March Introduction to Shao Shan

 

Saturday morning March 22nd, was an in-person "Introduction to Shao Shan Temple" program.  Seven new people participated.  This program offers an overview of the Temple, history, programs offered, an introduction to meditation, the opportunity to ask questions and a brief tour of the grounds.  Noah & Caleb joined as sangha (Temple community) representatives.

Winter Mini Practice Period - 2025

 

The Winter Mini Practice Period is designed to provide an opportunity for Temple participants to make a individual commitment to intensive practice during these several weeks of ongoing extended practice schedule.  We began on March 1st and concluded with a weekend Sesshin (Meditation Retreat) on March 15th&16th.  This is our fourth annual March Practice Period. 

Heart Sutra Copying Practice

The theme of this year's practice period was the "Heart Sutra." chanted daily. Several of the Dharma Talks were offered by visiting teachers.

Ven. Lhundub Chodron Dharma Talk #2

Rev. Seiso Cooper - Dharma Talk #3

Rev. Jisho Siebert - Dharma Talk #4

With deep gratitude to all the visiting teachers and to all who participated in this year's Winter Practice Period - may it be of benefit.

Rev. Kenzan - Dharma Talks #1&5

Temple front doors open during meditation

Adapting in Winter - March Family Program

 

For the March Family Program the children explored the themes of winter adaptations and adapting to changing circumstances. We began by sharing our names and things we had been noticing about the natural world, including a few returning birds, dramatic shifts in temperature, strong winds, and ice. We then discussed various ways that animals adapt to winter, including hibernation/torpor, staying active, and migrating. We pretended to be different animals adapting in their various ways - snowshoe hares hopping with camouflage fur, Canada geese flying south for the winter, foxes hunting for mice, and bears and chipmunks sleeping in their dens and burrows. We also talked about ways humans adapt to the challenges of winter, such as putting on warm gear, making fires in our homes, making snow people and skiing to have fun in the cold, and shoveling and plowing to be able to move around. Next, we ate a delicious snack of mud (chocolate pudding), snow (shredded coconut), dirt clumps (toasted walnuts), rocks (raisins), and melted snow (water) to give ourselves extra energy before our outdoor adventure. Once fed, we ventured outdoors and dug our own human-sized burrows and tunnels in the snow banks around the temple property. Finally, we joined the adults in the temple zendo for an exploration of meditating with different hand mudras and ended with some group OMs.

Buddha's Parinirvana 2025

On February 15^th Buddhists around the world traditionally commemorate the Buddha’s Parinirvana - Shakyamuni Buddha’s departure from this body.   

This year we commemorated Buddha's Parinirvana with an extended meditation period which included a reading of excerpts from the Parinirvana Brief Admonitions Sutra - Shakyamuni Buddha's last words.  The meditation was followed by a ceremony which included chanting, formal offerings and traditional aspects of Soto Zen funeral services.

O good followers of the path! Do not grieve! Even if I were to live in the world for as long as a kalpa, our coming together would have to end. There can be no coming together without parting. ... it may be that you will think, “The teacher’s instructions have ceased.” But it should not be seen like this. For what I have taught shall be your teacher, all living beings shall be your teacher, this bright world, and your very mind itself, shall be your teacher.  

-Excerpts from the Parinirvana Brief Admonitions Sutra

Hearts of Lovingkindness - February Family Program

For February's in-person Family Program, we celebrated lovingkindness and the heart. The children's portion of the program began by sharing our names and things we had been noticing in the natural world, which included snow, snow and more snow (and snowflakes!). 

For one activity we paid mindful attention to our pulses as we jumped up and down for a minute and then stood quietly as our heart beats settled back down. We also passed a group pulse, in which each person squeezed the hand of the person next to them as the pulse moved around the circle. Next, we crafted Lovingkindness/Valentine's cards and paper snowflakes, some of which became offerings on the Temple altar, and also made pine cone peanut butter bird feeders as a lovingkindness offering to the birds and other outdoor creatures. 

Finally, we gathered inside the Temple with the adults for some meditation and ringing of the bell, sending the vibrations of lovingkindness near and far.

Temple Days 2025

 

We are resuming the once a month TEMPLE DAY program.  The plan is that it will usually be the first Friday of the month.  This is a program to experience a slice of monastic life with sitting meditation, chanting service, work practice and a meal together.

This past Friday was the first Temple Day in several years and an enthusiastic group came together to be the life and breath of Shao Shan.  Work included winter squash processing, thorough Zendo cleaning, candlestick polishing, preparing lunch, roof snow shovelling and more.

Visiting Teacher: Rebecca Li

 

Shao Shan Temple was honored to have Zen Teacher and author, Rebecca Li, join our Tuesday evening online program on 2/4/2025.  We are currently reading her book Illumination: A Guide to the Buddhist Method of No-Method for Study Group.  We have been finding both her book and her talk to be inspirational for our practice.

With deep gratitude!

Annual Meeting 2025

 Shao Shan Temple's 2025 Annual Meeting took place on Saturday, February 1st.  

While most of our programs are focused on matters of spiritual practice; this program is different in that it focuses on the administrative and functional aspects of Shao Shan Temple - the ground of how the Temple functions and moves forward.   

The Annual Meeting participants had the opportunity to review the Temple Reports (Sangha Report, Program Report, Cemetery Report and the Financial Report) and ask questions.  The Annual Meeting this year was primarily in-person (with coffee & donuts!) plus a limited online option.  A summary of the Annual Meeting is available upon request.

Bodhisattva Precept Ceremony 2025

 In January, Shao Shan Temple has a ceremony for formally receiving the first five Bodhisattva precepts and making a commitment to a Buddhist way of life.  This is also an occasion for Sangha members and the families and friends of those receiving the precepts to join together in support of the commitment being entered.   

This year, on Sunday, January 26th, 2025, Steven Melamed, Kyle Stevens and Arthur Demarais participated in this ceremony, receiving the five precepts.  Thanks to all who joined in a spirit of renewal and intentions which support a life beneficial for all. The ceremony was followed by a joyous time of refreshments and social connection.

Living the Essential Buddhist Teachings Retreat 2025

 

This past weekend, January 18th &19th was a retreat on the core Buddhist teachings and precepts.  This was the third year of this popular program where Shao Shan Temple Formal Students spoke on a topic that has been important in their life and present their experience working with a given precept or element of the 8-fold noble path.  This emphasized that these teachings are not abstract concepts but ways of being that we can all bring into our lives.

The weekend included several periods of meditation each day in addition to times of sharing and discussion, lunch and informal social time.  This year several people stayed overnight and had a full weekend retreat.

Beautiful variety awareness - January Family Program

 For January's in-person Family Program, the children explored the theme of paying close attention, particularly to differences and similarities. 

We started by sharing interesting things we had been noticing in nature, including the cold weather, the snow and varying types of snowflakes, and deer and other wildlife. We then played a game called Sharp Eyes, in which each person secretly changed one small thing about their appearance and the group tried to figure out the change. 

Next, we each selected a clementine from a large bowl of clementines and studied our clementine in depth, aided by the use of magnifying glasses, prior to returning it to the bowl. The clementines were then mixed up and each of us tried to find our particular clementine. Surprisingly, it wasn't nearly as hard as it seemed it would be! We discussed what seemed similar about the clementines, and also what made each one unique. After enjoying our clementines and noticing how

each slice and each bite was a little different, we practiced some breathing meditation, aware of similarities and differences in each breath. 

We then ventured outside and looked at the wide variety of snowflake shapes with magnifying glasses and under a stereoscope/microscope before joining the adults for some bell ringing meditation, in which each ringing of the bell was perfect and a little bit different. We closed with a group OM.

Bowing Week 2025

 As we begin the new year, here at Shao Shan Temple, we have again begun the year with "Bowing Week".  Every day this past week in the early morning beginning the day with 108 prostrations before our usual online morning program with people joining either in-person at the Temple or online from their own homes. 

We begin each day's bowing session with this chant:

The one who bows and the one who is bowed to are both, by nature, empty.

Therefore the communication between them is inexpressibly perfect.

Our practice is within the Net of Indra reflecting all Buddhas everywhere.

And my own person is reflected in all Buddhas, to whom with my whole life I go for refuge. 

(from Plum Village, "Touching the Earth gatha")

And with each bow chanting "Namu Kie Butsu", "Namu Kie Ho", "Namu Kie So".  

 

New Year's Eve 2025

Shao Shan Temple observed the New Year's Eve of 2025 with a full evening of meditation, ceremony, outside fire, refreshments and ringing of bells.

The  New Year's Eve began with meditation, followed by a time for a "personal year review" - reflecting on the past year and what we wish to continue and what we wish to refrain from.  

A vigorous Heart Sutra with drum accompanied people offering incense after which we proceeded to the outside fire circle.  

Celebratory refreshments and social time were enjoyed in the Sangha Hall.

We continued the Shao Shan tradition of 108 minutes of bell ringing. This sound meditation is an often surprising encounter with the changing subjective experience of the length of one minute.

Ending the year of the Dragon and entering the year of the Snake.

Happy New Year 2025!