Regular Events At The Zendo

Sunday Morning Zazen - 9:30am - 12:00 noon

Most Sunday mornings, we conduct a sutra service and sit four periods of zazen, with dokusan available. This occurs year-round, except during our breaks in January and July and on dates that conflict with sesshin. Other events often follow. Consult the calendar for more details.

Wednesday Evening Zazen - 7:00 - 9:00 pm

Most Wednesday evenings, we do zazen for four periods, usually with dokusan, followed by an informal tea. These sittings occur year-round, except during our breaks in January and July and on dates that conflict with sesshin.

Meetings for the Practice of Business (MPB)

We hold a Meeting for the Practice of Business on the last Sunday of most months, after morning zazen. At these meetings, we collectively make all the important decisions for the sangha, using our one-mind governance process. Members’ participation is vital. Others are welcome to attend as well.

Sesshin

We provide a number of opportunities for extended practice in the form of sesshin. See the sesshin page for more information.

View from the Hojo

An informal, semi-annual overview of practice and teaching matters, delivered by Nelson Foster.

Buddha's Birthday

All over Japan, communities mark April 8th as the date of the birth of the historical Buddha. There it’s known as Flower Festival, Hanamatsuri, an event that brings the populace out to celebrate Shakyamuni’s arrival and to enjoy the onset of spring. One by one, people ladle sweet tea over a figure of the baby Buddha surrounded in fresh flowers. Ceremonially bathing him, they purify themselves in the process.

At Ring of Bone, we call it Buddha's Birthday and hold it on the Sunday closest to April 8th. Retaining the festive atmosphere of the old tradition, we not only bathe the baby Buddha but also partake of birthday confections and entertain one another with music, stories, and poems. It’s a great time to bring children, if you have any handy.

Founder's Day

Each year, we gather to honor and remember the lives of people who've helped make it possible for us (and others before us) to do serious Zen training as lay people at our humble temple in the forest. It’s a local modification of celebrations held annually in Japan, devoted to the individual recognized as the founder of a monastery or temple. We’ve enlarged the occasion to acknowledge and express gratitude to the many and various people who’ve contributed to the existence and vitality of Ring of Bone.

It’s a simple event consisting of three main parts: a telling of the the honorees’ life stories and their impact on our sangha, followed by a brief formal service and refreshments, with time to comment and pose questions to the day’s speakers. We recommend it as a chance to acquaint yourself with the zendo’s long and intriguing backstory.