The art of Zen is encouraged at all stages of life by the Buddhist community, both locally and internationally. The Sanshin Zen Community of Bloomington will offer a one-day retreat Oct. 1 designed to appeal to both beginners in Zen practice and those with some prior experience.
“For beginners, it’s a great introduction to Zen practice, and to Sanshin,” Sanshin vice abbot Hoko Karnegis, the leader of the retreat event, said. “If people are new to our sitting practice (zazen), we review the basics of the posture and what to do with body, breath and mind.”
The event will last from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m. and will include Zen meditation, brief talks, discussion, a vegetarian lunch, indoor and outdoor walking meditation and yoga designed to help with seated meditation practice.
Guided instruction during the Zen meditation is available if needed, Karnegis said.
“We also go over our style of walking meditation, which I think of as a bridge — a way to practice taking our zazen mind off the cushion and out into the world and into our everyday activities,” Karnegis said.
The Sanshin Zen Community is an international Buddhist sangha founded in 1996 by Shohaku Okumura, a Soto Zen priest and respected translator of the thirteenth-century Japanese Zen master, Eihei Dogen Zenji.
Based at Sanshin-ji in Bloomington, Sanshin exists to provide practice of zazen in the style of Kosho Uchiyama-roshi, informed by thorough study of Zenji’s teachings and communal work.
Zazen in Japanese literally means “seated meditation,” but the meaning varies from community to community. In Bloomington, in particular, it serves as a means of insight into the nature of existence. Seated meditation allows people to focus on themselves as one being in a world full as individuals versus communities.
Sanshin offers opportunities for daily practice, weekly Dharma talks, monthly retreats and a three-month ango (intensive practice period).
The cost for the retreat is $25. Interested participants can register online or in person at the temple.
“I hope participants become comfortable just being at Sanshin, knowing how to move around in the space, what to expect when they come back and feeling that they are welcome whenever they might choose to join us,” Karnegis said.
