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We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday October 28 from 7 pm to 8:30 pm at Brunner Chapel. _()_
Open Heart Zen Sangha |
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![]() This month's reading "JOY" (click to view) comes from Section 7 “Wonder” of Charlotte Joko Beck's Nothing Special. Here is a list of suggested questions (click to view) for “Joy”. These questions are intended to provide some structure and encourage thoughts sharing during the discussion. Please feel free to bring your own questions or highlight any of Joko's observations that you found especially interesting and/or challenging to share with the group. It is recommended that after you do the reading reflect on them prior to our dharma discussion on October 28. We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday October 28 from 7 pm to 8:30 pm at Brunner Chapel. _()_ ![]() Charlotte Joko Beck's Nothing Special talk "The Six Stages of Practice" (click to view) comes from Section 6 "Freedom." Here, Joko moves more directly into answering the question "why" we practice. Specifically, she present a developmental psychology model of our meditation practice. It is both provocative and perhaps even controversial to think about our practice in this way. Nevertheless, it is very likely to stimulate dialogue! We include 2 broad discussion questions at the end of the reading, please feel free to highlight any of her observations that you found especially interesting and/or challenging. Once again it is recommended that after you do the reading reflect on them prior to our dharma discussion on September 30th. We look forward to seeing you on September 30th from. 7-8:30 at Brunner Chapel. _()_ ![]() “There is a foundation for our lives, a place in which our life rests. That place is nothing but the present moment, as we see, hear, experience what is." -Charlotte Joko Beck We are getting excited for our next retreat on Saturday, September 26, 2015 from 9am-4pm in the Brunner Chapel. You can sign up for the retreat by clicking this link: Retreat Sign Up (click here) (Just add you name and the dish you'll bring to the potluck and that's it---once you enter your name and dish--just close the window and everything is automatically saved!). If this is your first retreat, you can access retreat arrival info and reminders about food here. Retreat Information (Click to View) A donation of $25 either cash or check is recommended but not required. *Check should be made out to the First Unitarian Church of Wilmington with the words "September Retreat 2015” in the subject line. ![]() Charlotte Joko Beck's Nothing Special talk "False Generalizations" (Click to view the writing) comes from Section 5 "Awareness." This may be one of Joko's most insightful discussion of how practice matters for our everyday lives. While we are including some discussion questions at the end of the reading, please feel free to highlight any of her observations that you found especially interesting and/or challenging. Once again it is recommended that after you do the reading reflect on them prior to our dharma discussion on Aug 26. We look forward to seeing you on August 26 from. 7-8:30 at Brunner Chapel. _()_ ![]() We continue our dharma discussion this month with a selected reading from Charlotte Joko Beck's Nothing Special. This month's talk "Experiences and Experiencing" (click to view) comes from Section 4 "Change." A list of questions (Click to View) are provided with the intent to offer some structure to our discussion . It is recommended that after you do the reading reflect on them prior to our dharma discussion on July 29. We look forward to seeing you on July 29th from. 7-8:30 at Brunner Chapel. _()_ ![]() Please find our Fall 2015-Summer 2016 retreat schedule below. Aside from our Temenos retreat in June (more info forthcoming), all day long retreats at the church are free with a recommended donation of $25 to the First Unitarian Church of Wilmington. Why should I attend a retreat? A retreat is an opportunity to immerse ourselves in practice. Spending a day or weekend together in presence cultivates the wisdom of just being. We are experiencing our true selves free of ideas that needlessly complicate our lives and the lives of those at home, work, etc. Retreat is therefore an opportunity for experiencing deeply what the great Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki in his classic book, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, wonderfully described as our "beginner's mind": "In the beginner's mind there is no thought, "I have attained something." All self-centered thoughts limit our vast mind. When we have no thought of achievement, no thought of self, we are true beginners. Then we can really learn something. The beginner's mind is the mind of compassion. . . There is no need to have a deep understanding of Zen. Even though you read much Zen literature, you must read each sentence with a fresh mind. You should not say, "I know what Zen is," or "I have attained enlightenment." This is also the real secret of the arts: always be a beginner. Be very very careful about this point. If you start to practice zazen, you will begin to appreciate your beginner's mind. It is the secret of Zen practice." We invite you to come and find out for yourself! Saturday September 26, 2015 9am-4pm Saturday November 21, 2015 9am-4pm Saturday January 9, 2016 9am-4pm Saturday April 9, 2016 9am-4pm June 2016 Weekend Retreat at Temenos (Days TBA) Dear Friends,
Tonight's Practice (Wed, July 8th) will be held in the Church Youth Center. Once you enter the church stay on the first floor and make your way down and around the hall way all the way to the end. The Youth Center is at the end, we will have a sign posted on the door. Thanks! _()_
![]() "We don't see that we are all teachers." -Charlotte Joko Beck, "Integration" For this month's reading we continue with the Charlotte Joko Beck's wonderful collection of dharma talks, Nothing Special: Living Zen. While we encourage you to read the entire book, our plan is to read a single selection from each of the book's eight sections. To date have read "Whirlpools and Stagnant Waters" from Section One Struggle and "The Talk No One Wants to Hear" from Section Two Sacrifice. This month we move to the talk "Integration" (Click to view the content) from Section Three Separation and Connection. The dharma discussions have been very well attended and the discussions have been invariably both substantive and, for many of us, clarifying as we reflect together on Joko's very clear and often blunt teachings through the experiences of our own lives. We look forward to seeing you the last Wednesday in May 27th from. 7-8:30 in Brunner Chapel. Even if you have not attended previous discussions, please attend. Joko's talks are very accessible to all regardless of experience! ![]() “Let the waters settle and you will see the moon and the stars mirrored in your own being.” -Rumi We are getting excited for our next retreat on Saturday, May 9, 2015 from 9am-4pm in the Brunner Chapel. You can sign up for the retreat by clicking this link: Retreat Sign Up (click here) (Just add you name and the dish you'll bring to the potluck and that's it---once you enter your name and dish--just close the window and everything is automatically saved!). If this is your first retreat, you can access retreat arrival info and reminders about food here. Retreat Information (Click to View) A donation of $25 either cash or check is recommended but not required. *Check should be made out to the First Unitarian Church of Wilmington with the words "May Retreat 2015” in the subject line. |
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