Dharma Heart Zen
September Sangha News
Announcements
All Day Sitting & Opening of Practice Period
Sunday, October 12
9:00am-4:00pm
Please Register!
More Information
Bodhisattva Precepts Study this month
Tuesday, September 16
More Information
17th Annual Fall Practice Period
Details and applications now available
More Information
Dharma Heart Zen Study and Practice Focus
Dear Bodhisattva Friends,
While our beloved teacher, Soko Chris Fortin, is traveling in Vietnam this month, Dharma Heart Zen senior teachers are leading the sangha in investigating and bringing forward Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings. Through the core text, “The Heart of Buddha’s Teachings: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy and Liberation,” we will continue to explore the connection between individual and collective liberation.
It is sometimes said that the Buddha was a list-maker! Our exploration includes The Seven Factors of Awakening and the Five Powers with Debi Papazian. We’ll look at The Three Dharma Seals and The Three Doors of Liberation with Chelsea True. Erika Wild will guide us through The Five Aggregates and The Four Brahmaviharas, called “Immeasurable Minds” because, if you practice with them, they will grow in you every day until they embrace the whole world. Mary Ann will help us grow in our understanding of The Three Bodies of the Buddha and The Three Jewels as they live in our actions of body speech and mind.
Taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, we continue on together - endlessly through these last days of summer.
Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy and Liberation
Resources:
The Heart of Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation
by Thich Nhat Hanh
A pdf version of the book is available here
Becoming Yourself: Teachings on the Zen Way of Life
by Shunryu Suzuki; The Spirit of Zen Ethics, pages 103-235
A pdf version of the book is available here
September Dharma Talks
For general information about weekly sittings and other offerings,
see Dharma Heart Zen Offerings
Practice News
More Dharma Heart Zen Practice Retreats and Dharma Events
September 21: Dharma Talk by Chris Fortin at Green Gulch Farm, 10:00am-11:20pm - Learn More
September 25-28: Chris officiates Raizelah Bayen's Shukke Tokudo Priest Ordination Ceremony, Red Cedar Zen, Bellingham WA. Everyone is invited to sit the retreat.
September 28: San Francisco Zen Center Family Sangha at Green Gulch Farm with Meikyo Chelsea True - Learn More
October 5: A Ceremony for Those Who Have Died at Green Gulch Farm with Chris Fortin, Jennifer Block and Chelsea True - Learn More
October 12: All-day Sitting with Opening of 2025 Practice Period and Shuso Entering Ceremony
November 9: All-day Sitting (register after October sitting)
December 8-9: Buddha’s Enlightenment Retreat with Hossenshiki Shuso Ceremony and Closing of Practice Period
December 28 - January 2: Tassajara Wildland Firefighter Retreat
These events are also listed on the Dharma Heart Zen Upcoming Events page and Calendar
Engaged Buddhism:
Practicing in the World
Resources and ways to engage and help
Responding with Clarity and Compassion
Dharma Heart Zen is curating a list of resources and engaged actions to help us respond with bodhisattva hearts and minds to the suffering and chaos that is unfolding in our government and in the world.
Please visit the Engaged Buddhism page and join in as you can.
It is updated regularly.
Offering Love and Care Through Jizo
Hello Everyone—
We have gathered several times to create clay Jizo guardians for the children who have died these last two years in the war between Israel and Gaza.
Our gatherings have been heart-opening, connecting, and helpful—as we simply bring our prayers of peace and love to the clay. What occurs naturally within our own hearts, minds, and bodies is the ground of this project. It includes everything that's here and we direct our heartfelt intentions for the children.
I would love to invite you to come and participate in this Jizo-making. It is open to anyone, regardless of whether you have worked with clay before. We are continuing a project that took place twenty years ago, where the focus was to create Jizos for all those killed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is continuous practice flowing on now in this time together. Here are a few scheduled times:
Friday, September 5, 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
Saturday, September 13, 10:00 am - 12:30 pm
If you are interested in attending one of these or future gatherings at my home in Sebastopol, please email Cherie.
— in gratitude, Cherie Lippard
