Published July 25th, 2010
We are happy to invite you to join us at Brooklyn Zen Center this Saturday, July 31st, for a dharma talk by Myoan Grace Jill Schireson. Grace will be speaking on our Zen women ancestors and their innovations and adaptations within Zen practice. She has recently authored a book on the topic, entitled Zen Women: Beyond Tea Ladies, Iron Maidens, and Macho Masters. The dharma talk will be at 11:00am after our regular first period of zazen at 10:20am. Copies of the book will be available at the event for sale and signing.
Grace is the founder and head teacher of Empty Nest, Valley Heartland, and Fresno River Zen Groups. Grace is a Dharma Heir in the Suzuki Roshi lineage who has practiced Zen meditation for more than 35 years. She has trained in Soto Zen in America under Sojun Mel Weitsman Roshi of Berkeley Zen Center, from whom she received Dharma Transmission in 2005, and in Rinzai Zen in Japan under Keido Fukushima Roshi of Tofuku-ji Monastery in Kyoto. She has taught Zen classes throughout the United States. She is also trained as a clinical psychologist and is dedicated to teaching Asian methods of quieting the mind using techniques suitable for Westerners.
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Published July 14th, 2010
We are very happy to announce that a new han – well, new to us – now hangs in the Brooklyn Zen Center’s community room.
We are immensely grateful to Teah Strozer for finding the han for us and to Maria Wallace for schlepping it across the country in her luggage. This is not a light chunk of wood!
After Teah finished writing the words onto the face, the han was hung from the pillar next to the densho bell – a seemingly appropriate act on the final night before she returns to San Francisco. Once again in our midst it reminds us both to be in the zendo by the second roll down and not to waste this life!
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Published July 4th, 2010
Several sangha members have asked about aspects of Brooklyn Zen Center governance and if we might be able to post a web page with this information so members can understand where to take questions and concerns. In response to this we now have a BZC governance page that lists our board members and various committees. The page is very simple, currently only listing board members, committees, and a link to our mission and vision. We hope that there is enough information in the current version so that Brooklyn Zen Center members have some idea who to contact regarding any issues they would like to discuss. A link to this page is listed on the right side column throughout our site. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have regarding Brooklyn Zen Center. To the sangha members who made this suggestion, thank you!
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Published June 11th, 2010
The Brooklyn Zen Center–affiliated, upper Manhattan sitting group is now officially known as the Northern Manhattan Sangha. Due to a change in circumstances, the group is currently taking a break from sitting together as they look for a new meeting space and time. Updates will come with changes to their status.
The Northern Manhattan Sangha was formed to support those in upper Manhattan who wish to practice in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi and attend events and retreats with visiting BZC teachers, but live too far to come on a daily basis to Brooklyn. If you are interested in joining this vibrant community for regular sitting, please contact Paul Brantley by emailing pbrantley (at) mac (dot) com.
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Published June 9th, 2010
If you were not there to see the final concert of the Jazz Mindfulness Program’s first season, it was nothing short of fantastic. The amount of work the JMP participants put into playing together since last summer was stunningly clear last Friday night. The entire line up of standards were gorgeously played. The elegance and attention throughout the two-person improvisations still linger in the memory and the heart-thumping blast out of the final Coltrane piece was a thrilling finale to a successful year of playing.
A deep bow to the students who navigated many challenges and very busy school schedules to keep their commitments to one another and accomplish a remarkable group and performance. A deep bow to jazz bassist, composer, educator and sangha member, Adam Bernstein, for his unwavering effort and commitment to JMP students and to bringing mindfulness and meditation to the world through music. Bravo!
We are all looking forward to next year!
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Published June 1st, 2010
Join us at BZC this Sunday, June 6th, at 7:00 pm for a dharma talk by Zen priest, dharma teacher and poet, Zoketsu Norman Fischer. Doors will open at 6:40 pm. The topic of the talk will be kindness and friendliness in the Buddhist tradition.
The following evening on Monday, June 7th, the Jewish Meditation Center will be hosting Norman and Charles Bernstein, who will be giving a talk on Radical Poetics and Judaism at 8:00pm.
Norman Fischer, has spent almost 30 years at San Francisco Zen Center, having held many senior positions, including abbot and director. Norman currently heads the Everyday Zen Foundation and offers teaching to many sanghas across the country. Among his numerous publications, Norman has written nine volumes of poetry as well as Opening to You: A Zen-inspired Translation of the Psalms and Taking our Places: The Buddhist Path to Truly Growing Up, which is based on his work mentoring young people. His most recent collection of poetry, Questions/Places/Voices/Seasons, was published by Singing Horse Press in 2009.
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Published May 17th, 2010
We would like to thank all of the sangha members who came to workday yesterday. We had a great turn out and an impressive amount was accomplished, including:
- Fastening down counters in the kitchen
- Further organizing the storage room
- Installing a cabinet and bulletin board in the entryway
- Finishing patching and painting the entryway walls
- Painting the bathroom door, main door and storage room door
- Painting of the entryway floor
- Repairing of wall damage from water leaks
- Building deep storage shelves in the pantry
- Finishing out of the pantry door
- Measuring of windows and preparation for window treatments
and more!
It was a fun and productive day. Thanks to everyone’s focused time throughout, we really did finish everything we set out to do, which was an ambitious list. Thank you again, Amy, for leading the day and taking the time to organize the many tasks in a way that all were able to rest in the mindful and efficient activity of work. Bravo!
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Published May 16th, 2010
Jazz Mindfulness Program Spring Concert
On Fri, June 4th at 7:30PM, The Jazz Mindfulness Program will present its Annual Spring Concert featuring the JMP students ages 12 – 17. This concert will feature the music of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Horace Silver, as well as free improvisations in duo and trio formats. This concert will conclude the JMP’s very successful first year where students receive jazz and meditation instruction together.
Please join us as we celebrate creativity, community and America’s indigenous democratic art form, Jazz.
There is a suggested donation of $10 for this concert.
The Jazz Mindfulness Program is directed by Adam Bernstein and is sponsored by the Brooklyn Zen Center.
The Brooklyn Zen Center is located at
Brooklyn Zen Center
505 Carroll Street, Suite 2A
Brooklyn, NY 11215
The Brooklyn Zen Center is between 3rd and 4th Avenues in Gowanus/Park Slope. To come by train, take the R train to the Union Street stop or the F train to the Carroll Street stop.
For more info please email us at jazzmindfulness@earthlink.net
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Published May 15th, 2010
A sangha member who wishes to remain anonymous has donated $2000 to buy a new MacBook, printer and software for Brooklyn Zen Center. The computer is very much needed and will be used for BZC’s administrative needs. We are deeply appreciative of this gift and hope to purchase the computer soon.
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Published May 15th, 2010
We want to thank San Francisco Zen Center for their recent grant to help with some of the remaining costs from construction and the move. The grant will help to address remaining mechanical engineering fees from the buildout as well as purchase window treatments and other much needed items for BZC. Thank you again to San Francisco Zen Center for this wonderful gift and helping to support the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi in New York City. A deep bow.
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