Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate the opening of
the Temple garden on Sunday, April 24th.
Kenzan led a "Garden Opening Ceremony" to begin the
garden growing season. The ceremony included thanking the elements that help the vegetables grow, walking in procession around the garden chanting the "Disaster Preventing Dharani", reading a Thich Nhat Hanh passage, planting seeds of
intention, and chanting our new garden chant. We set up a beautiful garden altar with
Taihaku's smiling face looking over us all.
We then got to work. We were able to move and set up the pea
fence and planted peas, spinach, arugula and mixed greens. We also cleaned up
and prepped the other garden beds so that they're ready for more
planting, reinforced the posts, cleaned the bird boxes, and
brought over some rocks to hold down remay and landscape fabric.
The new Shao Shan Garden chant:
May we grow healthy, fresh
food for our Temple, our families, and our communities.
May we offer our
wholehearted attention to the plants, the land, the tools and each other.
Like Taihaku, may we enter
the garden gates with wonder, enthusiasm, and gratitude.
Like Taihaku, may we
cultivate here a deep caring that extends to all of the miraculous creation.
