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• Reading Dogen (weekly on Tuesday)

  • Start
    Tuesday, January 23, 2024
  •  
  • End
    Tuesday, January 07, 2025
  •  
  • Schedule
    51 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual Zendo online via Zoom

  Register

  Reading Dogen

  The Red Cedar Zen Community is continuing the weekly "Reading Dogen" Study Group.

  The event is hosted on zoom by Sangha teacher and Tanto (head of practice) Kanho Chris Burkhart. For an hour we will read Dogen and discuss whatever comes up for us. There is no need to commit to the series, dropping in is fine. 

  We are using "Master Dogen's Shobogenzo" (Gudo Nishijima & Chodo Cross) and "Treasury of the True Dharma Eye" (Tanahashi) as the main translations.

  For questions or a copy of the fascicle we are currently reading, please contact Kanho Chris at cburkhart@gmail.com.

  Location: We are meeting online in our Virtual Zendo - please visit the Our Zendo page for connection information.

  Registration: There is no fee for this class but please register so we can send you updates.

  REGISTER

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• Sangha Mentors Program

  • Start
    Friday, March 22, 2024
  •  
  • End
    Saturday, January 11, 2025
  •  
  • Location
    Arranged with your mentor

  Register

  Nomon Tim and the Red Cedar Zen Practice Leaders are happy to invite a new round of mentorship. This program is available to all Members of Red Cedar Zen Community. 

  In this simple program sangha members are paired with a mentor. The mentors are our Practice Leaders: Lay Teachers and Priests who have completed the shuso (head monk) training. Our Guiding Teacher, Nomon Tim Burnett, will not serve as a mentor, rather he will be directing the program and consulting regularly with the teachers. You are always welcome to consult with Nomon Tim one on one in dokusan (private interview).

  The process is simple: simply sign up and indicate a 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice of whom you would like to serve as your mentor.

  You will hear back from Nomon in a few weeks on which mentor was assigned. Know that the teachers do not see your preferences. Simply pick whom you feel affinity with and we will do the rest.

  Once paired, you'll meet with your mentor and decide how often you would like to make contact. And how. We recommend touching base once or twice a month as a general guideline, but the program is flexible according to individual needs and the currents in our busy lives.

  There is no registration fee or charge but you might consider an offering of dana (generosity) to your mentor in any form that feels appropriate.

  What will the conversations be about? Anything related to the practice. Which is to say, anything related to living our lives with more awareness and kindness. You might choose to both read an article or study a text and talk about it; you might choose to make a commitment about daily practice and have someone to check-in on how that's going; you might simply relax together over a cup of tea and feel the deep benefits of spiritual companionship.

  We hope sangha members will take advantage of this opportunity. And remember that it helps our sangha's teachers to grow and develop when they have an opportunity to take on these roles. The Sangha Mentors program is a wonderful way to strengthen our individual and collective practice and inter-connection as a sangha.

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  Not yet a member? Please sign up on the Membership Page. A current membership is required to participate in the Sangha Mentors program.

  
  

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• Samish Island Fall Sesshin 2024 - On the Island and on Zoom

  • Start
    Thursday, November 07, 2024
  •  
    4:00 PM
  • End
    Sunday, November 10, 2024
  •  
    4:00 PM
  • Location
    Samish Island Campground, 11565 Scott Rd Bow WA 98232 and Online on Zoom

  Register

  Join us for our Fall 3-day Residential Sesshin at Samish Island

  

  This 3-day residential sesshin will include all of our meals eaten oryoki style, alternating periods of zazen (sitting) and kinhin (walking) meditation, Dharma Talks, and a special sangha celebration.

  
  

  Schedule: (read the Full Schedule).

  Arrive Thursday afternoon to settle in, eat your own packed in dinner, and begin silence.

  Friday and Saturday will be full sesshin days 6am to 8:30pm with alternating zazen and kinhin, meals, Dharma Talks, opportunities for dokusan with the teachers, and a work period.

  On Sunday we'll have our jukai ceremony at 10:30 in the morning, an informal lunch, clean up the camp and be out by 4pm. 

  Now on Zoom:
  Zoom attendance at all zendo events is now available. We're unable to provide dokusan over Zoom due to internet limitations at Samish.

  Special Ceremony:
  Sunday at 10:30am: Jukai, Receiving the Precepts, Ceremony for several sangha members. You may attend the jukai separately.

  Meals:
  You will need a 3-bowl Oryoki set at this retreat. Instruction on Oryoki eating will be provided, no problem if you've never eaten oryoki before. You can purchase a set from our friends at Still Sitting (please order the Navy Blue cloths). Red Cedar Zen is not able to provide loaner oryoki sets at this time.

  Teachers & Dharma Talks:
  

  Everyone is welcome to come join us for Dharma Talks either in person or online. Be aware of our current Covid policy if you come. No registration needed.

  Friday, 10:30am Nomon Tim Burnett

  Saturday, 10:30am Kanho Chris Burkhart

  Kanho Chris Burkhart is the Head of Practice at Red Cedar Zen Community.	Nomon Tim Burnett is the Guiding Teacher of Red Cedar Zen Community

  
  

  Housing: Housing is provided with two options: E-Cabins and Rustic Cabins.

  E-Cabins are more recently built with a full bath shared with one other room. E-Cabins are in short supply in this retreat. Please choose a rustic cabin if that is possible for you in order to leave the E-cabins for those with health challenges. Or consider sharing an E-cabin. 

  e-Cabin Exterior

  e-Cabin Interior

  Rustic Cabins - simple plywood cabins built in the 1950's. Camp style bathrooms in a separate building. Most rustic housing will be single (not shared), however if couples or friends are willing to share a cabin this can make a difference in accommodating everyone if the sesshin is full.

  Rustic Cabin, exterior

  Rustic cabin, interior

  
  

  
  

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• Jukai Precepts Ceremony 2024

  • When
    Sunday, November 10, 2024
  •  
    10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    Samish Island Campground, 11565 Scott Rd Bow WA 98232 and Online on Zoom

  Register

  The Zen ceremony of Jukai (literally "receiving precepts") is a ceremony of commitment to the Zen precepts, the Zen path, and the sangha. Done by lay students it marks a deepening of commitment to Zen and a warming of relationship with the teacher. See Precepts and Jukai on the website for background on this important process.

  In this year's Jukai we expect seven Red Cedar members will receive the precepts from Nomon Tim Burnett and Kanho Chris Burkhart.

  This year's ceremony is part of our 3 day residential sesshin at Samish Island Retreat Center. If you are registered for sesshin you do not need to register separately for Jukai.  If your friend or family member is participating in the Jukai ceremony and you wish to attend to support them in their commitment, please register for this event so that we can ensure we are prepared to accommodate all attendees. 

  Please arrive early to park and walk across the grounds to the zendo in time for the 10:40am ceremony start. Ceremony will be followed by a simple lunch plus a reception potluck of treats. Feel free to bring something yummy, but this is not required.

  This year the Jukai ceremony will also be available on Zoom.

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• Samish Island Sesshin 2025 - Save the Date

  • Start
    Friday, June 13, 2025
  •  
    5:00 PM
  • End
    Saturday, June 21, 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM
  • Location
    Samish Island Campground, 11565 Scott Rd Bow WA 98232
  • Spaces left

  Save the dates for the 2025 sesshin:
  June 13 - June 21, 2025

  Registration will be open in early 2025

  Our annual 7-day (8 nights) silent Zen sesshin with Zoketsu Norman Fischer with talks and interview also available with Nomon Tim Burnett and others, includes seven days and eight nights of silent practice of sitting and walking meditation in this beautiful church camp on the water on Samish Island in the Skagit Valley. Retreat includes dharma talks by Norman and other Northwest teachers, dokusan and practice discussion, sitting and walking meditation, and delicious vegetarian meals. A deep time for practice and reflection with the support of sangha and teachers.
  

  Many photos of Samish are available on our Photos page.

  The following information is from a past Samish sesshin to give you an overview before registration opens.

  To keep current on this and all our events, please join our email list!

  Schedule:
  You may attend the entire retreat, or the first or second half. Second half attendance is only appropriate to those who have sat sesshin with us before. We are unable to offer other attendance choices. Signing up is making a commitment to be part of the retreat for the entire period you signed up for.

  

  Full Retreat - Friday 5:00pm to Saturday  at noon

  First Half - Friday  5:00pm to Tuesday at 5pm

  Second Half - Tuesday at 5pm to Saturday at noon.

  Prerequisites & Requirements
  This is a rigorous and structured experience. To benefit from being at Samish Sesshin please abide by the following requirements.

  • You should have attended at least one full day formal meditation retreat before attending this 7-day, 8-night, retreat. Please do not register if you have never sat a full day of formal meditation (in Zen or other traditions is fine).
  • If you have never attended Samish sesshin please start at the beginning by attending the full retreat or the first half, and do not attend just the second half.
    Orientation and instructions are offered at the beginning only.
  • No attendance options other than the three listed above can be accommodated. 
  • This is a silent retreat without talking, reading, writing, computer or cell phone use. Please be prepared to follow this guideline fully.
  • Following the full schedule is a core practice of Zen. Some alternate schedules can be arranged with the Ino in cases of health and other needs.
  • Plan on remaining at Samish Island camp during the entire time of your sesshin attendance, not leaving for errands or appointments, etc., and remaining at the camp through final clean up at noon on Saturday unless illness or unavoidable travel arrangements prevent this.

  Housing:
  There are currently four different housing options to choose from:

  E-Cabins are recently built multi-room cabins with a bath shared with one other room. E-Cabins are in short supply in this retreat. Please choose a rustic cabin if that is possible for you in order to leave the e-cabins for those with health challenges. Or consider sharing an e-cabin. 

  e-Cabin Exterior

  e-Cabin Interior

  Rustic Cabins - simple plywood cabins built in the 1950's. Camp style bathrooms in a separate building. Most rustic housing will be private (not shared), however if couples or friends are willing to share a cabin this can make a difference in accommodating everyone if the sesshin is full.
  

  Rustic Cabin, exterior

  Rustic cabin, interior

  RV site with hookups - you can bring your own RV and connect to the camp's services.  A lower cost option.

  Tent - you can bring a tent and camp on the lawn. A lower cost option.

  Samish Island Campground

  We have rented the Community of Christ's wonderful camp at the eastern end of Samish Island for over a twenty-five years for our residential retreats. A wonderful place where sea meets sky.

  11565 Scott Rd, Bow, WA 98232
  Map and Directions

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