Meditation, Mid-day Service and Dharma Discussion

Meditation, walking meditation and meditation.

When we exert ourselves to practice the Dharma we create good consequences or merit; the transfer of merit ceremony is a way for us to devote a particular time and effort to offering that merit for the benefit of specific beings and the world and beings around us.

30 minutes of meditation followed by vespers, the last ceremonial of the day. Vespers is the Chanting of The Litany of the Great Compassionate One followed by other short verses.

The Dharma discussion will be on various topics of training in the Soto Zen Tradition.

Meditation, Mid-day Service and Dharma Discussion

Meditation, walking meditation and meditation.

Since the teaching of compassion is fundamentally important in Buddhism, in many Zen temples each day begins with a ceremony for the Bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshwara or Kanzeon. Our Kanzeon ceremony is a variation of our morning service, emphasizing the scripture of Avalokiteshwara, a chapter of the Lotus sutra.

Meditation and the ceremony are followed by tea and a Dharma discussion.

Around New Years, it is traditional to spend a little time at the temple reflecting on the past year and setting our intention for the coming year. For New Years Eve at the priory, we will have some extra periods of meditation interspersed with walking meditation beginning at 7pm. Meditation will be followed by a New Years Ceremony at 9:30pm, ringing the temple bell and a festive tea. You are welcome to join us at any time during the evening. The evening will end at about 10:30pm.