May 2014 Volume 3, Issue 2

SOJI CENTER NEWSLETTER

2014 Spring Ango at Soji Zen Center

At Soji Zen Center we are the theme of the Ango ting go of to truly integrate in the midst of our annual period of “Letting Go.” all areas of my life into my Spring Ango, a three-month With this in mind, she practice?”

period of intensive practice, provided guidance on Inside This Issue which began March 9th. ways to intensify our prac- As part of the practice peri- During this time, our teach- tice including: increasing 2014 Spring Ango at 1 od, Shuso Onshin also Soji Zen Center er Shuzen Sensei challeng- sitting time each day; urged us to “dive into the Roadside Assistance, 1 es us to sit more, study studying the six par- wisdom of our female an- The Soji Way more and give more of our- amitas, the four noble cestors” and contemporary Losing A Tooth— 2 selves in all aspects of life. truths, and the precepts; women teachers by read- Practicing Letting Go practicing oryoki (just ing the recently published Push Hands Practice- 2 Lisa Onshin Powley, a Zen enough) at mealtimes; book The Hidden Lamp: Learning to Let Go priest and long-time Soji volunteering at Soji or in Stories from Twenty-five South African Zen 3 student, is leading the prac- other settings; setting an Centuries of Awakened Teachers Visit Soji tice period as Shuso. In her intention for the practice Women edited by Zenshin Zen Center Letter to the , Shuso period; and asking “What Florence Caplow and June Retreat at 4 Onshin asks us to reflect on do I need to work at let- Reigetsu Susan Moon. St. Raphaela

Overview and Upcom- 4 ing Schedule Roadside Assistance, The Soji Way By Ed S., Soji Student

It seems that life has a way dren inevitably leave and Whether from anger, fear, of making me move for- grow older. lust, shame on the dark side or desire for a return to the A Note from ward no matter how hard I try to cling to possessions, Past history is just that, good old days, it seems like Shuzen Sensei jobs, parents, lovers, the passing. No matter how what the future brings will past, children and my most hard I try, my arms are not never be the same. Deeply held beliefs that I am what cherished beliefs. A house long enough to hold on to has passed is an impediment “Ultimately, we must let can burn down, get cov- it. Not only that, but those ered in mud, water. Par- to living now. go of letting go. . . long passed pleasures and ents suffer old age and traumas get embellished that’s it! death. Spouses can be and imbued with power So what to do, go into denial, taken at any time. Chil- they never had originally. run away, join a monastery? (continued on page 3) Page 2

Losing a Tooth, Practicing Letting Go By: Abby Jingo Lang, Soji Student

Growing older offers abundant opportu- my choices despite having them laid meditation and yoga practices, I con- nities to practice letting go. Going on out clearly by my dentist. I vacillated centrated on my breathing and repeat- 60, I’ve lost most of my original hair between the known (a crown over the edly relaxed my grip on the dental color, my ability to read without glasses damaged tooth) and the unknown chair. During a momentary break in and, most recently, a tooth. You don’t (extraction followed by an implant). I the action, I joked with the dentist and hear much about the spiritual gifts occa- did research on the Internet and his assistant, “I’m telling the tooth to let sioned by losing a tooth but here you talked to friends. But all this fact- go, let go.” We all laughed but, really, I go… finding led to neither clarity nor ac- wasn’t kidding. And with the next

ceptance. Instead I conjured up the round of gentle pressure, the tooth and About nine months ago, I noticed an specter of losing one tooth after an- I both let go and a gentle calm flooded intermittent, dull pain in a tooth but de- other. Slowly I came to understand I in. cided to just keep an eye on it. After wasn’t wrestling with a dental proce- months of no improvement, I went to an dure; I was resisting my own decay. In the scheme of things, the removal of endodontist who detected a small crack one cracked, dead tooth is not a major in tooth #13, a second premolar. I opt- After that stark realization, I accepted life event. Furthermore, I appreciate ed for root canal and all went well. Just that a decision had to be made. I how fortunate I am to have good dental two weeks later, however, and prior to opted to have the tooth pulled and insurance and excellent dentists. But getting it capped, I broke the weakened replaced with an implant. Thanks to most of all, I am grateful for a practice tooth eating a cracker. the wonder of local anesthetics, the that sheds light on my many attach-

extraction itself was not physically ments and then teaches me how to let Temporarily held together by dental painful. But the sensation of some- go. “spackle,” I had to weigh my options. one applying subtle force inside my This is when my emotions started to get head was unsettling. Drawing on my the better of me. I was confused about Push Hands Practice - Learning to Let Go By: Craig Shodo Bundick, Jikido and Soji Student

instructor called it investing in loss. Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art first and letting go of the resistance to being When you become proficient at letting a health exercise second. One of the pushed and allowing oneself to be go on the physical level it also affects training methods used in Tai Chi is pushed over and over again. My Tai you on the mental and spiritual levels. Push Hands practice. Push Hands Chi instructor would say to me, the Anything that affects one part of the helps the fighter develop sensitivity to more you allow your training partner Mind Body and Spiritual System af- the opponent’s incoming energy and to push you, the better you get at fects it all. When I learned the Push learn how to yield, neutralize and letting go. You sense the opponent’s Hands technique, I didn’t know that bend the opponent’s energy back to incoming energy and redirect it in one day it would support my Zen prac- them. The technique is letting go… whatever manner is necessary. My tice. But now I know. PagePage 3 3

South African Zen Teachers Visit Soji Zen Center

Five years ago, Soji’s resident teach- ent origination while Heila shared how a Although not a focus during the visit to er and vice abbot Sensei Jules tragedy in her life led to some of the Soji, it is noteworthy that Heila Downey Shuzen Harris was invited to give a work they now do. The couple de- is one of the 100 contemporary female public talk and five-day retreat at the scribed their evolving approach to Zen teachers whose reflections are Robertson Retreat Center in Cape teaching practices to indi- included in the book, The Hidden Lamp . Town, South Africa. Heila and Rod- viduals in prison. Responding to a As stated earlier, this book is serving as ney Downey are the founders and question from a Soji member, Rodney the study text for Soji’s Spring 2014 teachers at the Centre, an and Heila observed that Ango period of intensive practice. Hei- independent, contemporary Zen cen- around the world encounter many com- la’s reflection came in response to the ter in Cape Town. mon challenges, including the in- and “Jiju-Kennett's Not Bigger, Not out-flow of participants as well as finan- Smaller.” In just one observation, she Recently while travelling in the cial difficulties. Sustaining practice is wrote: “Now I would say kensho, States, Rodney and Heila came to difficult but small groups of practitioners and enlightenment are a doing, a way Soji one Sunday morning and joined help keep the dharma alive and vibrant. of life, not things or states, and can be the sangha in sitting. Shuzen Sensei Soji Zen Center members were delight- likened to looking through a pinprick welcomed the couple warmly and ed to have the chance to hear Heila hole in a rice paper screen, when all at invited them to give a . and Rodney speak and to talk with once we see that which was previously Rodney offered his understanding of them during an informal reception at the hidden.” ( The Hidden Lamp, page 87). the Buddhist concept of interdepend- end of the morning.

Spring's Streams Roadside Assistance: The Soji Way By: Bill Mason (continued from Page1) Soji Member courage to do it, then my true nature There really is no place to run, no will manifest. I am fortunate to have Walk in Spring’s matter where you go, there you are. a teacher here at Soji, so when I streams of colors So, I found myself at Soji and what have a blowout due to potholes on and let them smooth did I find? That I am whole, perfect the path, I can call for roadside assis- the rough spots and complete. The challenge is to tance! in your heart. realize this and let go of thoughts of

who I think I am. Those ideas and opinions are not who I am. As long as I am living and breathing there is the potential to help myself and eve- ryone around me.

Did I mention letting go? That’s where faith comes in. If I have the Soji Zen Center Newsletter Page 4

June Retreat at St. Raphaela COMMIT TO PARTICIPATE!!!

♦ ANGO-March 9, 2014—June 8, 2014 Soji Zen Center and three other sanghas – the Clare Sangha, Flowing ♦ Shuso Hosen Ceremony—June 8, 2014 River Sangha and Red Rose Sangha - ♦ Summer Solstice —St. Raphaela Center—June 18- will join together in a Summer Solstice Sesshin from June 18-22 at St. Raph- 22, 2014 aela’s Retreat Center in Haverford, ♦ Soji’s One-Day Retreat (June 21, 2014) will be cancelled PA. Sensei Jules Shuzen Harris, Sensei Bruce Seiryu Blackman and due to Retreat at St. Raphaela Sensei Barbara Shoshin Craig will lead the residential Zen retreat, which in- cludes 7 to 10 hours of each day along with chanting, private inter- Soji Zen Center is a contemporary Buddhist center providing instruction in Zen views and dharma talks. St. Raphaela meditation, philosophy and contemplation techniques for training the mind. We Center has been the site of numerous are guided by our founding teacher, Sensei Jules Shuzen Harris. Soji retreats and is conducive to inten- Soji Zen Center is part of the White Plum which brings together elements sive practice in a supportive environ- of Japanese Soto and Rinzai traditions of Zen to teach intensive ment. awareness sitting practice (Zazen) and koan study to beginners who want to learn about meditation, as well as to experienced practitioners of Zen Buddhism to strengthen their technique.

Weekly Schedule

Sunday Meditation & Dharma Talk 9:30 AM

Monday Meditation 7:30 PM Tuesday Yoga 7:00 PM

Contact Information Wednesday Meditation 6:30 AM

Soji Zen Center Wednesday Study Group 7:00 PM 2325 W. Marshall Road Lansdowne, PA 19050 Thursday Meditation & Dokusan 7:00 PM

www.sojizencenter.com Saturday Iaido 8:30 AM

Teacher: Sensei Shuzen Harris Editor: Abby Jingo Lang Contributing Editor: Michael Daitoku Palumbaro Layout & Publisher: Brenda Jinshin Waters