Spring is here...

...and CUUF's Stone Blossom Sangha has a full schedule of events planned for the spring and summer season beginning with the first half-day Zen retreat, known as mini-sesshin, Saturday, April 26 from 10:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon. These monthly retreats will be led by the Rev. Genko Kathy Blackman Ni-Osho the fourth Saturday of most months April through October. The exceptions will be May and June. The mini-sesshin on May 24th will be led by the abbot of Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Temple (Chobo-Ji), Genjo Marinello Osho. In June Genko, Todd Petit and Sharon Petit will all be in Seattle at Summer Sesshin which starts on June 28 and ends July 4.

The half day retreats include zazen or seated meditation, chanting, walking meditation, lunch, dharma interview and dharma talk. Genko, who has served as the CUUF's teacher for the past three years, has developed a less formal style adapted to UU Buddhist practice. She offers discussion of each individual's practice or answers questions on Zen and Buddhism during the one-on-one interview with the teacher. The noon meal is taken western style in silence. A dana offering or suggested donation for Genko is $15. Dana means giving from the heart for the support of the teacher and is voluntary.

Rev. Genjo Marinello Osho has a more formal style. The dharma interview with Genjo offers an opportunity to do koan study, as well as discussion about individual practice. The noon meal is a formal Zen meal with bowls and chopsticks; western style silverware is available as needed. There is a suggested donation of $20.

A limited number of cushions will be available for those wishing to sit on the floor or you may bring your own. Chair sitting is encouraged for anyone who has limited meditation experience or physical difficulties. If interested in attending a retreat talk to Sharon Petit, (509) 670-0883.

The Rev. Genko Kathy Blackman Ni-Osho is an ordained Zen priest from Chobo-ji, a temple is in the Rinzai - Hakuin Ekaku Zenji Dharma Line. She is also a Urasenke Japanese Tea Teacher and a member of the Religious Services Advisory Committee of the Washington State Department of Corrections. Genko has also had training in traditional Zen poetry, especially haiku, and will be working with Stone Blossom Sangha to start a haiku study group at CUUF this summer. Genjo Osho has agreed to get us started when he visits in May with a workshop to be offered to the public in Zen poetry. Watch for further announcements in the CUUF-Link.

John Crew, samu or working meditation coordinator for Stone Blossom Sangha, has announced that work on cleaning up the meditation garden will begin soon. Anyone interested in helping participating in this "chop wood, carry water" side of Zen practice should contact John, 665-5977, for further information.

The CUUF Zen Buddhist Group

(www.uua.org/uubf)

HAIKU WORKSHOP

Saturday, May 24, 3:30 pm—5:00 pm

Genjo Osho is offering a workshop on Zen poetry, with an emphasis on the haiku form, to all who are interested. A dana offering or donation is requested. Genko, who has also had training in traditional Zen poetry, will be working with Stone Blossom Sangha to start a haiku study group at CUUF this summer.

Zen Meditation

Wednesday evenings: 8 - 9:30 pm

Meditation in a group setting is powerful and enriching. This one has its roots in Zen Buddhism.

SATURDAY MORNING ZEN CLASSES AND MEDITATIONS

Saturday, May 10th: 8:30am—10:30 am

A short meditation, tea, chanting and instruction at 8:30 followed by a break, then a longer 30 minute meditation. Anyone who wishes to leave before the longer sit may do so during the break. For more information, contact Sharon Petit, 884-6773.

RED TARA TIBETAN PRACTICE AND MEDITATION

Wednesdays: 7:00 pm in the Blue House

For more information about this new Buddhist Group which meets at CUUF, contact Anne Crain, 509-997-2407.

Mini Sesshins with the Rev. Genko Kathy Blackman

April 26, May 24, July 31, August 23, September 27 & October 25 10:00 am—3:00pm

[No sesshin is scheduled for June; Todd & Sharon Petit, and Genko will be in Seattle at Summer Sesshin (June 28—July 4).]
These informal mini-sesshins include sitting meditation, tea, chanting, walking meditation in the meditation garden, an opportunity for a one-on-one personal interview with Genko, and a dharma talk by Genko. Because they are more advanced than the Beginning Zen Classes of previous years, anyone unused to sitting for a fairly long period would be a bit discouraged. If you are interested in attending the classes, you should minimally attend a number of weekly meditations on Wednesdays and/or Saturdays beforehand.

A $15 donation is suggested for each class. If interested, contact Sharon or Todd Petit, 884-6773, or email mizmar@charter.net.

May Retreat
Genjo Marinello Osho, abbot of Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji and dharma of Eido Shimano Roshi, will lead the mini-sesshin on May 24. These half day retreats are from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm the fourth Saturday of month through October.They include sitting meditation, walking meditation in CUUF's meditation garden, Dharma talk by Genko or Genjo, private Dharma interview with the teacher, tea and a meditative lunch. Genko allows a western style informal meal meditation and Genjo prefers the more traditional Zen meal with bowls and chopsticks. A dana offering or donation is suggested: $20.for Genjo, $15 for Genko.

A limited number of cushions will be available for those wishing to sit on the floor or you may bring your own. Chair sitting is encouraged for anyone who has limited meditation experience or physical difficulties. Participants, prior to the sesshin, are encouraged to attend at least one Saturday morning Zen class and one Wednesday night Zen meditation. If interested in attending a retreat, talk to Sharon Petit, (509) 670-0883.

The Rev. Genko Kathy Blackman is the first woman to be ordained a Zen Buddhist priest in the Pacific Northwest. Genko is a Rinzai Zen Osho practicing with Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji in Seattle for about 25 years, first studying with Genki Takabayashi Roshi and now with Genjo Marinello Osho. She works with Buddhist meditation groups at King County Jail and Monroe Correctional Complex, and provides meditation instruction at Bailey Boushay House. She has been studying with the Seattle Branch of the Urasenke school of tea for the past seven years. Genko has taken on the role of teacher for the CUUF Zen group and is a popular speaker at CUUF.

The Meditation Garden
(click for details)

(As recalled by John Crew and recorded for Ruth Gardner's chronological history of Cascade Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on October 14, 2006.)

The Meditation Garden began during my first term as President of the CUUF Board of Trustees. On a survey we conducted several members of the Fellowship mentioned the desire to have such a garden . Having done landscaping and rock work around my home, and with an academic background in sculpture, I took it upon myself to develop a design. I had three guiding principles: Keep it simple and meditative; place it in a relatively quiet and little-used area; spend almost nothing. I think these goals were achieved, although about $500 has been spent on equipment, irrigation pipe, benches and plantings.

The garden is 20 ft. wide and 116 ft. long and is bordered on the north by a windrow of Poplar trees. Its main features are a long winding "dry" riverbed of cobblestones and a water feature made of local stone, including basalt.

The cobblestones were donated by Gallery 76 (on the WVC campus) where they had been part of the gallery floor for 28 years. With the help of a rented "dump trailer", four volunteers from Gallery 76, four from CUUF, and four work-release inmates from the Chelan County jail, 6 cubic yards of rock were shoveled, loaded and relocated to the asphalt bus pad behind our building. Lee Barnhill, Dan Sconce and I helped with this, but my memory fails to focus on our fourth companion. The rock was accompanied by 28 years of dust and grime, and would need to be screened and washed in the spring.

In the spring Dan Sconce and I laid out the outline of the streambed with garden hose so the hard task of removing sod could begin. Many people helped with this but special thanks goes to Lois Cole and her friend Bill (from Alaska) who did about three quarters by themselves. LeRoy Farmer, Dan Sconce, Suzanne Harper, Pat Brooke, Todd & Sharon Petit, myself and several others washed and wheel-barrowed rock for many days. The aforementioned are practicing members of the CUUF Zen Buddhist Meditation Group who have taken on the task of maintaining the garden. The Zen Buddhist influence on the design is significant and includes a "Boat rock" in the far end of the streambed.

All of the rock has been gathered from the Wenatchee area. The basalt was brought from Charlie Mason's property in Rock Island and the remainder from the area just north of Rocky Reach Dam. Charlie gathered most of the basalt and Brian Ohme helped me with the rest. I take responsibility for the arrangement and placing of the rocks with advice from others, particularly Todd. The water comes from the irrigation canal and is only available in the summer. Ken Toevs installed most of the underground plumbing including valves, with Todd and I digging ditches. I finished the remainder of the water system and Brian and I cemented the pond. Bonnie Orr donated a Maple tree and Suzanne and I donated a Sourwood. Louise Buchanan donated funds for one of our benches and LeRoy Farmer completed the complementary walkway to the north parking area. To this point that pretty well wraps things up. However, this will always be an ongoing project. Thanks to all who have helped and those who are to come.

UUs and Buddhist Unitarians
Universalism and Buddhism have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship since the mid-nineteenth century. There is a national Unitarian Universalist Buddhist Fellowship. To find out more visit www.25uua.org.