We’ll be gathering for a Sangha Meeting on Sunday June 1 2025, after the regular Sunday morning sit. All are welcome! If you have items you’d like everybody to discuss, please communicate them to Shokai.
May 18 – Spring Zazenkai w/ Ryotan Roshi
We’re excited to announce arrangements for a May Zazenkai with Ryotan Roshi. It will take place in person only at our space at First Churches on Sunday May 18th. We’ll keep everyone in the loop via email. If you’re interested in participating, don’t hesitate to reach out.
[Edit: May 18th is the date!]
[Edit: Registration details shared on the email list and below]
Register by Sunday May 11 by emailing oxbowzensangha@gmail.com with all the following information:
Name:
Email:
Phone:
Emergency contact and phone
Participation: ___ Full Day; ___Part of the day including lunch; ___Part of the day NOT including lunch
Do you have any food allergies or preferences – e.g. nut allergies, vegan?
Do you have your own Oryoki set? ___yes: ___no
Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns by emailing oxbowzensangha@gmail.com.
May 15 – Evening sit moves to THURSDAY
It turns out that for a number of practitioners, Thursday evening is a better day of the week for the evening sit. Starting on Thursday, May 15, the evening sit will take place on Thursday evenings.
Looking forward to practicing with you!
Apr 20 – Study – Suchness & Uniqueness
Oxbow Zen Study typically takes place on the third Sunday of each month. We are meeting in the Zendo after our usual Sunday sit, beginning at 9:30.
We’re studying Opening to Oneness: A Practical Guide to the Zen Precepts by Nancy Mujo Baker.” For those who wish to order the book online the following link is provided: https://www.shambhala.com/opening-to-oneness.html
Upcoming: Apr 20 2025 – Ann – Chapter 12: Suchness, Uniqueness, and the Nonconceptual (pages 147–153).
Past meetings: Jan 12 2025 (Part 2: Chapter 11, Kyokushin): Different Kinds of Oneness, Dec 10 2024 (Jo-Ei, “Non-abusing the Three Treasures”), Nov 17 (Chapter 9, Ann), Oct 20 (Chapter 8, Kenko), Sept 15 (Chapter 7, Shokai), June 23 (Chapter 6, HonGō), May 19 (Chapter 5, Meikame), March 17 (Soshin Sensei, Chapter 4), Feb 18 2024 (Jo-Ei, Chapter 3), Nov 19 2023 (Ann, Chapter 2), Oct 15 2023 (Shokai, “Non-killing”)
April 16 – Wednesday evening sits have resumed ;-)
Starting on April 16, our regular Wednesday evening sits resume. The bell for Zazen will ring at 5:30. Please be in your seat by 5:25 PM. The program includes two rounds of sitting and ends at 6:40 PM.
Looking forward to practicing with you!
CANCELED – No sit on Sunday March 9
Dear friends, a number of us will be going down to the Village Zendo for a few special events on Sunday March 9, so there will be no Oxbow Zen sit that day. Thank you for your understanding!
Sun Feb 16 – Snowy Day ZOOM Zendo
Given the second weekend of winter weather, we’re re-opening the Oxbow Zoom Zendo. If you’d like to join Oxbow tomorrow morning for our usual Sunday morning practice, click the link shared via the email list at 7:55 AM and join our Snowy Day Zoom Zendo. We plan to have 30 minutes of zazen, 10 minute kinhin or break, and a second 30 minutes of zazen. For those who want to stay, we’ll also have our usual community check in.
Please check your email for the Zoom link or reach out to oxbowzensangha@gmail.com
Be safe in the ice and snow,
Bows,
Kyokushin
for Oxbow Zen Sangha
CANCELED – No Sit – Sunday February 9, 2025
An important note to all – we will not be sitting, tomorrow, Sunday February 9, 2025. With the winter weather anticipated and Northampton parking ban, the zendo will be closed. Regular Sunday sitting will resume Sunday, February 16 at 7:55 am. Stay safe. See you on Sunday the 16th.
Winter Zazenkai – Thanks!
We had a great group of practictioners at our day-long Zazenkai today, January 19. Two snapshots:
Wednesday evening sits on PAUSE through March
The crew at Oxbow Zen holding the Wednesday evening space has realized that people’s schedules will make it difficult to host the evening sittings through the month of March.
Effective immediately, we will be pausing the Wednesday evening sits until some time in April. Stay posted.
The Sunday morning sits are continuing unchanged.
We appreciate deepening our practice together!