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Precepts and Sangha day at Northern Light!

On the 11th of August we held a Precepts ceremony at Northern Light Zen Center! Jane Harter and Brian Meldrum were taking their 5 Precepts. The ceremony was followed by a Sangha Day Picnic. The weather that day was beautiful, sun shining, blue sky, and green grass. Wonderful!

Taking 5 Precepts is showing an intention to further one’s commitment to Buddhist practice. It joins you to a Sangha, in this case the Northern Light Zen Center of the Kwan Um School of Zen. The 5 Precepts are as follows;

  1. I Vow to abstain from Taking Life.
  2. I Vow to abstain from Taking Things not Given.
  3. I Vow to abstain from False Speech.
  4. I Vow to abstain from Misconduct done in Lust.
  5. I Vowto abstain from Intoxicants taken to induce Heedlessness

Check out our Gallery below. Special Thanks to Tari Rowe for the wonderful photographs!

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Work Day at NLZC – seal coat day!

Friday the 19th we had a work day at Northern Light! The main focus was to sealcoat the driveway but we also planted some shrubs and started on preservative for the new front steps! A very productive day! Check out the pics!

Tari power washing!
Tari power washing!
Tari power washing!
Terry and Ken putting sealcoat
Terry and Ken putting sealcoat
Terry and Ken putting sealcoat
Tom power washing
Tom power washing
Tom power washing
applying preservative
applying preservative
applying preservative
Li and Ken planting Shrubs
Li and Ken planting Shrubs
Li and Ken planting Shrubs
More sealcoat with Terry and Ken
Power wash!
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Crack Repair Day(s)!

Friday and Saturday, May 10th and 11th we had a crack crew of sangha members gathered to try to remediate the problem we have been having with flooding every time it rains a lot. Led by our resident expert Peter Kennedy, it was determined that there was a likely crack where the foundation for the house and the dharma room came together. Lo and behold when the hole was dug there was indeed a large crack. Our illustrious team (led by our crack leader, Mr. Kennedy) widened out the crack, and then on the next day it was plugged with a mortar and new waterproofing put on. And finally, the hole was refilled. We are hopeful that this will cure our water problem. Time and the rains this fall will tell. Peter and Darren Brown also checked out the flashing on our chimney as there has been a little leakage from there as well. Check out the pics!

Peter Kennedy, Jay Seiler
Peter Kennedy, Jay Seiler
Peter Kennedy, Jay Seiler
Darren Brown and Peter Kennedy
Darren Brown and Peter Kennedy
Darren Brown and Peter Kennedy
The major crack! Holy Cow!
The major crack! Holy Cow!
The major crack! Holy Cow!
Peter observing the work.
Peter observing the work.
Peter observing the work.
Yet another Crack Picture!
Yet another Crack Picture!
Yet another Crack Picture!
Going up to check the flashing.
Going up to check the flashing.
Going up to check the flashing.
Time for a little lunch.
Time for a little lunch.
Time for a little lunch.
The work from a distance
The work from a distance
The work from a distance
Lunching on the deck.
Lunching on the deck.
Lunching on the deck.
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Precepts and Buddha’s Birthday at Providence Zen Center!

A group of zennies from Northern Light went to Providence Zen Center in RI to represent! Two of our sangha members were getting their long robes as Dharma Teachers. Ron Turcotte and Darren Brown. It was a great day! The first ceremony of the day was Buddha’s Birthday. Ours is one of many zen traditions that celebrate this in April. We do it at the end of our 90-day winter retreat, Kyol Che. Then after lunch at 3 o’clock the precepts ceremony was held. There were a number of 5 preceptees and some Dharma Teachers in Training and then, of course, our own Ron and Darren getting the long robes and bowls in confirmation of becoming Dharma Teachers! It was a good day. Check out the gallery below.

Buddha’s Birthday!
Buddha’s Birthday!
Buddha’s Birthday!
Precepts Ceremony!
Precepts Ceremony!
Precepts Ceremony!
Lunch!
Lunch!
Lunch!
Dharma Teachers meeting.
Dharma Teachers meeting.
Dharma Teachers meeting.
The NLZC group representing!
The NLZC group representing!
The NLZC group representing!
Ron getting his bowls
Ron getting his bowls
Ron getting his bowls
Lunch!
Lunch!
Lunch!
Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
Ron getting his bowls
Ron getting his bowls
Ron getting his bowls
Tari and Darren.
Tari and Darren.
Tari and Darren.
Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
More Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
More Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
More Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
and More Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
and More Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
and More Dharma teachers and Dharma teachers in training.
Darren getting his bowls
Darren getting his bowls
Darren getting his bowls
Darren getting his bowls
Darren getting his bowls
Darren getting his bowls
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We held a One Day Retreat on March 30th

Northern Light held a one day retreat on the 30th! It was a good day. It’s always funny how the day seems to go by quickly. Even though we are all just sitting. And it never feels like a wasted day. This is good practice. Practice hard, wake up, save all beings.

L – R J. Seiler, L Hammer, B. Robitzek, P. Kennedy, J. Worth, E. Clemente – Not pictured R. Turcotte, J. Thorsson
L – R J. Seiler, L Hammer, B. Robitzek, P. Kennedy, J. Worth, E. Clemente – Not pictured R. Turcotte, J. Thorsson
L – R J. Seiler, L Hammer, B. Robitzek, P. Kennedy, J. Worth, E. Clemente – Not pictured R. Turcotte, J. Thorsson
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Congregation Crawl

This photo is from the Bowdoin Congregation Crawl that Northern Light did with the Rachel Lord Center for Spiritual and Religious Life. As part of this Students learn about different Faith Traditions. In this instance Zen Buddhism. This took place in November at NLZC.

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New Front Steps going into Northern Light Zen Center!

Our old cement front steps have become deteriorated and unsafe. We decided we needed to replace them as soon as we could. One of our members, Peter Kennedy, volunteered to get things done! That’s kind of his bag. He is pictured above with Terry Cronin, JDPSN using a jackhammer to break the steps up. The steps will be replaced with a wooden deck.

This coming Wednesday, please enter the zen center for practice from the back entrance behind the Dharma Room.

The Finished Steps! Awesome.

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Northern Light Zen Center Precepts Ceremony.

5 Preceptees at Northern Light.
5 Preceptees at Northern Light.
5 Preceptees at Northern Light.

L – R Robert Correa, Terry Cronin JDPSN, Adam Pereira, Patricia Miller.

Northern Light held a precepts ceremony on July 22nd. We welcomed three preceptees into the Kwan Um tradition at Northern Light! The three people taking 5 precepts were Robert Correa, Adam Pereira, and Patricia Miller. All three have been members of our sangha for some time. Welcome! After the ceremony we had a sangha picnic. It was a great day.

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Our April 29th Retreat!

We held a retreat on April 29th at the Northern Light Zen Center. What a wonderful group and very strong practice! If you would like to take part in our next retreat please send us an email to inquire. All are welcome!

L – R Bill Robitzek,Chelsea Scott, Terry Cronin JDPSN, Darren Brown, Ron Turcotte, Edith Clemente