As we enter these dog days of August (and I think we had plenty of these in July as well!), it is time for our annual all-sangha meeting. Anyone who sits regularly with us, has ever sat with us, has had an intro and is planning to sit with us – in fact, everyone receiving these emails – is welcome to attend. It will be held Sunday August 10 at 10 a.m. EST immediately following our regular Sunday sitting at our Zen house (1813 Wilton Road in Cleveland Heights 44118)  which starts at 9 a.m. There will be our usual Sunday refreshments. While everyone is encouraged and welcome to attend in-person if possible, Zoom allows for greater participation so the whole meeting will be hybrid.

Formal Tuesday evening and Sunday morning sittings occur both in-person and on Zoom.

On Saturday August 8 at 1:30 p.m. we will have an Introduction/Refresher to Zen Meditation practice. While those new to Zen will learn all the basics they need to begin practice, those needing a refresher or jump-start to a lapsed practice are also welcome and this is a good time to ask questions that may have arisen during the early days/months/years of practice. Advance registration is required so please call or text 216-630-3583.

On Sunday August 3 we will celebrate Founder’s Day in recognition of Roshi Philip Kapleau, founder of the Rochester Zen Center and author of The Three Pillars of Zen. On this date we will hear a teisho by him selected from his decades of teaching at the Rochester Zen Center. As many of you may know, Roshi Kapleau was the root teacher who started many of us here in Cleveland on our life-changing journey of Zen practice.

Many of us have met and worked with Ven. Jissai Prince-Cherry when she has been in Cleveland for our Meditation Intensives. On Saturday August 16, at 10 a.m. Bodhin-roshi will lead a sanctioning ceremony for her in which she will take her place alongside Dhara-sensei and John-sensei as a teacher in our broader Rochester Zen Center Sangha. She will continue to lead the Louisville Zen Center. This ceremony will also be Zoomed from its location at the Chapin Mill Retreat Center.

A final word: recently, we came across a poem by Rumi. We found it inspiring and would like to share part of it with you all…

My Soul is From Elsewhere     

All day I think about it, then at night I say it.
Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be doing?
I have no idea.
My soul is from elsewhere, I’m sure of that,
And I intend to end up there.

This drunkenness began in some other tavern.
When I get back around to that place,
I’ll be completely sober. Meanwhile,
I’m like a bird from another continent, sitting in this aviary.
The day is coming when I fly off,
But who is it now in my ear who hears my voice?
Who says words with my mouth?

Who looks out with my eyes? What is the soul?
I cannot stop asking..