blue heron zen community logo

April 2023


Dear Friends,


This month, a poem offering for you….


The Art of Meditation


Crowded thoughts dovetail with clarity. Just seeing 

joins us 

to a better insight than words. And committed wonder clears away 

the worst of our lingering fear. 


Meditation, as an art form, 

is where we discover our wingspan.


We take our place in procession, trailing the clouds, calling 

after the raven’s cry, bristling 

with the life force 

of an old Joshua tree deep in the faraway desert.


Even now—and again, now—

we might emerge from our imagined solitude 


to perceive every single blessed thing, all together, 

as true.


Jeong Ji

Raven taking flight.

Photo by Eric Nord, JDPSN

April In-Person Sessions


All in-person practices are open for walk-in attendance (no need to sign up in advance). Attendees are asked to have full Covid vaccinations and to wear masks inside the building.


Sessions:


  • Sunday 9am-10:30am (Also streamed online)
  • Sunday 11am-noon (Not streamed)
  • Wednesdays at 10am
  • Fridays at 10am


Newcomer Orientation:


  • Sunday 10:30am


Sessions with a Dharma Talk:


  • Sunday, April 2 - Women Ancestors of 12th Century China by Paul Gulick, Abbot
  • Sunday, April 16 - Our Korean Monastic and Laywomen Ancestors by Eric Nord, JDPSN


Sessions with Dharma Dialogues:


  • Sunday, April 9


To attend, simply show up 5-10 minutes before any practice time. The building will be open for those practices. Use the ground floor entrance from the back yard.

April Online Sessions


You are welcome to join any of these sessions. No sign up necessary. Just join the online group practice at the appropriate time for any of our group practices. If necessary, entering late is okay, as is leaving early. If it’s your first time trying this out, come early if you can. The Head Dharma Teacher will be available to help you get started.


Sessions:


  • Sunday 9am-10:30am (Streamed from the dharma room)
  • Monday - Saturday 7am
  • Tuesday 7pm


Sessions with a Dharma Talk:


  • Sunday, April 2 - Women Ancestors of 12th Century China by Paul Gulick, Abbot
  • Sunday, April 16 - Our Korean Monastic and Laywomen Ancestors by Eric Nord, JDPSN


Sessions with Dharma Dialogues:


  • Sunday, April


Please visit the website calendar for complete and current details of these events and for the weekly practice schedule.

3-Day Retreat with Eric Nord, JDPSN


Friday April 21 - Sunday April 23


We'll gather our online and in-person communities for a three day immersion in group practice, a Dharma talk, and personal Dharma Dialogues with Eric Nord PSN.


This retreat will be conducted online using Zoom, concurrently with practice together in person in the Blue Heron dharma room. Please register here by Tuesday, April 18.


To Join Online: join our usual Zoom meeting up to 10 minutes before the retreat starts each day at 7am. The Zoom details are: Meeting ID: 228 228 1938, Password: 01 08 01.


To Join In Person: come to Blue Heron by 6:50am on each day. Attendees should be vaccinated and wear a high-quality, well-fitting mask. Please bring a phone, tablet, or laptop to serve as a backup device if needed. No food will be served; bring a lunch for the lunch break.


The complete schedule for each day is available here.


The fee for this retreat is $35/day for non-members, $25/day for members. Please register using this form. A voluntary gift of dana* to the teacher will be accepted with gratitude.


*dana is a voluntary donation to our teacher.

Dharma Dialogues


Eric Nord, JDPSN and Zen Master Jeong Ji are offering online Dharma Dialogues. Sign up here with Eric Poep Sa or here with Jeong Ji Soen Sa.

Our Senior Dharma Teachers are offering Online Dharma Dialogues if you would like to discuss your practice and any questions you may have. Please get in touch with them individually to schedule an appointment if you would like a one-on-one Zoom meeting.


Chanting Requests


We invite you to register a name of a loved one who is currently suffering for our Kwan Seum Bosal Chanting, or for Ji Jang Bosal Chanting, for a loved one who has recently died. We will recite these names when we do special chanting.

Looking Forward


Buddha's Birthday and Sangha Meeting: May 7

STAY CONNECTED

Facebook