2021 New Year's Greeting Cards

Shao Shan Temple's 

2021 New Year's Greetings 

have been sent!  

Below is the message on the back of each.

-------------------------------------

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2021

This prayer tablet is an expression of Shao Shan Temple’s deep wishes and dedication to the welfare of the community.  It is a bridge between the temple and your everyday practice

This has been placed on the temple’s altar - it has been charged with the great energy of faith and courage. 

This prayer tablet is designed to be displayed in your home to bring peace and protection for the upcoming year.

This year’s message is

UNITY-

HEALING

( HEI-YU )

May peace and blessings extend from your home to the wider world in the upcoming year.

Below are photos of the process of creating the Shao Shan Temple New Year's Greetings.  Each year a new message for the year is selected and Taihaku does the front calligraphy, then the following steps ...

Cutting the cards

Cutting the back descriptions

Gluing on the backs

Cutting the front calligraphy

Gluing on the fronts

Inking the star stamp

Stamping the stars

Gold ink for the circles

Stamping the circles

Ink drying

Finished New Year's Greetings on the altar

 

Winter Solstice Ceremony

At this time of the longest night, we gathered together virtually for a Winter Solstice Ceremony.  With chanting, darkness and candlelight, we joined together in blessing in this transitioning time of dark and light.

 

 

As we go forth, may the spark of luminous goodness burn bright within our hearts and illuminate the hearts of all beings.

Generosity - children's program

 For December's Children's Program, we explored the theme of generosity. 

We shared some of the changes of the seasons we have been noticing, such as the longer nights, colder temperatures, and animals having more scarcity of food. We remembered how normally for this month's Family Program we would make pine cone peanut butter bird feeders to hang in the Pet Cemetery at the Temple to offer some of our human abundance to our animal friends. However, as we couldn't do that in person this year, we were encouraged to bring some bit of food outdoors for the animals, whether some bird seed or a small part of a meal, as a food offering. 

We then read and acted out the story Stone Soup, a traditional Chinese tale retold by Jon J Muth. In the story three monks find a village in which the villagers have undergone many hardships, which have made them wary of going out and interacting with their neighbors (sound familiar?). The monks start making a pot of stone soup in the center of the village, and little by little the villagers come to offer what they can to enrich the soup, eventually joining together to partake in a delicious feast. While today one way we can be generous to others is by maintaining physical distance, we look forward to a day when we will all be able to gather and feast together again. 

We contemplated other ways we can be generous right now, including calling those we love, sending cards and gifts, sharing with others, and even the simple acts of breathing and being fully ourselves.

Closing group "OM"

Rohatsu Sesshin- online retreat weekend

 The Rohatsu Sesshin is a meditation retreat held annually at Shao Shan Temple the first week in December.  This is a time of concentrated practice to commemorate Shakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment upon seeing the morning star.

This year, Rohatsu Sesshin was online and abbreviated to the weekend - December 4th - 6th, with each day focused on sitting and walking meditation.  Each afternoon included a dharma talk -- this year the series of talks was based on the Seven Factors of Awakening.

Sitting Meditation

Closing Congratulations 

Zazen seat

Dharma Talk

The Seven Factors of Awakening: 

Mindfulness, Investigation, Effort, Joy, Tranquility, Concentration, Equanimity.

Introduction to Shao Shan & Creating Your Sacred Space

 
Sunday, Nov 29, was again the online "Introduction to Shao Shan Temple" program.  This program offers an overview of the Temple, history, programs offered, an introduction to meditation and the opportunity to ask questions.  Judy participated as sangha representative and there were 8 new people in attendance.

 Since, with the ongoing pandemic, having a home place of practice takes on an added importance, this month there was also a follow-up program - "Creating Your Sacred Space".  We looked together at what can be helpful in creating a meditation practice place in your home.  Thank you to Max and Donna for sharing a view of their home altars.

The next Introduction to Shao Shan program will be Sunday, January 3rd at 10am.  It is already possible to register! Register here.

Thanksgiving Day Program

 

Shao Shan Temple usually does not have a Thanksgiving Day program - rather encouraging people to spend time with their families.  However, this year, with many people not being able to be with family for Thanksgiving due to Covid-19, we had an online Thanksgiving Day Ceremony.

The program included a formal food offering at the altar and chanting.  Everyone was invited to have a piece of food with them to have part as a food offering and part to eat together.  We chanted the 5 Remembrances and looked together at their meaning.  There was an opportunity for each person to share something they are grateful for followed by a resonate bell allowing the expression of gratitude to permeate all.

May we appreciate the bounty of loved ones, friendship and community.

May we recognize the bounty of sustenance, warmth, and fellowship.

May we value the bounty of justice, virtue and truth.

Zazenkai on the "Universally Recommended Instructions for Zazen"

 Sunday, November 15th, was an online 1/2 day meditation retreat (Zazankai).  

The theme for this month's Zazenkai was Dogen Zenji's Fukanzazengi - "Universally Recommended Instructions for Zazen".  The day's program included opening& closing ceremonies, zazen, kinhin(walking meditation), readings from the Fukanzazengi and a Dharma Talk on the topic.

You have gained the pivotal opportunity of human form. Do not pass your days and nights in vain. You are taking care of the essential activity of the buddha-way. Who would take wasteful delight in the spark from a flintstone? Besides, form and substance are like the dew on the grass, the fortunes of life like a dart of lightning --emptied in an instant, vanished in a flash.

Please, honored followers of Zen, long accustomed to groping for the elephant, do not doubt the true dragon. Devote your energies to the way of direct pointing at the real. Revere the one who has gone beyond learning and is free from effort. Accord with the enlightenment of all the buddhas; succeed to the samadhi of all the ancestors. Continue to live in such a way, and you will be such a person. The treasure store will open of itself, and you may enjoy it freely.

                     excerpt from Dogen Zenji's Fukanzazengi - "Universally Recommended Instructions for Zazen"

With Gratitude - the Children's Program

 

For November's Children's Program, we explored the theme of gratitude. 

We first shared some of the changes in nature that we've been noticing, such as the increased darkness and cold, the beginnings of snow, beautiful sunsets, and the quiet gardens put to bed. We then talked about the Thanksgiving holiday, how it will likely be different this year for many because of the pandemic, that it's okay to feel some sadness around that, and that we can still remember what we're grateful for while also feeling sad at the same time.

We then read a modified version of The Thank You Book by Mo Willems. In the modified version Piggie and Gerald the Elephant thanked the many dolls and stuffed animals that have helped teach us so many life lessons during the various virtual Children's Programs since the pandemic began, culminating with thanking all of the amazing Children's Program participants for making the program possible. 

Finally, we each shared something that we're feeling grateful for, ranging from having a cozy home and a loving family to yummy foods and the whirling of the wind. We ended by listening to the ringing of the bell, letting our gratitude soak in and spread out.

Chanting for the Wellbeing of the World

 As one of Shao Shan Temple’s responses to the pandemic and upcoming election, we joined together today (virtually)  to chant for the well being of our sangha, state, country and the world.  We chanted “Namu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo”, a chant that is often done as a prayer for world peace.

Drum with "Namu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo" written on it

The chanting is for the well-being of the world and also the well-being of our own minds.  

May the energy of our voices and our intention resonate out into the world to be of benefit.

New Buddha Statue in Cemetery

Shao Shan Temple's Cemetery's lightweight Buddha statue made of resin has been decomposing - bits of the shoulders, knees and head falling off.  We have been looking for nearly a year for a replacement genuine stone Buddha Statue that could stand up to Vermont's cold winters.  And here it is: ~27" tall, with a serene expression, hand carved in Indonesia of lava stone.

The new statue is on the west side of the Cemetery's central oval in the "Priests' Garden".  This area will also be developed with benches and bushes creating a small place for reflection similar to the "Communal Shrine" on the east side of the central oval.

 

Day of meditation and teachings

In the face of global pandemic, political unrest, and natural disasters, the question of how to respond naturally arises.  Sunday, October 18th, Shao Shan Temple hosted an online 1/2 day program on the topic of "Universal Teachings as applied to October 2020".  The program included sitting and walking meditation,  teachings, ceremony and discussion.

Dharma Talks

Meditation

Discussion

Annual Remembrance Ceremony

 

Every year in October we have a special ceremony to remember those who are buried in the Shao Shan Temple cemetery, our ancestors, spiritual ancestors, and deceased loved ones.  The evening included chanting, cymbals, bells and several readings done by sangha members.  This year the ceremony was online instead of in-person in the Cemetery, so a video was made the previous evening of the priests chanting in the cemetery and the video played as part of the ceremony. 

“Like a tiny drop of dew,

 or a bubble floating in a stream;
Like a flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
Or a flickering lamp,

an illusion,

a phantom,

or a dream.”

 

“So is all conditioned existence to be seen.”

- Diamond Sutra