End of Year at Zen Buddhism Ireland

Dear friends,

We are just back from our Rohatsu Sesshin where we spent a truly wonderful few days in Jampa Ling Buddhist Centre, in Co Cavan, where we were warmly received, as always. It was a Sesshin that culminated in Shoshin Kudo taking the Bodhisattva Vows, and that saw new faces welcomed by our growing Sangha.

We woke up on the first morning to snow covered fields, which offered a beautiful backdrop to our practice. The Han pounded out its rhythm in the frigid air of the early morning, calling us to Zazen, and each morning's sitting ended with an Oryoki breakfast ... the first time our Sangha members have practiced this beautiful ceremony together.

The first day of Sesshin ended with a magically transforming Kito Ceremony, dedicated to the suffering beings that we all know, and the memorable atmosphere that was in the Zendo is impossible to describe. It is beyond words. As the alter was lit only by the light of candles that individual Sangha members had offered during the ceremony, a truly moving and transient moment manifested, as the candle light flickered and the deep, snowy silence of the rural night unfolded outside. After the ceremony ended, many continued to sit on in the darkness of the Zendo, well after the hour for sleep had been announced.

The next morning at dawn, we had a procession out to the stupa at Jampa Ling, where we offered candles to mark the Buddha's great awakening all those generations ago, and where each and every person received a blessing: to be free from suffering, and to live a life filled with joy and love. The stupa sat with great presence, illuminated by our candlelight, afterwards, as we went back into the warmth of the house for breakfast.

The final day ended with the Jukai Ceremony for Shoshin, who received lineage papers in our lineage, as well as in the lineage of Suzuki Roshi. It was a ceremony where, unusually, two teachers bestowed the Precepts together: Kiku Christina Lehnherr, former Abbess of San Francisco Zen Centre, and myself, in the lineage of Nishijima Roshi. Christina and I chose the Dharma Name together, and worked closely in preparing the ceremony together. The fact that we are both teachers for Shoshin was reflected in this unique Jukai Ceremony.

In all, it was a most memorable Sesshin. It was a Sesshin filled with joy and light, at this, the darkest time of year. The next time we will visit Jampa Ling, the forests there will be carpeted in bluebells and the fresh light of warm spring will light everything with great clarity.

In the meantime, our practice in Dublin will continue every Monday night. However, we will take a short break for the holidays, with sittings returning at the Lantern Centre on January 11th.

Until then, on behalf of the Sangha, I wish you a restful Christmas period and a Happy New Year. New beginnings are on their way...

Deep bows,
Myozan Kodo

Winter is soon upon us...

Dear Sangha,
Our Zen Winter Retreat is drawing near and I am happy to say that it is filling up nicely. While December 8th may be the traditional date to mark the Buddha's enlightenment, our winter Sesshin will mark Rohatsu this year just a few days later, on December 11th ... the weekend closest to the actual festival.

Revisiting Jampa Ling Buddhist Centre in the heart of winter will be a wonderful experience: the carpet of bluebells gone from the forests and the crunch of frozen grass underfoot when doing walking meditation outdoors in the early morning. It should prove a special experience, coming together in the warmth of Sangha at a dark time of year, to remember the morning star that illuminated everything some two-and-a-half millennia ago, for our original teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha.

I hope that, for you, a great illumination occurs in your practice this winter: to inspire in you the reawakening of joy; a joy that you bring to others you meet along the way in your daily life. Remember, that the true Sangha contains all and everybody: each sentient being you encounter, with their suffering and happiness; as well as the trees, plants and other animals that share this planet with us.

Winter is soon upon us. Under its starry, frosty skies, may the important things come into clarity for all of us, as we practice together in the weeks and months ahead.

With palms together,
Myozan

Summer Almost Over

Dear friends,

With summer coming to an end, ZBI sittings return on September 7^th in the Lantern Centre, in . Dublin’s Synge Street. I look forward to a great year of practice and growth with you all.

With the Sangha growing in maturity, I am delighted that three members (who sit in DIT) are preparing to take the Bodhisattva vows in the spring, formally entering the Buddha Way with the ‘Jukai’ ceremony, which sees lay people take the precepts, a guide for us all in living a Buddhist life. This is an auspicious development in the Sangha and joyful news for us all to share.

I hope you have all had a great summer. I spent much of it in France, and some of it on retreat with my Dharma brother Dainin Joko San and teacher Taigu Turlur. We had a beautiful, healing Sesshin in Le Mans, in France, where thirty of us engaged in many days of traditional Soto Zen practice, in the beautiful, French countryside. It proved a transformative experience for many present, and a Sesshin filled with great love and joy. I hope many of the French Sangha can come and practice with us in Ireland some time, including my Dharma brother Dainin, who trained at Sojiji temple in Japan, and has much knowledge to share.

In terms of our own next retreat, I would hope to hold another multi-day Sesshin in the late autumn or winter. I will post details of this in the weeks ahead.

In the meantime, I hope your practice is going well and I look forward to seeing you at Zazen this September.

With palms together,

Myozan Kodo

PS: In other news, I just want to report that I'm now listed as an affiliated teacher at the Soto Zen Buddhist Associstion, and that Zen Buddhism Ireland is now a registered Zen centre. Here's more information: http://szba.org/teachers/myozan-kodo/

ZBI Summer News

Dear friends,
we had a wonderful summer retreat this May in Jampa Ling Buddhist Centre in Co Cavan, where we were made very welcome in what is a beautiful setting. In all, 14 of us took part in the retreat and there was a great and inspiring atmosphere of sincere practice. The  retreat ended with a lay ordination (Jukai) ceremony for Benat and Steve from the Lampeter Sangha, in Wales (also part of the wider Blue Mountain White Clouds Hermitage Sangha), and a special congratulations goes to my Dharma brother Taikyo, who was Susho for the sesshin.

With such a great bunch of wonderful people (and with the warm welcome from our brothers and sisters in the Dharma at Jampa Ling) we will have to do it all again soon. Keep an eye on zenbuddhism.ie for announcements regarding our next sesshin.

Otherwise, this summer I will be off to Paris to teach at the Blue Mountain White Clouds Hermitage summer retreat with my teacher Taigu Turlur and my Dharma brother Dainin Joko. One person from our ZBI retreat has expressed interest in coming with me. If anyone else is interested, just email me at myozankodo@gmail.com for more information.

So, I'll be taking July and August off in Dublin. That means no in person sittings at the Lantern Centre or in DIT for July and August. However, both groups will be back as normal in September. Keep an eye here, on zenbuddhism.ie, and in the ZBI Facebook group for announcements in the autumn.

Finally, I have taken on two students recently in preparation for Jukai next year at our summer retreat. If anyone is interested in also preparing for lay ordination, formally entering the Buddha way, then do message me soon ... that way you can join the group in its study and sewing by way of preparation.

Otherwise, I hope you all have a great summer of practice and joy. Wishing you well and with palms together.
Myozan Kodo

Zen Buddhism Ireland Retreat

ZEN RETREAT ANNOUNCEMENT
Jampa Ling Buddhist Centre, Co Cavan
May 15th - May 17th

A Zen retreat or ‘Sesshin’ (literally “touching the heart-mind”) is an opportunity to deepen your practice, devoting yourself almost exclusively to silent meditation for a period of time.

This weekend retreat will be led by Soto Zen Buddhist priest Rev. Myozan Kodo, and will be held in the beautiful surroundings of Jampa Ling Tibetan Buddhist Centre, in Co Cavan (http://www.jampaling.org/).

A retreat in the Soto Zen Buddhist tradition, the Sesshin will mostly consist of the practice of Zazen, seated meditation. Three wholesome vegetarian meals will be served each day, with a welcome meal at 7pm on the Friday evening, followed by orientation.

There is room to accommodate eight men and eight women only, accommodated in a male and female dormitory, respectively.

As a traditional Zen retreat, it will held in silence, with some work practice involved. But there will also be some free time, an opportunity to walk in quiet contemplation in the beautiful grounds of Jampa Ling at spring time.

The price for this weekend retreat is €150, all inclusive, with a €50, non-refundable deposit required to secure a place.

A place can be secured by emailing myozankodo@gmail.com

More information will soon be sent to those that register.

With palms together,
Myozan