Brooklyn Zen Center is having its First Intensive Practice Period
Published January 11th, 2010
Brooklyn Zen Center is pleased to announce that we will be having our first formal practice period for three weeks this February in our new, beautiful zendo! Our guiding teacher, Teah Strozer, is coming to visit Brooklyn Zen Center to lead a period of intensified practice. During this time, Brooklyn Zen Center will offer additional practice opportunities, including extra periods of zazen, classes, dharma talks, a daily study period, opportunities for individual practice discussions with the teacher and a five day session. The practice period will focus on the teachings of Suzuki Roshi as presented in the text, “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind” . People are encouraged to read the text before the practice period begins.
Practice periods are designed to encourage and support us to deepen our practice. Teah is inviting everyone who is interested “to join together to investigate the truth of our being“. There will be a meeting and opening ceremony at the beginning of the intensive as well as a shosan (formal question-and-answer) ceremony with Teah at the end. Everyone joining the practice period is encoraged to have practice discussion once a week with Teah.
A note from Teah about commitment:
Please decide what you can realistically do. It is better to commit to less but do it all than commit to too much and drop out. You should think of what is comfortable for you and sign up for just a tad more that will stretch you enough. So know yourself, be honest, then turn up your effort with some strictness and also some kindness. Make a balanced effort that will encourage you to keep your intention in front of you the whole three weeks.
Framing your commitment to the practice according to the three treasures, Teah has suggested the following ideas:
Buddha: a committment to zazen
Choose one or more of these options:
1. Defined commitment to sitting at home three times more than you do now
2. Defined commitment to sitting at the center three times more than you do now
3. Center based practice – all morning or evening sittings during the week
Dharma – an entrance into the teachings
Choose one or more…
1. Coming to “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind” dharma talks and discussion
2. Coming to study periods
3. Coming to mindfulness class
4. Reading with your own friends in a study group
Sangha- accountability within community
Choose one or more…
1. Volunteering to support the practice by taking on a doan job, working in the kitchen or volunteering in some other capacity at BZC
2. Meeting with the teacher individually or in small groups
3. Training in forms
Other intentions to consider include:
1. I will practice mindfulness of my body for three weeks
2. I will practice mindfulness of my breathe for three weeks
3. I will practice with the question, “Who am I?”
4. I will pick one of the precepts and try to go deeper and deeper with it for three weeks
5. I will do loving-kindness meditation for three weeks
6. If you can’t think of somehing that is at the edge of your inquiry you could speak with TeahWe will be offering a form to put your commitment in writing which can help to clarify and support your intention which you can give to the Ino.
Brooklyn Zen Center is offering all of these practice opportunities on a donation (dana) basis (except sesshin). Teah has taken an unpaid month off of her job in San Francisco to lead this practice period and it is our hope that the sangha will be very generous in giving dana to Teah for her month long service to our community.
A more detailed schedule for the practice period will follow shortly.

