January 2023

Dear Friends,

Out with the old and in with the new! 

Doesn’t this resonate for us as practitioners of Zen? How shall we resolve to begin again? I’ll share a few of my own New Year’s resolutions with you in the shape of a poem.

“Note to Self/Non-Self”

Out with the old conventional ploys of giving up (are fallen apples of no use to anyone, really? and what does “old” mean anyway?).

Better to make yourself up from scratch, and breathe through moveable, dissolving goals because there is always another way to live.

Out with the idea that anything should be aligned or made to designated length. Liberate disappointment from the record books.

And dare to allow for the inconceivable to happen next.

Yours, at the beginning again,

Jeong Ji

Changes to Our Sunday Practice

Starting on Sunday, January 8, we will switch to a new format that offers more options:

• 9am - 10:30am In-person practice will be streamed online
• 10:30am - 11am Newcomer orientation (not streamed)
• 11am - noon In-person practice (not streamed)

Depending on the schedule, dharma dialogues may be offered during the 9am - 10:30am period. The last hour is an optional period for additional practice.

Changes to Our Tuesday Online Practice

Tuesdays, 7pm to 8:30pm

Starting January 3, Tuesday evening practice will include a discussion period regarding Women Ancestors in Zen, the theme of Kyol Che 2023. Practice will occur online via Zoom, 7:00pm-8:30pm.

At the January 31 practice, we will have a group discussion about the new format, and then move into February and beyond with our shared January experience as a guide.

January 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) 11am-noon (Not streamed)
• Wednesdays at 10am
• Fridays at 10am

Newcomer Orientation:

• Sunday 10:30am

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.

Kyol Che Begins

Sunday, January 22

The focus for this year’s Kyol Che is Zen’s Women Ancestors. Who are they, and what wisdom and compassion teachings have they extended to us over the millenia? And why is this important? From the mythological to the unnamed and little-known, we’ll be learning from these women ancestors and weaving them into the great, rich history of Zen.

Workshops will be held every other Sunday morning, beginning February 5 and running through April 16. Each workshop session we’ll be presenting women teachers in a somewhat chronological and geographic manner, starting with India, then moving to China and Korea. We aim to make these sessions as interactive and immersive as possible.

Part of the engagement with this topic will be an extra session on Tuesday evenings which will be devoted to conversations about poetry and prose from the current era and teachers being studied. All are welcome to attend.

You can submit a Kyol Che contract here.

Dharma Dialogues

Eric Nord, JDPSN and Zen Master Jeong Ji are offering in-person Dharma Dialogues on occasional Sunday mornings during practice.

If you cannot attend an in-person Dharma Dialogue, we encourage you to sign up for an online Dharma Dialogue. 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.

• Jeff Tipp JDPSN jefftipp@gmail.com
• Greg Eisen eisengn@gmail.com
• Paul Gulick paul@blueheronzen.org
• John Craycraft john.craycraft@comcast.net
• Chris Chapman chris@blueheronzen.org