Dharma Heart Zen
August Sangha News
Announcements
All Day Sitting
Sunday, September 2
9:00am-4:00pm
Please Register!
More Information
No Bodhisattva Precepts Study this month
Next meeting is Tuesday, September 16
More Information
Dharma Heart Zen Study and Practice Focus
Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy and Liberation
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.
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
These core teachings show us the connection between personal inner peace and peace on earth. Taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, we continue on together - endlessly in these long summer days.
August 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 7: All-day Sitting and Full Moon Bodhisattva Ceremony
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.
October 12: All-day Sitting with Opening of 2025 Practice Period and Shuso Entering Ceremony
November 9: All-day 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. You can also look for the dharma wheel symbol on the Dharma Heart Zen homepage to access the Engaged Buddhism page.
Offering Love and Care Through Jizo
I have started a project with the support of Chris and friends, making clay Jizos for all the children that have been killed in Gaza these last two years.
Jizo is the fearless bodhisattva that is known especially for helping children. At this moment, there are approximately 17,000 children that have lost their lives in this war.
If you would like to join in, please contact me at thecolourofqi@gmail.com, and I will be in touch with times to gather tat my home in Sebastopol.
~ Deep bows, Cherie Lippard
The Way In
A shadow of lavender patterns this page
with images of small birds’ wings.
Where do I attend: bloodstream, heartbeat?
The way in wavers, no compass
shows where to arrive.
I make a beeline for meaning
in turbulent life
one day to next;
inhale the world, exhale these words.
Blue jays now coming to feed,
land in redwoods|
anchoring our canyon.
How can I land without leaving,
make meaning of being?
All that matters is crafted in flesh
breaking open again, we are destined to
rapture in the day’s smallest tasks -
one gesture to fill the void.
I arrive everywhere I find paradise,
let breath roll into me,
fill me with reason.
Perhaps if I open slowly,
a small bird will fly out of me.
~ Deborah Dallinger