April 18th Jukai Ceremony

On Sunday, April 18th at 3pm a Bodhissatva Initiation Ceremony, often referred to as a Jukai ceremony was held at Green Dragon Temple. The seven ordainees received serene names, rakusus and linage papers from their teacher Tenshin Reb Anderson. The ordainees were: Angela Nielson, Jane McLaughlin, Gianni Grassi, Carolyn Burke, Scott Bongiorno, Yaron Galant, and Marie Murray.
The Jukai ceremony is also called Zeikei Tokudo, which means "Staying at Home, and Entering the Way". This is a lay ordination. A priest ordination is Shukke Tokudo, Leaving Home and Entering the Way. Suzuki Roshi talked about the significance of lay ordination, and Reb's lay ordination. You can read the transcript of this talk at SFZC Transcripts site: Suzuki Roshi Transcripts Saturday, August 01, 1970. The oft asked question, 'What is the difference between lay and priest ordinations?' is also addressed in a great article by Norman Fischer On Commitment in Practice

New Abbacy Structure Trial annouced

The SFZC Board met with Green Gulch Residents yesterday evening and announced a much anticipated14 month trial of a new Abbacy structure: Abbott Myogen Steve Stucky will assume a position of Central Abbot and work in the City, not far from City Center; Tenshin Reb Anderson will assume the position of Abiding Senior Dharma Teacher (acting as Abiding Abbot of Green Gulch) and Ryushin Paul Haller will act in the same capacity at City center.

The board then fielded questions from the residents about the announcement and also about the capital campaign. The residents had received a presentation from the development office the afternoon before and various ideas and questions were discussed.

Spring 2010 Practice Period Photos

I decided to get this blog somewhat up-to-date by posting some pcitures from the most recently completed practice period led by Tenshin Reb Anderson. Hoshin Catherine Gammon was Shuso for the practice period. Catherine recently returned to the East Coast for a break and to visit here recently arrived grandchild. The practice period had 21 participants from several countries. This practice period Green Gulch experimented with adding an extra sesshin.

A 5 day sesshin was held at the beginning of March as well as the usual 7 day sesshin at the beginning of April to complete the practice period.

The March sesshin was followed by an ordination of five new Priests. It was quite an exciting and busy time for me as the new Ino. And now after only three months on the job I feel like a seasoned pro at preparing for priest ordinations, lay ordinations and okesa receiving ceremonies. During this practice period we also had an okesa receiving ceremony where Meiya, our sewing teacher presented Tenshin Reb Anderson with and okesa and rakusu sewn primarily by Steph Wenderski. The rakusu calligraphy was done by Reb's grandchildren.

The Shuso ceremony was exciting and the rehearsal brought forth alot of emotion as we prepared for the big event only an hour after completing the 7 day sesshin. This ceremony was followed by an almost extemporaneous raksusu receiving ceremony on the last day. Reb presented Catherine with a rakusu that the practice period sewed for her as Shuso.

These are some of the highlights of the practice period.

Welcome to Green Dragon Temple Ino's Blog

Inspired by the Ino's Blog at City Center, currently being updated by the Ino at City Center, Shundo, I decided to start one for Green Gulch as well.

I welcome readers and the San Francisco Zen Center Sangha to follow events here at Green Dragon Temple!