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@ Black Mountain Zen Centre. Day of Zazen. Including afternoon practice discussion period. Please bring lunch to share. Meets on the third Sunday of every month from 09:00 AM to 04:30 PM. 24 Jan Dogen's Birthday Celebration 5 Feb Bodhidharma Celebration 16 Feb Parinirvana Ceremony 02 Apr Buddha's Birthday Celebration 29 Oct Sejiki Ceremony 03 Dec Suzuki Roshi Celebration 07 Dec Rohatsu All Night Sitting 3 Day InterFaith Retreat with Robert Kennedy SJ Roshi
 to be held at Benburb Priory. http://www.servites-benburb.com/ Booking forms are also available from BMZC or can be emailed upon request to bookings@blackmountainzencentre.org Friday 3rd December: Registration 5-6PM; Dinner 6PM; Retreat begins 7PM. Sunday 5th December: ends 3PM. He studied Zen with Yamada Roshi in Kamakura, with Taizan Maezumi Roshi in Los Angeles, and with Bernie Glassman Roshi in New York. He received dharma transmission from Glassman Roshi in 1997. During Zen retreats Kennedy Roshi teaches only Zen in his public talks. However he is generally willing to answer questions on other subjects during one to one dokusan practice interviews. This may be a particular advantage to those who combine Christian faith with Zen practice. He is the author of Zen Gifts to Christians and Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit. His approach to Zen combines some aspects of both the Soto and Rinzai traditions. Schedule of Public
Events
Please note Sharing Circle * is only open to those who can commit to all six mornings
All events
held at BMZC except where otherwise stated
Autumn Sesshin with our teacher Ryushin Paul Haller Roshi   to be held at Benburb Priory. http://www.servites-benburb.com/ Haller Roshi is
one of the foremost living Zen masters and is also the only senior
Buddhist teacher to be born and raised in Northern Ireland, kind in
manner and speaking with the wisdom and compassion that come
from decades of zazen and study. We encourage people to register early and for an entire five day period. Those who wish to come for less than five days will have their names added to a waiting list and will be accommodated as space allows. Shared accommodation is in use on this Sesshin to allow us to accomodate more of those who wish to attend. Unfortunately single accommodation cannot be guaranteed except in exceptional circumstances. Practice Week with Ingen Breen ScheduleTuesday 3rd to Sunday 8th August 2010 Theme: The Noble Eight Fold Path  Practice Week Practice periods have their
roots in the "rains retreats" during the time of Shakyamuni Buddha in
India - a time when the monks gathered together, intensifying their
meditation and study under the guidance of their teacher. This pattern of periodically intensifying our practice continues to this day. After taking root in China, then Korea and Japan, it is now an integral part of the calendar in many Western Zen centers. In Japanese, this seasonal coming together is called Ango, or peaceful dwelling. Dogen Zenji opened a Practice Period in 1245 with the following words: "During this practice period, make each moment the top of your head. Don't regard this as the beginning. Don't regard this as going beyond. Even if you see it as the beginning, kick it away. Even if you see it as going beyond, stomp on it. Then you are not bound by beginning or going beyond"... Dogen took up the whisk, drew a circle, and said, "Dwell peacefully in this nest." You are all invited to join in as much as you can. "So although the kind of place and practice we treasure most is quiet and ordinary daily zazen, work, moment by moment "showing up", we also value "turning the burner up" occasionally and getting the soup rolling. It blends the ingredients and thickens the pot." Ingen Breen, originally from Dublin, trained at San Francisco Zen Centre and Tassajara Mountain Monastery, and received Dharma Transmission from Norman Fischer Roshi. Ingen will be with us at BMZC to lead Practice Week in August. You may know Ingen from his previous visits, where he has manifested a calm intimate compassionate wisdom, and become a good friend to many of us. The theme for Practice Week will be 'The Noble Eight-Fold Path'. The Noble Eightfold Path describes the way to freedom from samsara, as it was laid out by Shakyamuni Buddha. It is a practical guideline to ethical and mental development which can free the individual from attachment and delusion and lead to understanding the truth of existence. Together with the Four Noble Truths it constitutes the essence of Buddhism. The eight aspects of the path are not to be understood as a sequence of single steps, instead they are highly interdependent principles that have to be seen in relationship with each other. Right View Right Intention Right Speech Right Conduct Right Livelihood Right Effort Right Mindfulness Right Meditation Ingen has his own website on http://www.stresspionage.com/ * Please email bookings@blackmountainzencentre.org to book a place for Belfast Zazenkai ** Please email ballymenazen@yahoo.ie to book a place for Ballymena Zazenkai Tuesday 3rd August
7.00-8.15 AM - Zazen 7.00-9.00 PM - Zazen, Dharma Talk and
Q&ACost: By Donation Wednesday 4th August 7.00-8.15 AM - Zazen Thursday 5th August
7.00-8.15 AM - Zazen 7.00-9.00 PM - Zazen,
Dharma Talk and Q&ACost: By Donation Friday 6th August
7.00-8.15 AM - Zazen 7.00-9.00 PM - Zazen,
Dharma Talk and Q&ACost: By Donation Saturday 7th August Zazenkai @ BMZC * 7am-6pm 1 Day Meditation Intensive Cost: £20 waged £10 unwaged Breakfast & Lunch included Sunday 8th August Zazenkai @ Ballymena Zen Group ** Theme: 'The Heart Sutra' 10am-4pm St Johns Ambulance Hall, 11 Corlea Gardens, Ballymena Visit by Brad Warner
 Brad is a Zen teacher who received Dharma Transmission from Gudo Nishijima
Roshi, and is also something of an expert on punk rock and monster movies, as well as being a best selling author. His books include:Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies, & the Truth about Reality Sit Down and Shut Up!! Punk Rock Commentaries on Buddha, God, Truth, Sex, Death, and Dogen's Treasury of the Right Dharma Eye Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate. A Trip Through Death, Sex, Divorce, and Spiritual Celebrity in Search of the True Dharma ·
*** please email contact@blackmountainzencentre.org to book a place for zazenkai Visit by our teacher Ryushin Paul Haller Roshi
Schedule of Public Events
Please note Mindfulness Sharing Circle * is only open to those who can commit to all five mornings
All events held at BMZC except where otherwise stated
Spring Sesshin with our teacher Ryushin Paul Haller Roshi  to be held at Benburb Priory. http://www.servites-benburb.com/ Haller Roshi is
one of the foremost living Zen masters and is also the only senior
Buddhist teacher to be born and raised in Northern Ireland, kind in
manner and speaking with the wisdom and compassion that come
from decades of zazen and study. We encourage people to register early and for an entire five day period. Those who wish to come for less than five days will have their names added to a waiting list and will be accommodated as space allows. Shared accommodation is in use on this Sesshin to allow us to accomodate more of those who wish to attend. Unfortunately single accommodation cannot be guaranteed except in exceptional circumstances. Tuesday 23rd & Wednesday 24th March 2010  Visit by Myo Dennis Lahey 'Can You Hear The Dragon Song?' 7pm to 9pm each evening @ BMZC. All wellcome. Rev. Myo Denis Lahey is a Soto Zen priest practicing in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki-Roshi. Myo is practice leader at Hartford Street Zen Center in San Francisco and at Iron Bell Zendo in Sacramento, California. A Dharma heir of Tenshin Reb Anderson, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Soto Zen Buddhist Association of North America (SZBA) and is a member of the Association for Soto Zen Buddhism of Japan (ASZB). Myo was drawn to religion and spirituality at an early age and found Zen Buddhism in his teens. He began sitting in 1969 with Shunryu Suzuki-Roshi at San Francisco Zen Center, and later with Issan Dorsey at Hartford Street Zen Centre. 12th March - 14th March 2010  Dharma Weekend @ BMZC with Ingen Breen.
Friday 12th March 2010
7.00pm to 8.30pm Zazen & Dharma Talk Saturday 13th March 2010 7.00am to 9.00pm One Day Intensive Sesshin An intensive day of zazen, Dharma talks, and questions & answers. To book your place please email treasurer@blackmountainzencentre.org 2 Entry points - 9.30am & 1pm 2 Exit points - 1pm & 6pm Full Day: £30 (waged), £10 (unwaged) Half Day: £15 (waged), £5 (unwaged) Half Day: 7am-12.30pm or 1.30pm-9pm **Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner provided in-house for Full day participants **Half Day participants (Breakfast or Dinner provided) Fees help pay for the cost of the visit and the core running costs of BMZC, allowing us to offer our daily schedule on an ongoing basis throughout the year. Sunday 14th March 2010 9.00am to 12.30pm 'Everything you ever wanted to know about (Za)Zen but were afraid to ask' 3rd March - 7th April 2010
Visit by Ingen Breen  BMZC are pleased to welcome back our good friend Ingen Breen in 2010. Originally from Dublin, Ingen trained at San Francisco Zen Centre and Tassajara Mountain Monastery for over a decade, and has previously led Practice Periods at BMZC. No doubt many of you who know Ingen from his previous visits will appreciate the opportunity to sit togther with him again. Manifesting a calm intimate wisdom, Ingen will be leading several events at BMZC over the next few months. Details of events in February and March will be confirmed and announced shortly. Meanwhile please find below details of his January visit this coming weekend. All are very welcome and we look forward to seeing you there. Saturday 16th January 2pm-5pm Zazen Posture & Practice Workshop A £10 fee applies. Scholarships are available to the unwaged. Sunday 17th January 9am-4.30pm Dharma Day A special day of zazen and teachings, discussion, questions and answers, and a few surprises. A £20 fee applies. Scholarships are available to the unwaged. Fees help pay for the cost of the visit and the core running costs of BMZC, allowing us to offer our daily schedule on an ongoing basis throughout the year. 3 Day InterFaith Retreat with Robert Kennedy SJ Roshi  to be held at Benburb Priory. http://www.servites-benburb.com/ Booking forms are also available from BMZC or can be emailed upon request to contact@blackmountainzencentre.org Friday 11th December: Registration 5-6PM; Dinner 6PM; Retreat begins 7PM. Sunday 13th December: ends 3PM. He studied Zen with Yamada Roshi in Kamakura, with Taizan Maezumi Roshi in Los Angeles, and with Bernie Glassman Roshi in New York. He received dharma transmission from Glassman Roshi in 1997. During Zen retreats Kennedy Roshi teaches only Zen in his public talks. However he is generally willing to answer questions on other subjects during one to one dokusan practice interviews. This may be a particular advantage to those who combine Christian faith with Zen practice. He is the author of Zen Gifts to Christians and Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit. His approach to Zen combines some aspects of both the Soto and Rinzai traditions. Visit by our teacher Ryushin Paul Haller Roshi Schedule of Public Events
Please note Sharing Circle * is only open to those who can commit to all five mornings
All events held at BMZC except where otherwise stated or where noted as ** which means venue to be confirmed
Sangha members who wish to volunteer to assist with sesshin duties or doanryo, or at other times during Roshi's visit, are very welcome and should email contact@blackmountainzencentre.org or use the sign-up sheet in BMZC. Thank you.
For more details on Sesshin, on BMZC Annual General Meeting, on N.I. Sangha Day, or on the public workshops,
please see the info below the following schedule. Please enquire for further details on any event.
10AM to 4PM
@ (St.Johns Ambulance) St. Johns Hall, 11A Corlea Gardens, Ballymena, BT43 7AR
Practitioners from each of the BMZC related groups will gather for a Northern Ireland Sangha Day.
Often we begin the day with zazen and a Dharma Talk, leading into group discussion and feedback about each groups needs and our shared vision.
During and after lunch, we'll have the opportunity to socialise and get to know practitioners from other groups better,
all those we might normally only encounter on silent sesshins!
The afternoon will see a period where our creative self expression is explored before we close the day with zazen.
All the N.I. Sangha is very welcome and encouraged to attend.
Please do come along if you can, bring lunch to share, and join the fun...
Mindfulness is a way of learning to relate directly to whatever is happening in your life, a way of taking charge of your life,
a way of doing something for yourself that no one else can do for you - consciously and systematically working with your own stress, pain, illness, and the challenges and demands of everyday life.
Restoring within yourself a balanced sense of health and well being requires increased awareness of all aspects of self,
including body, mind and spirit.
Mindfulness based stress reduction is intended to ignite this inner capacity and infuse your life with awareness.
Fortunately, mindfulness is not something that you have to "get" or acquire.
It is already within you - a deep internal resource available and patiently waiting to be released
and used in the service of learning, growing, and healing.
(* Suggested Donation -Waged £20 for morning or afternoon, £30 for both - Unwaged £10 for morning or afternoon, £15 for both)
1.30pm - 4.00pm
The Zen of Poetry : Zen Meditation and the Poetics of Waking Up
Explore the relationships between poetry and meditation, poet and 'self', and word and use.
As Zen became popularized in the West through writers and poets who translated the great works of East Asian literature,
a natural affinity has been assumed between Zen and poetry.
On the other hand, many of the traditional Chinese and Japanese poets influenced by Zen
were troubled by the relationship between literature and Zen practice.
After all, Zen emphasizes direct experience beyond words and repeatedly asserts that language distorts the fullness of reality.
Roshi will investigate how poetry may convey meaning beyond words, and what function literature fulfils in the context of Zen, leading you in an exercise of creative self expression.
(* Suggested Donation -Waged £20 for morning or afternoon, £30 for both - Unwaged £10 for morning or afternoon, £15 for both) We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the AGM.
All the N.I.Sangha is very welcome and encouraged to attend.
We will be presenting the BMZC Annual Report which will update you on a lot of behind the scene progress at BMZC,
and presenting you with a vision for BMZC's future.
We will also be unveiling our calendar of events for the next year,
which has been based on the input of Sangha members present at the previous N.I Sangha Day
and of those who completed our Survey earlier in the year. Thank you all.
We will also be electing a new Committee of Trustees for 2009/2010.
In order to vote, nominate candidates, propose motions, etc, you do need to be a member of BMZC or an affilated group in N.I.
Your nominees to Committee and your specific Office Holder nominees (2 Co-Chairs, 1 Hon.Secretary, and 1 Treasurer)
need to have been members of BMZC or an affiliated group for at least one year.
Nominations, and proposed motions to AGM, should be received by the Hon.Secretary at least 7 days prior to the AGM.
Proposed motions which involve alteration to the BMZC Constitution should be received by the Hon.Secretary at least 21 days prior to the AGM.
You can download a copy of the Governing Constitution from the 'Governance' page of the website. Link below.
 to be held at Benburb Priory. http://www.servites-benburb.com/ Haller Roshi is one of the foremost living Zen masters and is also the only senior Buddhist teacher to be born and raised in Northern Ireland, kind in manner and speaking with the wisdom and compassion that come from decades of zazen and study.
PLEASE NOTE: Shared accomodation may be in use on this Sesshin to allow us to accomodate more of those who wish to attend. Unfortunately single accomodation cannot be guaranteed except in exceptional circumstances.  Zesho Susan O’Connell has been practicing Zen since 1987, and was ordained as a priest by Tenshin Reb Anderson in 1999. Following a period as shuso at Green Dragon Temple, she currently serves as vice president of San Francisco Zen Center. Before moving to Zen Center, Susan was a feature film producer and, when young, a film and television actress in Hollywood and New York. She has a son and two granddaughters. "When we first encounter Buddhism, we may think that the successful understanding and practice of the teachings is dependent on following cultural norms and customs from Asia, where the Dharma has been nurtured and developed from its initial expression by Shakyamuni Buddha over 2500 years ago. I would like to suggest that the Dharma is alive and well in our own Western culture." During the week Susan may speak on some of the following themes: 1) Taking Refuge, Study and Kindness 2) How to practice in times of extreme change 3) The positive and negative aspects of Hope 4) How to grow the Baby Buddha in each of us
5) Zen is more than stress reduction techniques, it offers liberation
to be held at Drumalis Retreat Centre, Larne contact@blackmountainzencentre.org A deposit of £30 by 5th December secures your place. Friday 19th December: Registration 6-8PM; Tea 6PM; Zazen 8-9PM. Sunday 21st December: ends with Lunch 1PM. He studied Zen with Yamada Roshi in Kamakura, with Taizan Maezumi Roshi in Los Angeles, and with Bernie Glassman Roshi in New York. He received dharma transmission from Glassman Roshi in 1997. During Zen retreats Kennedy Roshi teaches only Zen in his public talks. However he is generally willing to answer questions on other subjects during one to one dokusan practice interviews. This may be a particular advantage to those who combine Christian faith with Zen practice. He is the author of Zen Gifts to Christians and Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit. His approach to Zen combines some aspects of both the Soto and Rinzai traditions.
 Practice Period has its roots in the "rains retreats" during the time of Shakyamuni Buddha in India - a time when the monks gathered together, intensifying their meditation and study under the guidance of their teacher. This pattern of seasonal intensive practice continues to this day. After taking root in China, then Korea and Japan, it is now an integral part of the calendar in many Western Zen centers. In Japanese, this seasonal coming together is called Ango, or peaceful dwelling. Dogen Zenji opened a Practice Period in 1245 with the following words: "During this practice period, make each moment the top of your head. Don't regard this as the beginning. Don't regard this as going beyond. Even if you see it as the beginning, kick it away. Even if you see it as going beyond, stomp on it. Then you are not bound by beginning or going beyond...Dogen took up the whisk, drew a circle, and said, 'Dwell peacefully in this nest'. " You are all invited to join in as much as you can. All of us may benefit from "turning up the burner" of practice and from the wisdom and clarity of our visiting Zen teachers. This is a precious opportunity to increase our practice at the zendo, at home, at work.... "So although the kind of place and practice
"Dear Friends, greetings. I am looking forward to my visit next week, to seeing some familiar faces and meeting some new ones, looking forward to sitting with the BMZC Sangha again. My visit will be for about three weeks. The committee and I have come up with an engaging schedule and I ask you to look at the schedule and attend as much of it as possible – make the three weeks into a retreat or ‘practice period’ (a period of time where you/we pay more attention to our practice and make a commitment to practice more deeply for a given amount of time (3 & 1/2 wks) - sitting more, attending classes & talks and one-day sittings, deepening our understanding and harmony. It is a practice period for me as well as for you! The five classes being offered are progressive, each one building on the previous one, but I think they also stand alone; it would be great if you can attend all five, but if not, feel free to come to one or two. They offer a good introduction and a good overview/review of the Buddha’s basic teachings. I will also be offering daily bodywork sessions. Basically, you sign up for these, sign up for a session between 9am and 12:15pm, or between 2:15 and 4:30pm. If these times do not work for you, then we can check our diaries and figure out a time that will work for both of us. Feel free to email me if you have any questions about the bodywork sessions that I am offering, and see the flyer too. The Acupressure that I’ve been trained in is very gentle and perhaps should not be called bodywork – ‘mindwork’ might be a better term. The Shiatsu and Ashiatsu forms are bodywork. I am offering these by donation rather than by fee. The Acupressure takes about an hour, the Shiatsu and Ashiatsu about an hour and 20. I am also available for meeting with you one-on-one to discuss your practice (“practice discussion”). Again, please see me to set a date and time. Warm Regards, Ingen." Please do avail of this wonderful opportunity to attend events and for the Sangha here in N. Ireland to experience the Buddha Dharma together with our Teacher.
We look forward to seeing you and to continuing in the warm heart of practice together one step at a time, one breath at a time, with no gaining idea...
Friday 22nd 7pm - short Talk and N. Ireland Sangha Tea & Social at BMZC Mindfulness is a way of learning to relate directly to whatever is happening in your life, a way of taking charge of your life, a way of doing something for yourself that no one else can do for you - consciously and systematically working with your own stress, pain, illness, and the challenges and demands of everyday life. Restoring within yourself a balanced sense of health and well being requires increased awareness of all aspects of self, including body, mind and spirit.
Mindfulness based stress reduction is intended to ignite this inner capacity and infuse your life with awareness. Fortunately, mindfulness is not something that you have to "get" or acquire. It is already within you - a deep internal resource available and patiently waiting to be released and used in the service of learning, growing, and healing.
(* Suggested Donation -Waged £20 for morning or afternoon £30 for both - Unwaged £10 for morning or afternoon £15 for both)
Saturday 23rd 2pm-5pm at Institute of Governance, 63 University Rd, Belfast
The Zen of Poetry : Zen Meditation and the Poetics of Waking Up
Explore the relationships between poetry and meditation, poet and 'self', and word and use. As Zen became popularized in the West through writers and poets who translated the great works of East Asian literature, a natural affinity has been assumed between Zen and poetry. On the other hand, many of the traditional Chinese and Japanese poets influenced by Zen were troubled by the relationship between literature and Zen practice. After all, Zen emphasizes direct experience beyond words and repeatedly asserts that language distorts the fullness of reality.
Paul will investigate how poetry may convey meaning beyond words, and what function literature fulfils in the context of Zen. (* Suggested Donation -Waged £20 for morning or afternoon £30 for both - Unwaged £10 for morning or afternoon £15 for both)
Sunday 24th 10am-1pm Zazen, Dharma Talk and Posture workshop at BMZC Sunday 24th 2pm-4pm Annual General Meeting at BMZC (see below)
Monday 25th 7am - Zazen & Sharing Circle at BMZC
Monday 25th 7pm - Zen Workshop at BMZC
Tuesday 26th 7am - Zazen & Sharing Circle at BMZC
Tuesday 26th 7pm - Zazen & Dharma Talk at BMZC
Wednesday 27th 7am - Zazen & Sharing Circle at BMZC
Wednesday 27th - Sunday 31st - Sesshin at Benburb Priory (see below)
Sunday 31st circa 8pm - After Sesshin Meal  to be held at Benburb Priory. http://www.servites-benburb.com/ Haller Roshi is one of the foremost living Zen masters and is also the only senior Buddhist teacher to be born and raised in Northern Ireland, kind in manner and speaking with the wisdom and compassion that come from decades of zazen and study.
PLEASE NOTE: Shared accomodation may be in use on this Sesshin to allow us to accomodate more of those who wish to attend. Unfortunately single accomodation cannot be guaranteed except in exceptional circumstances.
Sunday 24th August 2008 2pm-4pm @ BMZC
Annual General Meeting
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the AGM, which will be chaired by our Teacher, Ryushin Paul Haller Roshi.
Everyone is very welcome to attend.
We will be hearing the BMZC Chairman's Annual Report and electing a new Committee of Trustees for 2008/2009.
You do need to be a member in order to vote, nominate candidates, propose motions, etc.
Nominations and proposed motions should be received by the Secretary at least 7 days prior to the AGM.
You can download a copy of the Governing Constitution from the 'Governance' page of the website. Link below.
Wednesday 23rd April to Sunday 4th May 2008  Weds 23rd to Sunday 27th April - Sesshin (see below for details)
Monday 28th April to Friday 2nd May each morning 7AM - 8.30AM at BMZC
During this week Roshi will lead morning sitting followed by tea ceremony and class. Each morning Roshi will introduce a topic with which to practice during the day, for discussion the following morning. If possible it would be useful for those attending to commit to the full five morning sittings.
Tuesday 29th April 7PM Zazen & Teisho at BMZC
Roshi will lead zazen, followed by service and a Dharma talk.
Wednesday 30th April 7.30PM Public Talk 'Spirituality and Passion'
with Newcastle Zen Group
Friday 2nd May 7PM Zazen & Teisho at BMZC
Roshi will lead zazen, followed by service and a Dharma talk.
Saturday 3rd May 10AM to 4PM - Northern Ireland Sangha Day
at Drumalis Retreat Centre
Practitioners from each of the BMZC related groups will gather for our first Northern Ireland Sangha Day. We'll begin the day with zazen and a Dharma Talk, leading into group discussion and feedback about each groups needs and our shared vision. During and after lunch, we'll have the opportunity to socialise and get to know practitioners from other groups better, all those we might normally only encounter on silent sesshins! The afternoon will see a period where our creative self expression is explored before we close the day with zazen. Please do come along if you can...
Sunday 4th May 9.30AM to 12.30PM Introduction to Zen Practice at BMZC
The morning will have an emphasis on the foundations of practice and will be suitable for newcomers and experienced practitoners alike.
Wednesday 23rd to Sunday 27th April 2008 to be held at Benburb Priory. http://www.servites-benburb.com/ Haller Roshi is one of the foremost living Zen masters and is also the only senior Buddhist teacher to be born and raised in Northern Ireland, kind in manner and speaking with the wisdom and compassion that come from decades of zazen and study.
 will be giving a series of teachings on the 'Six Paramitas' via video link every Monday at BMZC @ 7pm during February / March 2008 Start Date 11th February 2008 The Zendo will be open from 6.30pm for those who wish to sit beforehand. Please get in touch by email or use the signup sheet in BMZC to let us know if you wish to attend. All are most welcome but its very useful to have an idea of the numbers involved. Many thanks.
Zen Weekend with Eido Michael Luetchford at Ballymena Zen Group  Michael Eido Luetchford studied with Nishijima Roshi in Japan for more than twenty years. He will tell the story of that journey, describing how the practice of zazen and the study of Dogen have impacted on his life. THE MEANING OF THE MIDDLE WAY
A day of Zen Practice and teaching by Eido Michael Luetchford
Sunday February 17th 10.00am - 5.00pm
Eido Michael Luetchford, teacher of Dogen Sangha U.K. http://www.dogensangha.org.uk/
will lead a day of Zen practice in St John's Hall, Ballymena.
The theme of the talks and discussions will be “The Meaning of the Middle Way” :
- Explanation of the Buddha’s original discussion on this subject in the Pali Sutras - Nagaruna’s interpretation of the middle way - Dogen’s interpretation of the middle way - Following the middle way in today’s society Michael is an exceptionally clear and accessible zen teacher. His book Beyond Heaven and Earth is a translation of Nagarjuna from the Sanskrit with a commentary drawing on Dogen's writings which he translated from medieval Japanese.
EQUIPMENT - We have some spare zafus, zabutons and kneeling stools but if you have your own please bring them along.
FOOD - Tea, biscuits etc will be provided. Please bring a packed lunch to share.
BOOKINGS - Please e-mail ballymenazen@yahoo.ie to reserve places. We can also e-mail you our directions and schedule.
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THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR ADMISSION. AN AVERAGE DONATION OF £15-£20 WOULD COVER THE COST OF ROOM HIRE, TRANSPORT, DANA ( a gift to the teacher) etc.
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