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!
Our April 29th Retreat!
Category Archives: Northern Light Zen Center General Interest
From the Kwan Um School of Zen
Congratulations to our new Ji Do Poep Sa Nim and two new Zen masters! They received inka or transmission on April 1, 2023 at Providence Zen Center, U.S.A.
Photo from left to right:
Marshall White JDPSN
Zen Master Tan Gong (José Ramírez)
Zen Master Hye Mun (Barry Briggs)
Our January 21st Retreat with Dyan Eagles, JDPSN
On the 21st of January, we had a retreat with Dyan Eagles, JDPSN. She teaches at the Cambridge Zen Center in Cambridge MA. It was a beautiful day, well attended with lots of strong practice. We had folks join us from the Cade Cod Zen Center, as well as the usual retinue from the Northern Light Zen Center. A wonderful day! Thank you to all who made it so.
Kwan Um Winter Retreats
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Kwan Um School of Zen
99 Pound Road
Cumberland, Rhode Island 02864
An Update from the Maine Buddhist Gathering.
In case there are folks who are not in the Maine Buddhist Gathering email chain, I wanted to add this update.
Dear Maine Buddhist Gathering Community,
The Maine Buddhist Gathering was inspired by a desire to bring together different sanghas, meditation groups, individuals and Buddhist traditions to share resources, build community, and support practice. We maintained a listing of sanghas and meditation centers throughout the state, and served as a resource for individuals with established practices as well as those new to practice. Over the years we hosted Buddhist Movie Nights, potlucks, talks, and community meditation events. Thank you to everyone who supported these efforts.
We want to let you know that in the next couple of weeks, the Maine Buddhist Gathering’s website will no longer be available. There are many other on-line resources and ways for folks to find their way to practice, and, we don’t think the absence of our website will have a negative impact on the community. Some examples of these resources are: https://www.buddhanet.info, https://www.mainesanghas.org, or the sangha listings on our website that will be available for a couple more weeks.
In addition, Nancy Markowitz, a Maine Buddhist Gathering member, has expressed an interest in hosting some Buddhist themed events in the future. She invites you to join her mailing list and learn more about her plans.If you’re interested, email her directly at: nmark88@gmail.com
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out. Rest assured that your email address associated with the Maine Buddhist Gathering will not be shared.
Be well, and thank you for our continued practice,
The Maine Buddhist Gathering
Northern Light Zen Center Sangha Picnic!
On August 20th NLZC had a Sangha Picnic! Wonderful weather and wonderful friends! An excellent day. Thank you to our organizers, Jane Harter, Ron Turcotte and Darren Brown! Here are some pictures from the day.
Dharma Teacher Weekend 2022
SANGHA POTLUCK PICNIC
Hello to Northern Light Zen Center’s Community Sangha!
We have been planning a ‘Sangha Back Yard Pot Luck Picnic’ at the Center and you and your family/ friends/ significant others are invited to join in.
Date: Saturday, August 20 (rain date August 21)
Time: 11:30 am – 4:00 pm
Place: Northern Light Zen Center
202 Meadow Rd, Topsham, ME 04086
BYO:
–Pot Luck!!! (Summertime specials)
–Drinks (We will have iced chai tea on hand)
–We will have chairs but feel free to bring a lawn chair if you prefer
–Grillables We will have grills available. If you wish to grill, bring whatever you like.
–Lawn games – Such as bocci, badminton, checkers, or a game your children would like to play. Corn toss (got it covered) and chess (check)!
We look forward to being with our Sangha friends for a relaxing summer afternoon!
Best of Topsham Awards – Northern Light Zen Center
Reply
Hey, check it out! We won a ‘best of’ award. Not bad, eh? According to the Town of Topsham, “We are happy to announce that Northern Light Zen Center has been selected as the winner for 2022 Best of Topsham Awards in the category of Religious Organization.”
Come visit us and practice with us! We can share what it is that makes us special.
The Platform Sutra: Hui Neng, The Sixth Ancestor
 Our first class on “The Platform Sutra: Hui Neng, the Sixth Ancestor” with Zen Master Dae Kwan will go live tomorrow on Monday, March 7 at 7 PM Eastern. Please note that this is seven hours later than usual. See this event in your time zone Description: Session One: The Platform Sutra begins with an autobiography of the Sixth Patriarch, who attained enlightenment after hearing just one line from the Diamond Sutra. In this first session, we’ll cover the Sixth Patriarch’s life and connect his teaching of “no-thinking,” “no form,” and “non-attachment” (4.5-4.8) in the Platform Sutra to Zen Master Seung Sahn’s teaching. We’ll then discuss the Sixth Patriarch’s conversation with a novice monk who mistook “non-attachment” as his “original-thing” (8.13-8.15).Preparation: Please read these sections on “no-thinking” as our teaching, “non-form” as our substance, and “non-attachment” as our fundamental principle: 4.5-4.8 (pp. 191-193) and 8.13-8.15. (pp. 246- 247) Resources: 1. The Platform Sutra, translated by Zen Master Dae Kwang and Zen Master Dae Kwan (Download PDF here) About the teacher: Zen Master Dae Kwan, a Zen nun, was born in Hong Kong. She was previously called Hyang Um Sunim, and her Pali name is Suddhamma. In the 1970s she studied sutras for three years at the Kwok Kwong Buddhist College. In 1981, she ordained at Ajahn Chaa’s International Forest Monastery in Thailand, and she practiced in Chiangmai for ten years including two years of intensive solo retreat in Tu Boo Cave. In 1995, she received inka from Zen Master Seung Sahn. In April 2001 she received tranmission at Mu Sang Sah in Korea. She is now the abbot and guiding teacher of Su Bong Zen Monastery in Hong Kong. She has translated the following books into Chinese: “Dropping Ashes on Buddha,” “Only Don’t Know,” and “The Whole World is a Single Flower.” If you are interested in attending please email northernlightzencenter@gmail.com for the zoom info, meeting id/passcode If you have any questions for the session, please email them ahead of time to study@kwanumzen.org so we can make sure to address your question.In the dharma, Tam |