September 21, 2020

 The Stopping of Conceptual Thought

The Buddha use to say:

Don't chase after the past,

Don't seek the future;

The past is gone

The future hasn't come

But see clearly on the spot

That object which is now,

While finding and living in

A still, unmoving state of mind.

 

 - Excerpted from Entering the Stream, 

"The Practice of Recollection" by Bhikkhu Mangalo

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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
• M-F: 7-7:30am - zazen
• 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 Chief Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who died 9/18/2020
• Please offer bows for all those families who have lost their lives or their homes in the recent fires in Oregon, California, and Washington
• Please offer bows for Takiko Kawakami, Fumiko Arao's mother who died 9/2/2020
• Please offer bows for Jacob Blake, shot and paralyzed in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and for the protesters shot and killed in Portland, OR last weekend
• Please continue to offer bows of well-being for:   
• Phyllis Merrill, Misha's mother, who is dying
• Rev. Les Kaye, Misha’s Zen teacher, who is recovering at home undergoing chemotherapy

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Wonderful links shared by sangha members and friends:

• From our dharma brother Merrill regarding Christian charity: https://www.facebook.com/david.ison.35/posts/10224463110390401
• From our dharma brother Jim: I thought that Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing was an appropriate poem/song to celebrate. They played in at the beginning of each NFL football game this week. More information can be found here:     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lift_Every_Voice_and_Sing.  
• Need something to lift your spirits?  https://youtu.be/JNgCM7zp30M
• Zen Heart Sangha website: resources about COVID-19: www.zenheartsangha.org
• From our dharma sister, Misha:  incredible graphics and information about COVID-19  https://informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/covid-19-coronavirus-infographic-datapack/
• From our dharma sister, Camille: an important commentary on race, riots and society to help us understand from Trevor Noah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4amCfVbA_c
• If you would like to leave a comment on this blog: Here is a quick video on how to--it's from 2017, but should work:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T4RflO5Wgg
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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.