2023 FALL PRACTICE PERIOD
September 23 to December 31
The theme for the Practice Period is Sangha and Shared Stewardship.
Welcome to the 2022 Fall Practice Period!
For daily practice, Zazen is the primary focus.
The participating Sanghas are: the Zen Center of Los Angeles, the San Luis Obispo Zen Circle, the Westchester Zen Circle (Los Angeles), the Wild River Zen Circle (Nevada City, CA), the Monday Night Meditation Group (Pasadena, CA), the Empty Hands Circle (Campinas, SP, Brazil), Zen-Center Bambushain (Zhulinci, Aachen, Germany).
The teachers, pictured on this page, are ready to support your practice throughout the ninety days. The teachers offering Face-to-Face are Roshis Egyoku and Ryodo, and Senseis Faith-Mind, Shogen, Senshin, and Myoho.
This fall, we will remember the third Treasure: Sangha
A natural result of the shut down from the pandemic has been that we have lost the context of sitting and practicing together with Sangha, the community of Buddhist practitioners. We are never not connected to all that is, but that is felt more strongly when we do zazen, service or work together. Our zazen practice is not just for ourselves but for the whole community.
The existence of Sangha is what makes Buddhism a living, applied spiritual tradition rather than a mere philosophy. Your presence at the Zen Center is an act of generosity, that supports and inspires others by adding energy and momentum to the collective experience.
Shared Stewardship
In 2000, Roshi Egyoku Nakao led the Sangha in an exploration to reorganize the Center to expand it from a teacher-focused vertical structure to an all-inclusive model that embraces a sangha-oriented horizontal structure, which we now call Shared Stewardship.
The crux of our understanding is that all life and all activities of our life, without exception, are awakened life. Our actions—how we care for our lives and for each other, how we care for and run the Center—reveal our understanding of the Dharma, not as an abstraction, but as living manifestation of awakening. This also takes us away from a transactional view of practice and one in which we each play a part in sustaining and co-creating the Zen Center together. Buddhism is a path of giving as well as receiving. Your participation in Shared Stewardship is a way of giving back to the dharma. An important part of spiritual maturity is recognizing that our practice is for the benefit of everyone, because ultimately self-and-other are not two.
The commitment form below offers many opportunities for each of us to engage in Shared Stewardship and strengthening our Sangha Treasure.
Click here to fill out your commitment form!
PRACTICE PERIOD ENTERING
You are invited and encouraged to attend the opening ceremonies for the Fall Practice Period. On Saturday morning, September 23 at 9:00 AM, please attend the Entering Ceremony for all participants and the Head Trainee Leave-taking and new Head Trainee Entering Ceremonies.
The Sangha is invited to attend in person. Those who are unable to, may Zoom in. Details will be sent by the Program Steward. The Closing Ceremony will be held on December 31.
ENTERING HEAD TRAINEES
![]()
![]()
Head Trainee
Head Trainee Gary Kōshin West
Kōshin will enter as the San Luis Obispo Zen Circle’s third Head Trainee on Thursday, September 29. Kōshin has been practicing with the San Luis Obispo group since 2016. He currently serves as Vice President on our Board of Directors. Kōshin is the owner/operator of a local landscape maintenance business, Gary West Gardening, which has been in business for over 30 years. He has practiced tai chi and qigong since 2008 and has been teaching these ancient arts since 2015. In addition, Kōshin has been involved with recovery from addiction since 2013. He has been married to his wife, Sara, for 33 years. They have two grown daughters. May your year go well, Kōshin. Thank you for your practice and ongoing support of our Sangha.
EXITING SHUSO AND HEAD TRAINEES
Head Trainee Tim Taikan Zamora
![]()
Taikan will enter as the 2022-2023 ZCLA Head Trainee on Saturday, October 1. He began practicing at ZCLA in the Fall of 2011 and is an active ZCLA resident. Taikan has served in various capacities including as Tenzo Coordinator, and on the Tenzo and Executive Circles. Taikan works as an architect and runs his own design office. He enjoys baseball, skiing, traveling, cooking, and time spent with family and friends. Taikan’s trainng year will be under the guidance of Sensei Katherine Daiki Senshin Griffith. May your year go well, Taikan. Thank you for your practice and ongoing support of our Sangha.
Head Trainee Russell Rinkai Rayburn
Rinkai, Head Trainee 2021-2022 under the guidance of Sensei Shogen at San Luis Obispo Zen Circle, will formally exit his position on September 29. He has served as the second Head Trainee of the SLOZC Sangha. Deep gratitude, Head Trainee Rinkai, for your practice and dedication to our Sangha. You have been an inspiration to us all. His Dharma Exchange will take place on Sunday, November 13 at the SLOZC.
MAIN PROGRAM DATES
ZCLA
Entering Ceremony: Saturday, September 23
Closing Ceremony: Friday, December 31
Head Trainee Dharma Exchange: Sunday, October 22
SLOZC
Entering Ceremony: Thursday, September 29
Head Trainee Dharma Exchange: Sunday, November 13
Zazenkai
Friday, November 10-Saturday, November 11
Sesshin
Autumn Wind: October 15 (Sun. eve) -22 (Sun. midday)
Rohatsu: December 1 (Fri. eve) – 9 (Sat. eve)
Year End: December 27 (Wed. eve) – 30 (Sat.)
Days of Reflection (Saturday)
October 28
November 18
December 16
Ceremony of Atonement
November 16
December 31