Courage & Kindness - November Children's Program

For November's online Family Program, we explored the themes of courage and kindness. 

We began by sharing our names and something we had been noticing about the natural world, such as the colder temperatures, windy days, bare trees of "stick season," and many shades of brown. 

We then discussed courage and bravery - when we feel scared or anxious, but choose to do the thing we feel afraid of anyway because it is important to us. We read and acted out the book Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall, in which a young boy, Jabari, feels nervous about going off the diving board, but through the support of his father, some back and forth, taking a deep breath, and reframing something scary as a surprise, Jabari finds the courage to take the plunge. Our group shared stories of times we have acted with courage and bravery in the face of fear.

And we practiced loving-kindness meditation, which, as the story goes, the Buddha offered as a practice to some monks who were feeling afraid of sleeping in the forest. We ended with the ringing of the bell and a group "OM."

October Meditation Retreat

October 18-20, 2024 was Shao Shan Temple's Autumn Sesshin(meditation retreat). The weekend sitting was accompanied by full moon nights and brilliant sunny days.

Garden Closing - Work, Ceremony & Potluck

 

 On a October 12th, we gathered to for a garden work day, season-closing ceremony and a harvest potluck.  We filled buckets with the harvest of carrots, beets and rutabagas.  Work time was followed by a Garden-Closing Ceremony - expressing gratitude for all that had made the garden possible and apologies to all beings harmed in the gardening process. This was followed by a delicious Harvest Potluck around the fire (with s'mores!).

Annual Remembrance Ceremony 2024

This year the Annual Remembrance Ceremony took place Saturday evening, October 5th.  The beautiful evening ceremony was surrounded by candles and firelight took place both in front of the Temple and in the cemetery. 

The Annual Remembrance Ceremony is a time to honor deceased loved ones, our spiritual lineage and those who are interred in the Shao Shan Temple Cemetery.

This ceremony also includes elements of the Japanese Obon Ceremony - a time to honor the ancestors and to invite them to be with us for a celebration.

Beginning Zen Class 2024

 For the first time, Shao Shan Temple offered a three week "Beginning Zen" class as a follow-up to the usual Temple Introduction program.  Classes  discussed basic Buddhist teachings and practiced fundamental Zen forms.  In the 3rd class Rev. Seiso Cooper joined as guest teacher and taught on Shikantaza - "just sitting".