You'll find yourself using this perfume again and again and again and ...

HARDCORE ZEN IN VICTORIA WITH BRAD WARNER

Co-sponsored by Victoria Zen Centre and UVic Interfaith Services

Brad Warner is a Zen monk, writer, bass player and film-maker. He wrote the books Hardcore Zen, Sit Down And Shut Up and his latest, Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate. His Zen pedigree, for those who value such things, is that he received Dharma Transmission from Gudo Nishijima Roshi, who received his transmission from Rempo Niwa Roshi who, at the time was the head of the Soto Sect in Japan. He was also a student of Tim McCarthy, who was a student of Kobun Chino Roshi.

Brad will be joining us for three events here in Victoria from November 16-23, 2009.
1. Tuesday November 17, 2009 7pm, Victoria, BC Canada

University of Victoria Interfaith Chapel, Lot #6 UVic Ring Road

Tuesday Zen Open House

Zen meditation and Q&A

The Victoria Zen Centre and UVic Interfaith Services co-sponsor a beginner’s group each week. 3x15 minute sits with a talk in the second one (just 15 minutes). Afterwards there is tea, introductions, and a period of question and response. Brad will do a short talk and field questions.

2. Thursday November 19, 2009 7pm, Victoria, BC Canada

University of Victoria Interfaith Chapel, Lot #6 UVic Ring Road

Public talk

This will be Brad's main talk, and there will be plenty of opportunity for questions. Brad's books will be available for purchase. Fun will be had by all.

There is no cost for this event, however space is limited. If you would like to attend, please contact office@zenwest.ca. Two seats can be reserved per email.

3. Sunday November 22, 2009 6am-5pm

Victoria Zen Centre, Sooke, BC

Members one-day intensive with Brad Warner

Our regular monthly one-day intensive will feature Brad Warner giving the Dharma talk and conducting interviews with members.

Fees for the intensive are $29 for Full Members and $79 for Basic Members. All funds will go to Brad Warner. Space is limited, so register early.

For more information, please contact office@zenwest.ca

The music of the zendo

I've been really nervous about the upcoming December sesshin and thought I would post a question here about how people who have done long periods of sitting deal with the fear and anxiety about the physical pain as well as the actual sensation of the pain.

But then I read Eshu's most recent transcribed Dharma talk at http://eshuzentalks.blogspot.com/2009/10/on-form.html and it reminded me of an experience in the May sesshin that I thought I'd post about as well as encouraging comments about physical pain and long sits.

An excerpt from Eshu's talk:

So we have bells and clappers, gongs and drums, and sounding boards, and all kinds of musical instruments that lead us through the schedule of the day.... [T]his day that we engage in, a day of practice together, is a song in which we all take part...

At the May sesshin one of my functions as Joko was to play the kaihan throughout the day. With help from Eshu in interview the relationship to the kaihan changed from whacking away at a piece of wood to relating to it as a musical instrument and playing it not only with love but experiencing the playing of it as mutual -- the kaihan and I playing each other.

Throughout that sesshin the use of the keisaku was often a jarring experience, even though I welcomed the physical relief of the stimulation of my shoulder muscles and was grateful for the courage and compassion of those wielding it. But at one point it shifted and the sound of the keisaku meeting the sitter was no longer someone being hit, but rather the same sound as the mallet hitting the kaihan -- the music of our practice together, the percussion of the zendo.

Looking forward to practicing with all of you in December, pain, music, and all!

SENSE RESTRAINT EXERCISE

Hello everyone,

At last night's sit I was asked if I could make the exercise of sense restraint that we do for the Fundamentals of Zen course at the Victoria Zen Centre. Here it is! Remember, just pick ONE and do it for a week.

Restraint of the Six Senses

Sight:
• Refrain from T.V., movies, video games, or unnecessary computer use.
• Refrain from unnecessary reading.
• Refrain from indulgence in visual pleasures in response to boredom, emotional strain, or comfort seeking.

Sound:
• Be conscious and make an effort to eliminate background noise (radio, T.V. etc)
• Become comfortable with silence.
• Refrain from engaging in frivolous or unnecessary chatter.
• Don’t indulge in eavesdropping or give ear to gossip or slander.
• Refrain from indulgence in auditory pleasures in response to boredom, emotional strain, or comfort seeking.

Smell:
• Refrain from using perfumes, strongly scented soaps or deodorants.
• Do not avoid or cover up unpleasant odours (bathrooms etc.)
• Be aware of the effect of the sense of smell on desire, ie. food, sexuality etc.
• Refrain from indulgence in olfactory pleasures in response to boredom, emotional strain, or comfort seeking.

Taste:
• Eat only at meal times (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) with only water at other times-no snacks.
• Eat simple foods, and do not indulge in overly rich, sweet, or heavy foods.
• Eat modestly at meals. Do not overeat to compensate for not snacking.
• Refrain from indulgence in taste pleasures in response to boredom, emotional strain, or comfort seeking.

Touch:
• Refrain from environmental comfort seeking, do not adjust the temperature unless you are ill or seriously at risk of becoming so.
• Practice letting go into hot and cold.
• Refrain from wearing or sleeping in luxurious fabrics (silk, velvet, fur, cashmere, angora etc)
• Abstain from masturbation.
• Refrain from indulgence in tactile pleasures in response to boredom, emotional strain, or comfort seeking.

Thought:
• Refrain from all intoxicants and stimulants (includes coffee, black or green tea {even decaffeinated}, caffeinated soda beverages, chocolate etc).
• Refrain from mental fantasy (ie. what I would do if I won the lotto).
• Refrain from mental indulgence in video games, reading, sexual thinking, and philosophical debate.
• Refrain from scenario building and negative thought indulgence.
• Refrain from indulgence in mental pleasures in response to boredom, emotional strain, or comfort seeking.

VZC Book Club

A few of us have been tossing around the idea of a book club. Just regular books, maybe some poetry, definitely NOT a zen study group.

Today we chose our first book! We're reading "Hardcore Zen". You can too. It's available to read on line here

Read it then come see the author. Brad Warner will be in Victoria from November 16-22nd. Stay tuned for event dates.

This new book club is a direct result of the fun we have had carpooling out to Sooke for Sunday sits at the zendo.

By rights this post could be about the fabulous talk Venerable Eshu gave today and I'll try to write about that later, maybe someone else (you guys know who you are) will give it a try in the mean time... Oh no! this is too cool, that's what all those monks said back in the day when they were asked to write a poem about the dharma...
(anonymous)

Random notes from last night's meeting

Dana, the practice of generosity.

Practising generosity helps balance our acquisitiveness. We are surrounded by a universe in balance that is all about giving and receiving. Think of a river: every moment receiving water, every moment giving it up.

Generosity is also a great teacher helping us understand our humanity - giving till you drop simply burdens your friends and family as they pick up the pieces. Or does it? it also gives them an opportunity to give and to grow.

Generosity isn't just about giving alms to the poor, handouts to street people, love to one's family and friends, a living wage to one's abbot. It may also be about pouring oneself completely and unreservedly into each moment.

Thank you Ven. Eshu. Thank you Dana group. Great food, heart felt sharing, enough money to support Ven. Eshu donated, a community creating a safe environment to explore and grow.

soshin