December Family Program - Generosity

During this holiday season - the December 12th Family Program focused on generosity.
  
Each family brought some food items to donate to the Worcester Food Shelf and the children made decorations to give with the boxes.

May our holiday season be infused with a generous mind!

Thank you from Worcester Food Shelf

Rohatsu Sesshin - Dec. 1-8

Thanks to all who participated in this year's Rohatsu Sesshin  at Shao Shan Temple.

 Rohatsu sesshin is an intensive meditation retreat December 1st - 8th to commemorate Shakymuni Buddha's enlightenment.

This year, we had especially strong participation - with many sangha members coming at various times.  

Each day, Taihaku-san gave a Dharma Talk following the life of Shakyamuni Buddha.

May this infuse our upcoming year of practice with renewed vigor.

Family program - gratitude + blessing power

An enthusiastic group of children, teens and parents gathered at Shao Shan Temple this Saturday, Nov. 21st.  The children made pinecones with peanut butter and sunflower seeds for the birds as the parents discussed gratitude.  All joined together in the Temple for a time of "awakening Blessing Power".

Blessings on all!

Sesshin and First Snow

Shao Shan Temple's autumn sesshin was October 16-18. 

A group of devoted practioners gathered for the Sunday Zazenkai.               

During the sesshin, sun alternated with bursts of snow flurries - the first snow of the year! 

Thanks to all who participated.

Family Program mandalas

During October's family program, with the changing seasons - the topic was impermanence.  

The children created (impermanent) mandalas on the ground out of natural materials -  rocks, leaves, sticks, pinecones, etc.