited to throw themselves fully into it 😉 

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Mark your Calendars: Zazenkai on October 26

Mark your calendars! We are excited that Ryotan Sensei will be available for our Fall Zazenkai on Saturday October 26 2019. It will be a full day of practice, including Zazen, chanting service, shared oryoki meals, and an opportunity for private interview with a teacher.

As we are looking toward October, who is planning on participating in the October Zazenkai on Saturday Oct 26 2019? Contact us soon via email if you’re interested in participating.

If there is a particular service position you would like to practice at the Zazenkai, please indicate your wish. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with me at oxbowzensangha@gmail.com

Looking forward to practicing with you,
Kenko.

Zazenkai with Ryotan Sensei Sep 30 2017
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Soshin empowered as Dharma Holder

Roshi Enkyo writes:

On Thursday, August 1st, Soshin was given the role of Dharma Holder (Hōshi). A Dharma Holder is an Assistant Teacher, empowered to give informal interview. Soshin will now be available to help in the teaching here and with her sangha in the Pioneer Valley, Massachusetts. 

Hōshi translates as “teacher of dharma.” In our line, Maezumi Roshi began to use this term for a person who had completed koan study. Here at the Village Zendo, the title is given to one who is well-versed in the teachings, embodies them, and can share them. Hoshis continue their training while also offering interview to others. 

Soshin began her studies at the Village Zendo in the early 2000s; she took Jukai in 2005 with the Dharma name 瑞Zuisho (Auspicious Happiness). In 2009 she ordained and received the Dharma name 窓真 SOSHIN (window of truth)

Soshin has studied with Roshi and the Village Zendo teachers, with Anraku Sensei in Northampton, and most recently with Ryotan Sensei both online and on his visits to the Pioneer Valley sangha. Thus, Ryotan joined Roshi in the empowerment.

Congratulations to Soshin Hoshi!

圓教 / Enkyo

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Falling Leaf Zazenkai 2017

Zazenkai with Ryotan Sensei Sep 30 2017

At the Sep 30 Zazenkai, Ryotan Sensei invoked Ryokan’s poem

Maple leaf
Falling down
Showing front
Showing back

as an invitation to look deeply into this mind.

Three full bows in gratitude to Ryotan Sensei for making the trip to share the teaching with the Oxbow Zen Sangha!

And, as always, many thanks to the many hands that create and maintain the container in which we can settle deeply into whole-hearted practice.  Very special thanks to Shokai and Mark for their hospitality!

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Fall Events

Exciting new events at Oxbow Zen coming up this fall!   Mark your calendars!

  • Sept 30: All-day Zazenkai with Ryotan Sensei from the Village Zendo.
  • Oct 8: Service (Kenko) + Study (10AM – noon)
  • Oct 22: Dharma Talk (Soshin)
  • Nov 12: Service & Talk (Kenko) + Study
  • Dec 10: Fusatsu Service w/ Talk (Soshin) + Study

Earlier start to Sunday sit: arrive 7:45 AM, bell for the first sit at 8:00 AM.

Evening sit moves to Wednesday:  6:00-7:30 PM at Magna House.  Contact us for location details.

Looking forward to deepening the practice together!

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Bodhisattva Citizens

Village Zendo Dai-Sesshin 2017

Four Oxbow Zen practitioners have just returned from a deep and settled Dai-Sesshin with the Village Zendo at The Grail in Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY.  Can you spot them in the picture?

All the seven Dharma talks were shared as live video through Facebook.  Roshi Enkyo urges us in her talk on the “Genjokoan in Troubled Times” to find our own way for acting as a Bodhisattva Citizen (audio). Soshin Osho uses the Koan of “Babyface Pro Wrestling” to encourage us to notice when what we think we know creates separation between us and them (audio), and how much learning and healing is possible when that separation eases.

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