May 8, 2020

The Book of Time

I rose this morning early as usual,
and went to my desk. 

But it's spring,
and the thrush is in the woods, 
somewhere in the twirled branches,
and he is singing.

And so, now, 
I am standing by the open door.
And now I am stepping down into the grass.
I am touching a few leaves.
I am noticing the way yellow butterflies
move together, in a twinkling cloud, over the field.

And I am thinking:  maybe just looking and listening
is the real work.
Maybe the world, without us, 
is the real poem.

Mary Oliver

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Our ZHS on-line schedule:  

• Mondays: 7-8:30pm - zazen, short service, lecture/discussion
• Tuesdays-Fridays: 5:30-6:10pm - zazen, offering of merit/bows
• Saturdays: 8:00-10:15am - zazen, short service, tea, discussion/study
• For more information: www.zenheartsangha.org)  

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Special bows for today: 

• Please offer bows for all those in residence at Gordon Manor suffering from COVID-19
• Please offer bows for Donald Kennedy, former president of Stanford University, who died from COVID-19
• Please continue to offer bows for Nick Battaglia, Camille Spar's father, who died Aprill 13th 
• Please continue to offer bows for the family of Alison Templeton, a PS parent, who died on April 1st 
• Please offer bows of well-being for dharma sister, Marya Shahinian, who will be having surgery on May 8th
• Please continue to offer bows of well-being for:   
• Claudio Pannunzio, dharma friend of Twining Vines Zendo, who is undergoing chemotherapy
• Rev. Les Kaye, Misha’s Zen teacher, who is recovering at home while undergoing chemotherapy
• Brendan, Kate Haimson’s son, who is recovering at home from surgery 
• Michael Tieri Ricaud, Dainuri Rott’s brother, who is suffering from MS

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Wonderful links shared by sangha members and friends:

• Zen Heart Sangha website: resources about COVID-19: www.zenheartsangha.org
• From our dharma sister, Nancy: virtual nature programs:  https://news.openspaceauthority.org/en/virtual-programs-2020
• From our dharma sister, Camille: a modern fairy tale about the pandemic:  
• https://www.facebook.com/826415330774102/posts/2904759752939639/?vh=e&d=n
• From our dharma sister, Kathleen, on grieving: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/22/opinion/esther-perel-coronavirus.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
• From our dharma sister, Lucille, for a little humor on 'What You Should and Should Not Do:   https://youtu.be/wVs5AyjzwRM

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Many thanks to those of you who are sending me articles to share, links to helpful information, and for making comments…it is a gift beyond measure. Please know that you can either leave a comment on the blog itself, or send something directly to me and I will be happy to paste it in.