2024 FALL PRACTICE PERIOD

September 14 to December 15

This fall, our theme will be Prajnaparamita – Non-Dual Wisdom

Prajnaparamita means the “Perfection of Wisdom” or “Perfection of Transcendental Wisdom.” Prajñāpāramitā practices lead to seeing the non-dual nature of reality and accessing our deepest wisdom, beyond subject and object.

The participating Sanghas are: Zen Center of Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo Zen Circle, Wild River Zen Circle (Nevada City, CA), Monday Night Meditation Group (Pasadena, CA), 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 Senseis Senshin, Myoho, Mukei, Dharma-Joy and Shogen; Dharma-Holder Jitsujo, Roshi Ryodo, and Roshi Egyoku

PRACTICE PERIOD ENTERING

Everyone is invited to attend the Fall Practice Period Entering Ceremony for all participants on Saturday, September 14 at 9:00 a.m. The Sangha is especially encouraged to attend in person. Those who are unable to, may Zoom in.

The Head Trainee Leave-taking and new Head Trainee Entering Ceremonies will take place on Sunday, October 6.

The Fall Practice Closing Ceremony will be held on December 15.

Click here to fill out your commitment form!

ENTERING HEAD TRAINEE

ZCLA Head Trainee Bill Tetsui Press

Bill Tetsui Press is the 2024-2025 Head Trainee under the guidance of Roshi Kipp Ryodo Hawley. Tetsui began Zen practice with Charlotte Joko Beck at Zen Center of San Diego (ZCSD) in 1996. After moving to the Bay Area in 1998, he began working closely with Joko’s successor Diane Eshin Rizzetto at the Bay Zen Center. He received Jukai from Diane in 2003 and played a leadership role, both in practice and in the operation of the center, until Diane’s retirement in 2019. He also served on the board every eligible year, often as board president. Tetsui began practicing at ZCLA in 2016 with Roshi Egyoku and has been studying with Roshi Ryodo since 2019. Tetsui has been with his spouse for over 20 years and has two children, a teenage son and an adult daughter (whose first child is due in the fall!). Tetsui is a tech executive and has a deep love of dogs and music.

EXITING HEAD TRAINEES

ZCLA Shuso John Kyogen Rosania

John Kyogen Rosania has been the 2023-2024 Head Trainee under the guidance of Sensei Katherine Daiki Senshin Griffith. He has been a resident at ZCLA since 2015. He began Zen practice at age 19, experienced sitting with various Zen communities throughout his twenties, and began steadier formal practice with Sensei Daishin Buksbazen at Ocean Moon Sangha in Santa Monica. He is currently ZCLA’s Board Secretary and works as a psychotherapist in community mental health and in private practice.This spring he was given priest ordination by Reverend Jitsujo Gauthier. His Dharma Exchange will take place on Sunday, October 20, at the end of the October sesshin.

SLO Head Trainee Deborah Chikuin Fuku-an West

Deborah began practicing with the San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC) in 1972, where she spent 12 years living and working at both the San Francisco City Center and at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. She received Jukai from Zentatsu Baker-Roshi in 1978. During her time at SFZC, she held positions such as Fukuten, Shika, and Anja, and spent five years at Tassajara. She has been practicing with Sensei Mark Shogen Bloodgood and the San Luis Obispo Zen Circle (SLOZC) since 2017 and currently serves on the SLOZC Board. Deborah is a single mother of one grown son and is now retired, after having worked as a professor of art for 27 years. Painting and art continue to be an important and enduring part of her life. Her Dharma Exchange will take place on Sunday, November 17, in San Luis Obispo, with ZCLA members zooming in from Los Angeles.

PRACTICING PRAJNAPARMITA

For this Fall Practice Period, we encourage everyone to commit to one or more of the following Daily Practices:

  1. Recite the “Hymn to the Perfection of Wisdom” 

Homage to the Perfection of Wisdom,
Prajnaparamita, the Mother of the Buddhas.
The lovely and the holy Perfection of Wisdom gives light.
Unstained the entire world cannot stain her.
She is a source of light and from everyone
in the triple world, she removes darkness.
Most excellent are her works.
She brings light so that all fear and distress may be forsaken
and disperses the gloom and darkness of delusion.
She herself is an organ of vision.
She has a clear knowledge of her own being of all Dharmas,
for she does not stray away from it.
The Perfection of Wisdom of the Buddhas
– the Buddhas set in motion the wheel of Dharma.

2. Chant the Heart sutra (in English or Japanese) on your own or with the Sangha in our morning services, Wednesday through Saturday. (One of the major Prajnaparamita sutras is the Heart Sutra.)

3. The Heart Sutra opens with “Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva doing Deep Prajnaparamita…” This Doing – is Zazen. Therefore, we encourage everyone to do just a little more zazen than they usually do and to join us in our fall Sesshins and Zazenkai.

  • Autumn Wind Sesshin – October 13 (eve) through October 20
  • November Zazenkai – November 8 (eve) – 9
  • Rohatsu Sesshin – December 6 (eve) – December 14.

We have quite a rich full fall of practice opportunities and also encourage everyone to participate in person with the Sangha in our:

A. Gate of Sweet Nectar Service (held on most Sundays) – where Maha Prajnaparamita is invoked.

B. Day of Reflection on Saturday:

    • September 21
    • October 26
    • November 16

C. Ceremony of Atonement:

    • Thursday, October 3
    • Thursday, December 5
    • Tuesday, December 31

D. Hidden Lamp Classes

    • Thursday, September 5
    • Thursday, September 19
    • Thursday, October 10
    • Thursday, October 24
    • Thursday, November 7
    • Thursday, November 21

E. Personal Practice Talks

    • Thursday, September 12
    • Thursday, September 26
    • Thursday, October 31
    • Thursday, November 14

F. Sunday 11 am Dharma talks, councils, or special events

This fall we have again expanded our weekday schedule for those who want to come to the Zen Center and practice. All are encouraged. For that schedule, click here.

SACRED FEMININE

Prajnaparamita can refer to both the Perfection of Wisdom sutra and the Mother of Wisdom.

This fall, ZCLA has co-sponsored a course on the Sacred Feminine with University of the West. For those who are interested in an additional practice, we invite you to Explore the Sacred Feminine aspect of Prajnaparamita.

For more guiding questions and resources on that aspect, click here.

There is this prajnaparamita, a kundalini energy, or power of the feminine, of life and creation that flows through all of us. 

Below are four suggestions of daily practices: 1) recitation, 2) mudra, 3) contemplation, and 4) visualization. You are invited to choose 1-practice to invite the energy and wisdom of the sacred feminine into your daily life and awareness. You are also welcome to create your own daily practice or ritual that suits your particular needs. 

Daily Practices 

  1. Recite Intro the “Hymm to the Perfection of Wisdom” (see above on this page)
  2. Practice “Tibetan Bon Five Elements Mudras” following Genshe Yongdong’s instructions HERE 
  3. Contemplate taking refuge in the “The Mandala of the Five Wisdom Dakinis” repeating seed syllables following Lama Tsültrim Allione instructions HERE
  4. Visualize seeing yourself in these Thangka images of the Five Wisdom Egies using the “Representation Matter” paintings by Kaitlyn Hatch and/or seeing these Thangka images and five wisdom energies with you!
Click here to fill out your commitment form!