Special Events - Zen Studies Society

NYZ: Tea with the Abbot

January 2, 2024 by koge louise bayer

Chigan Roshi and Shuko-san invite members of the New York Zendo sangha to join them for informal tea and light snacks in the Dharma hall on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Please join the Zen Studies Society’s third abbot for a lighthearted reception and casual conversation at the beginning of 2024. All are welcome; no registration is necessary. Donations welcome.

NYZ: Films: Dust to Light and Pure Land/This event is sold out

November 16, 2023 by koge louise bayer

Registration for this event is full – please check the New York Zendo Events Calendar for our other offerings.

Join us for a special screening of the documentaries Dust to Light and Pure Land followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. Curated as part of Tea Arts & Culture’s Ode to Common Things programming, these films reflect on quiet moments in life. Popcorn and tea will be provided. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

Ticket Information
Space is limited. Tickets are donation-based with a suggested donation of $20. Donations will support the Zen Studies Society and the filmmakers.

Schedule
5:30-5:45 pm Dust to Light

5:45-7:30 pm Pure Land

7:30-8:30 pm Discussion Q&A with tea/snacks

About the Films
Dust to Light is an award winning short documentary about what is really going on under the surface when we are cleaning. The film listens as four Zen & Tea practitioners reflect on the transformative process of cleaning when it is approached as a meditation rather than burdensome chore. View the trailer.

Pure Land is a moving and thought-provoking portrait of two Japanese immigrant Buddhists in New York. The film centers around Miki, a 55-year-old ex-banker Buddhist missionary, and Toni, a 91-year-old wife of a Jewish atheist. In search of her final path to salvation, Toni invited Miki to move into her and her husband’s home four years ago. Since then, Toni has been single-heartedly seeking one thing above all else—a peaceful mind. Through the deeply personal stories of the two Buddhists, Pure Land explores the universal theme of finding inner peace amidst the challenges of life, and the power of human connection in overcoming adversity.

Filmmakers
Erika Houle is a cinematographer, director, and documentary filmmaker based in New York. She has worked around the world on feature films, documentaries, commercials, and episodic television shows, most notably NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Her early work as a documentary cinematographer took her across the country and internationally to India and Haiti. She shot for Equal Means Equal, the feature documentary film cornerstone of the movement to pass the Equal Rights Amendment. She also does experimental work, most recently directing a music video for Joan Baez’s 2019 Grammy nominated album Whistle Down the Wind. Her latest film Dust to Light (2023) premiered at AmDocs and DOC NYC. The film received the Best Documentary Short award at the Downtown LA Film Festival.

Nori Mizukami is a Japanese filmmaker, known for his award-winning short films 18 Seconds (2014) and What’s Invisible (2017). 18 Seconds was the recipient of the Best Short award at the prestigious Harlem International Film Festival, and was also selected for screening at the San Francisco International Short Film Festival, People’s Film Festival, and Mount Vernon Film Festival. What’s Invisible won the New Perspective Award at the Kodama International Film Festival, as well as Best Documentary at the Asian Cinematography Awards. With Pure Land, Nori has expanded his repertoire, embarking on his first feature-length documentary project. His unique approach to storytelling blends introspection with an eye for visual detail, showcasing the power of film to explore the human mind.

NYZ: Call Me By My True Names

November 2, 2023 by Devyani Sadh

Exploring Identities, Complexes and Compassion with Jifu Devyani Sadh.

Please call me by my true names, so I can wake up and the door of my heart could be left open, the door of compassion. — Thich Nhat Hanh

This transformative workshop is an introspective exploration of the profound impact of our various identities on our experiences and our journey toward transcending all identities.

We will begin with a brief period of Zazen followed by an investigation of the superiority complex, a formidable barrier to authentic human connection. Together, we will aim to unveil the origins of this complex and discern effective strategies for disentangling its grip. Our exploration will continue as we navigate the terrain of insecurities and self-doubts, addressing the pervasive inferiority complex. We will illuminate ways in which this complex shapes our lives and facilitate the discovery of methods to unburden ourselves. At the core of our workshop, we confront the equality complex. We will examine this through the lens of Thich Nhat Hanh and Rinzai Zen, contemplating the delusion of the separate self and exploring ways to unlock the door of compassion.

Facilitating this transformative experience is Jifu, a psychologist and dedicated Zen practitioner of over 25 years, deeply immersed in both the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition and Rinzai Zen. Her unique blend of insights, grounded in her reception of the precepts in both traditions, will help guide our collective dialogue, unraveling the complexities of our human experience. Join us on this illuminating journey as we navigate the intricacies of our identities and nurture the seeds of compassion within.

A $10 donation is encouraged, but not mandatory. The workshop is designed for a small group of people and space is limited, so please register early! ZSS Health Protocols apply.

NYZ: Temple Committee Meeting

July 19, 2023 by Giun Stefan Streit

The Shoboji Temple Committee will meet this afternoon in the Dharma Hall.

For this particular meeting, we welcome sangha members who are not formally part of the Committee.

NYZ: The Shape of Awake: Meditation and the Alexander Technique with Hope Martin

July 13, 2023 by Giun Stefan Streit

To take this posture itself is the purpose of our practice. When you have this posture, you have the right state of mind, so there is no need to try to attain some special state. —Suzuki Roshi

Are you uncomfortable or in pain when you meditate? Is it challenging to sit for long periods of time? Or is it just hard to stay present? Discover how being fully present and at ease in your body transforms your practice and your life!

Being upright is not just an arbitrary shape; it’s a perfect expression of meditation itself. In this day-long workshop, Hope, a master teacher of the Alexander Technique, will help you discover ease and non-striving in meditation and other activities. Her hands-on work makes subtle adjustments to the head, neck and back to access effortless, balanced posture — both light and grounded.

The process teaches awareness of habits that result in pain, fixed posture and mind-set, and shows us how to shift to a more open, balanced way of being that is our birthright. It’s not about improving or getting away from anything. Rather, by learning about and honoring the many moments of response that are our habits, we become actively engaged in the process of befriending ourselves.

The workshop includes instruction on basic body mechanics and alignment, experiential exercises and hands-on from the instructor to help improve your posture and release unnecessary tension in your meditation practice and in your life. There will be a break midday for lunch (not provided). New and experienced meditators are welcome.

Hope Martin has taught the Alexander Technique for over 35 years and operates Hope Martin Studio in New York City. She is a Senior Teacher who trained Alexander teachers for 25 years at the American Center for the Alexander Technique. She is also a Meditation Instructor and a Focusing trainer. Hope had a 20-year teaching partnership with David Rome where they developed and taught Embodied Listening bringing together Meditation, the Alexander Technique and Focusing.

She has been a close student of Pema Chodron for 30 years. Hope specializes in working with meditators, bringing more ease to their practice. She has taught in meditation halls and zendos throughout the U.S. and Canada. Her particular passion is in helping her students discover how easeful, upright posture is an expression of their human dignity, confidence and innate wakefulness.

No one will be turned away for lack of funds; please email the NYZ office at office@newyorkzendo.org for assistance. ZSS Health Protocols apply.

NYZ: InsightOUT Refuge Sangha (NYI), special Pride edition

June 23, 2023 by Giun Stefan Streit