DVZC Retreats and Dharma Talks:
___January 28, Retreat: 9:00am – 4:00pm. Bill McCracken leading.
___February 10, Dharma Talk. First Unitarian Church Wilmington.
With Ken Kessel, JDPSN.
___February 11, Retreat: 6:00am – 4:00pm. Ken Kessel, JDPSN leading.
___March 30 – April 1, Official end of Kyol Che. Trip to Providence for
Buddha’s Birthday.
___April 13, Dharma Talk, First Unitarian Church Wilmington.
With Jose’ Ramirez, JDPSN.
___April 14, Retreat: 6:00 am- 4:00pm. Jose Ramirez, JDPSN leading.
*Retreat costs ($70/day;$50/day members; $40 day DT and DTIT)
Let’s all practice together! Heart Kyol Che 2012
What is Kyol Che?
Kyol Che is a traditional Korean Zen retreat. The name means “tight dharma” or “coming together.” In Korea, it is the three-month winter and summer periods when monks and nuns do intensive sitting practice in the mountain temples. Providence Zen Center holds two Kyol Che retreats annually, with students sitting up to three months in the winter and four weeks in the summer.
What is the Heart Kyol Che?
The Heart Kyol Che is an opportunity for students who cannot sit the traditional Kyol Che, or who can sit only part of it, to participate by doing extra practice at home and practicing together with others as they are able. This will run concurrently with the traditional Kyol Che. By doing this Heart Kyol Che together, we will strengthen our own practices, and provide support to our fellow students who are able to sit the traditional Kyol Che. We in turn can draw inspiration and energy from their committment.
Will there be together action opportunities?
Students participating in the Heart Kyol Che are encouraged to attend the Kyol Che events at the Delaware Valley Zen Center listed on the second page. Please note that there are also opportunities to attend other Kwan Um School Kyol Che events at Providence and other locations around the world.
What if I can’t get to Providence Zen Center?
If you are geographically distant, you can still participate in the Heart Kyol Che through your commitment to practice at home. Try to attend talks, sittings, and retreats at The Delaware Valley Zen Center or another center of the Kwan Um School of Zen.
How do I arrange to participate?
Fill out the practice commitment form (message me for a form); keep a copy for yourself, and email a copy to dvzcsangha@gmail.com. You can also use the same form to register for retreats.
What does the Heart Kyol Che consist of?
1. An effort to do daily practice (suggested minimum is recitation of the Four Great Vows; bowing; chanting of the Heart Sutra; and sitting at least fifteen minutes)
2. Doing daily mantra practice (suggested minimum is one thousand Kwan Seum Bosals)
3. A personal day of silence and mindfulness (optional)
4. Long sittings (suggested minimum is one)
5. Dharma talks (suggested minimum is one)
6. Yong Maeng Jong Jins and one day retreats(suggested minimum is one day)
7. One or more weeks of Winter Kyol Che at Providence (optional)
8. Winter Kyol Che ceremonies at Providence (optional)
9. Work practice at your Zen center
Zen is very simple… What are you?
In this whole world everyone searches for happiness outside, but nobody understands their true self inside.
Everybody says, “I” — “I want this, I am like that…” But nobody understands this “I.” Before you were born, where did your I come from? When you die, where will your I go? If you sincerely ask, “What am I?” sooner or later you will run into a wall where all thinking is cut off. We call this “Don’t know.”
Zen is keeping this “Don’t know” mind always and everywhere.
When walking, standing, sitting, lying down, speaking, being silent, moving, being still. At all times, in all places, without interruption — what is this? One mind is infinite kalpas.
Meditation in Zen means keeping don’t-know mind when bowing, chanting and sitting Zen. This is formal Zen practice. And when doing something, just do it. When driving, just drive; when eating, just eat; when working, just work.
Finally, your don’t-know mind will become clear. Then you can see the sky, only blue. You can see the tree, only green. Your mind is like a clear mirror. Red comes, the mirror is red; white comes the mirror is white. A hungry person comes, you can give him food; a thirsty person comes, you can give her something to drink. There is no desire for myself, only for all beings. That mind is already enlightenment, what we call Great Love, Great Compassion, the Great Bodhisattva Way. It’s very simple, not difficult!
So Buddha said that all beings have Buddha-nature (enlightenment nature). But Zen Master Joju said that a dog has no Buddha-nature. Which one is right? Which one is wrong? If you find that, you find the true way.
Founded in 1999, Delaware Valley Zen Center (DVZC) offers to the community an environment for Zen practice. Our weekly practice includes chanting, sitting meditation and walking meditation. We offer meditation instruction on the first Tuesday of the month, and Zen meditation retreats once a quarter. DVZC is one of more than sixty centers and groups worldwide affiliated with the Kwan Um School of Zen, an international organization founded by Zen Master Seung Sahn.
Our guiding teacher is José Ramírez, JDPSN, who received Inka in April 2009.
The Delaware Valley Zen Center (DVZC) is a 501(c)3 non-profit religious corporation of the State of Delaware. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. DVZC is supported, administered and maintained by its members.
Today the DVZC Sangha is an active community that provides a place of practice and instruction in Zen Buddhism, under the guidance of José Ramírez, JDPSN.
