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The milky way shines brightly over our new statue of Kṣitigarbha (known as Địa Tạng Bồ Tát, 地藏, Jizō Bosatsu, Sa Yi Nyingpo, Earth Matrix or Earth Treasure)
in a time lapse photo by Dr. Prashant Gagneja
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A starry sky, mysterious cloud and shining mountain surround our new statue of Budai (known as Bố Đại, HoTai, 笑佛, and the laughing Buddha)
in a time lapse photo by Dr. Prashant Gagneja
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Services SPRING SCHEDULE
TEMPLE SERVICES Via ZOOM
MONDAY - FRIDAY at 6:30 a.m. via ZOOM
MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY at 5:30 p.m. via ZOOM
SATURDAY 8:30 a.m. - service + meditation via ZOOM & in person
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IN PERSON MEETINGS - (some on ZOOM)
SATURDAY MORNING SERVICE at 8:30am
MONDAY - FRIDAY AM Meditation 6:30am - 7:30am
MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY PM Meditation 5:30pm - 6:30pm
46 Stoller Rd. Trout Lake WA
TUESDAY at 12 NOON -1:00 pm IN PERSON
1412 13th Street, Suite 200. Hood River, OR 97031
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Thích Nhất Hạnh Study Group
Thích Nhất Hạnh study group meets on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. on ZOOM
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Buu - Hung Buddhist Monastery
17808 NE 18th St, Vancouver, WA 98684. Tel: (360) 718-6158
Meditation Practice & Dharma Talk
The last Sunday of each month 2:00 pm.-3:00 pm
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Dear ones,
Spring is here, flowers are in bloom, the warmth of sun eases my arthritic old bones. How lovely are the simple joys of life! Happy Juneteenth, a day of freedom.
Spring calls to mind the renewal of life and our appreciation of that renewal. It also reminds us to look at our own ethics and values and our own renewal. What do we value? What is important to us? What are our own ethics? What do we work towards?
I recently heard a talk on values, here was the message:
With money you can buy a house but not a home.
With money you can buy a clock but not time.
With money you can buy a bed but not sleep.
With money you can buy a book but not knowledge.
With money you can buy food but not appetite.
With money you can buy a doctor but not good health.
With money you can buy insurance but not safety.
What is important in our lives? What do we value? How do our values compare to the Buddha's teaching? The Buddha spoke of ethics, Śīla. Śīla is a code of conduct that embraces
a commitment to harmony and self-restraint with the principal motivation being nonviolence,
or freedom from causing harm.
Do we value possessions and wealth above our family and the lives of others?
What are we willing to see as valuable in our lives?
Honoring the precepts of sīla is considered a "great gift" (mahadana) to others, because it creates an atmosphere of trust, respect, and security. It means the practitioner poses no threat to another person's life, property, family, rights, or well-being. It also includes values according to the Buddha's Dharma - not just on worldly wealth or possessions.
Please visit the temple the first Saturday of the month (June- September)
for Volunteer Day grounds cleanup 10:30 AM - 3:30 PM
(weeding, lawn care, sweeping. gardening)
May we all be well and happy, may we all know love and peace. in metta...Thak Kozen
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JUNE 3 Volunteer Day - Mindful Gardening and Cleaning
JUNE 9-11 TRINITY WELLNESS RETREAT
JULY 1 Volunteer Day - Mindful Gardening and Cleaning
JULY 14-16 Yoga Retreat w/ Michele Loew
AUGUST 5 Volunteer Day - Mindful Gardening and Cleaning
SEPTEMBER 2 Volunteer Day - Mindful Gardening and Cleaning
SEPT 17 - STATUE WELCOMING CELEBRATION
SEPT 21-24 INSIGHT RETREAT WITH AUGUST JENSEN
SEPT 29- OCT 1 YOGA RETREAT WITH LAURIE VAN COTT
I encourage everyone to do a 1 week retreat and 2 additional 1-2 day retreats every year. Recommended retreat centers are Cloud Mountain in Castle Rock WA, Great Vow in Clatskanie OR, Deer Park in Escondido CA............Thay Kozen
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No Self
Thich Minh Thien, (Thay Z) Abbot
Arlington, Texas
The concept of “no self” is a central tenet in many Buddhist philosophies. The idea of “no self” however, is a difficult concept for many of us to understand, no less accept. It challenges our fundamental understanding/belief of who we are and what our place is in the world. But when we examine the concept closely we can see it has important implications in our pursuit of this buddhist path.
The principle suggests that there is no permanent self; but rather that the self like all things, is an ever-changing combination of many factors usually grouped as physical and mental factors. It may be described as an ever-changing collection of thoughts, emotions and sensations. We live however with the perception of a permanent self which is based on our attachments to our thoughts, feelings and experiences. In other words, the self we perceive as being permanent in the moment is simply a constructed illusion.
One of the main implications of the concept of “no self” is that it challenges our attachments to our thoughts and emotions. It should be no surprise to any of us that we do tend to identify strongly with thought and emotions, believing that they are an essential part of who we are. As we begin to strengthen and examine the concept of “no self” more closely, we begin to understand that the self that we identity with is impermanent and illusory like everything else and we begin to see these elements of thoughts and emotions as passing phenomena.
In Buddhism, the concept of “no self” is often referred to as “anatman" which roughly translates to “no soul”. As we learned about impermanence, we understand that all things are subject to change and will eventually pass away. This applies not only to physical objects but also to mental and emotional experiences. This recognition helps us to detach from our thoughts and emotions, allowing us to view them more objectively. This recognition also helps us to deal with our difficult emotions more effectively as we are no longer identified with them.
The concept of “no self” challenges our tendency to be judgmental and critical of self. When we recognize that there is no permanent self, we can begin to see ourselves more compassionately. We can recognize that our thoughts and behaviors are not intrinsic to who we are, but rather a result of conditioning and environment; or in other words, our thoughts, judgements, beliefs and delusions. As our self criticism begins to melt away, our ability to see the world and others in less judgmental ways grows.
We sometimes refer to that expanding of “no self” as our realization of the Buddha that exits in all sentient beings and the growth and expansion of our bodhicitta. Bodhicitta per wikipedia, is the defining quality of the Mahayana bodhisattva (a being striving towards Buddhahood) and the act of giving rise to bodhicitta is what makes a bodhisattva a bodhisattva.
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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"Make your mind like the Earth
which receives all things steadily.” – Buddha
by Emily Martin
I was asked to give an impromptu dharma talk during the Saturday morning service (recently). Without much thought, but with a lot of heart, I decided to share about nature and walks in the woods. What a tickle I got when I hopped off the zoom call and realized it was Earth Day!
Talking about my love of the woods is easy for me, and the previous day, I had taken a nature walk with my high school Earth Science students along the Indian Creek trail behind the school. One student and I sat on a bench deep in the woods, contemplating the scene before us. There weren’t many blossoms and most of the trees were still bare, but I greeted my old friend, the Douglas Fir. My student inquired how I knew it was a Douglas Fir. I shared with him the fable about the mice who, during a forest fire, sought refuge in the pinecones of the Doug Fir. Whenever I see little mousetails peeking out of a pinecone, I know a Doug Fir is nearby.
I love the woods because in them, I am small. The woods are larger than any problem I have. I love the woods because all of my emotions, my rage, my sadness, my joy, my tears, are welcomed and witnessed. I don’t ever feel judged by the woods. The woods do not distort themselves or defend themselves or boast of themselves in response to me. The woods are stable. The woods are steady. Their stability and their steadfastness allows my spirit to bend and move and do what it needs to do to find its way to freedom. The woods hold me, and I am their child.
Looking around the forest with my student, I saw many Douglas Fir trees. Some were stubby, some extremely tall. Some had curving trunks, others had broken limbs. Seeing those different expressions of the same species reminded me that humans are a lot like trees. We are the same, but also different and unique.
If humans are like trees, could we actually be more like trees? More forgiving, more stable, more accepting? Could we bear witness to others’ pain and joy without interfering? Could we, like the Buddha reminds us “Make our mind like the Earth which receives all things steadily.”? I’m inviting the trees be my muse for my practice this week. May my stability benefit all beings.
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The Open Patio and Temple Entrance (Phase One) of our New Temple Complex is near completion. We're digging the foundation for the temple (Phase Two) in June.
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The current patio is almost complete, and the footings for the new temple have been laid out. Above is the sloped sidewalk forms for the handicapped entrance.
We have started digging the foundation for the temple. We've planned the north end to be all glass which will frame in Mt. Adams and allow our Buddha statue to be highlighted in front of the mountain. The Temple foundation ditch is on the far left of the photo above. It will connect to the patio via a door where the temporary plastic film wall is right now.
We are also putting in a Memorial Garden.
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Artist's concept of our new temple building.
The electrical conduit is in for power, the handicapped access ramp is formed and will be poured with cement the first week in June.
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Suco Hue Huong, of Buu Hung Monastery in Vancouver WA
was the driving force behind the decision to build a new temple.
We all remain grateful to her insistence to spread the Buddha's Dharma.
Thank you for all your kind & generous donations.
We've been saving for over 10 years and can now begin on phase 2 of 3 phases of building.
We have a $100,000 matching grant - every dollar you donate will be matched up to $100,000.
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What if Health Insurance Covered Mindfulness? |
Already accepted as effective medical treatment by some medical practitioners, researchers are working to prove the science so insurance could pay for instruction and support! |
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Can Deep Fakes and AI Be Good? |
Deep fakes (images generated digitally) and Artificial Intelligence have been in the news a lot lately.
Here is an example where a deep fake video puts technology to use the for good of animating and "bringing to life" wisdom of great teachers.
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YOGA RETREATS
9-11 June Thrive Wellness Retreat …a retreat to celebrate transitions
Bringing together experts in the field of western and eastern medicine addressing the ways to rejuvenate and renew during perimenopause and menopause. This retreat is designed to empower and support you through the changes of life with grace and knowledge.
16 - 18 June Annual GorgeYoga Wellness Retreats...This year's theme: Finding Joy!
Inspired by The Book of Joy with the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, this year we will explore what brings us joy, meaning and purpose, and how to access healing and growth through yoga, meditation, and self-reflection.
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森林浴
Shinrin-Yoku Forest Bathing
Shinrin-Yoku is a Japanese term that translates to “Forest Bathing” in English and involves spending free time wandering in nature. This therapeutic method was developed in the 1980s in Japan, and was designed to enhance well being, health, and joy. It’s used widely in the country for purposes of preventative healthcare in Japanese medicine.
The core philosophy is simply to immerse yourself in nature by activating our five senses: seeing, hearing, touching, smelling and tasting while in the forest. Different researchers, mainly from South Korea and Japan, have carried out studies to evaluate the health benefits of forest bathing. They found out that Shinrin-Yoku helps create a relaxing neuro-psychological effect resulting from the changes in the body’s nervous system. In turn, the body’s stress hormones such as Cortisol and Norepinephrine are minimized, and the immune system boosted.
Congratulations to students who have been in our training class at the temple and are now certified to teach forest bathing: Chris Fischer, Emily Martin, Emily Olson & Scott See
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Seeing the forest, really observing the realness of each leaf, each bush, each tree; mindfulness meditation in action. |
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Seeing - not just looking |
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After a long forest bathing day, participants practiced metta. Then had a vegetarian meal and tea. The warm dry room was a welcome retreat from the rain and cool weather. |
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Heart Circles allow us to share and express feelings. While there are scientific studies about the benefits of Forest Bathing, the experiential journey of mindfulness is the goal. |
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Intimacy with trees and forest |
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Health benefits of Forest Bathing are well documented |
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Recovery Dharma--Transforming Addictions
and Other Harmful Habits
From the book Recovery Dharma:
Recovery Dharma is a peer led movement and a community that is unified by the potential in each of us to recover and find freedom from the suffering of addiction. This book uses the Buddhist practices of meditation, self inquiry, wisdom, compassion, and community as tools for recovery and healing. We welcome anyone who is looking to find freedom from suffering, whether it’s caused by substance use or process addictions like codependency, sex, gambling, eating disorders, shopping, work, technology, or any obsessive or habitual pattern. We approach recovery from a place of individual and collective empowerment and we support each other as we walk this path of recovery together. [Download or order a copy at recoverydharma.org]
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I Was 'Dead' For 10 Minutes - What I Saw Changed Everything
Dr. Lani Leary has over twenty-five years of experience as a psychotherapist working with chronically ill, dying, and bereaved clients. Dr. Leary also garners wisdom from her own profound near-death experience, and has sat with over 500 people as they died.
Many people in many countries, of many religions and cultures, have reported similar thoughts
in near death or resuscitated death experiences. Their lives often change
and they become more conscious, gentle and kind.....Thay Kozen
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World Environment Day is June 5th, was created by the Unitied Nations in 1972.
Father's Day is celebrated in many countries of the world on the 3rd Sunday in June (June 18th this year). It honors fathers and paternal figures.
Juneteenth, June 19th celebrates the day American slaves were freed and was made a federal holiday in 2021.
Summer Solstice (Litha in paganism) is June 21st, and marks the halfway point on our yearly journey around the sun and the first day of summer.
Eid al-Ada, June 28th this year, is one of the two holiest Islamic celebrations.
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May the Infinite Light of Wisdom and Compassion so shine within us
that the errors and vanities of self may be dispelled;
so shall we understand the changing nature of existence and awaken into spiritual peace.
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Mt Adams Zen Buddhist Temple 46 Stoller Rd., Trout Lake WA 98650
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