Welcome to the Orlando Zen Center newsletter!
UPCOMING PRACTICE
Our regular LONG SIT (May 16) , which happens the 3rd Saturday of each month from 9:00am to 3:00pm, is coming up. It is a “come as you can, leave as you must” event. All the details can be found on our website. This is a Zoom-only event.
Sunday Evening Practice is hybrid, every Sunday, 6:30pm to 8:00pm on Zoom and in-person atThe New Romantics bookstore.
More information about the schedule can be found on our website.
VIDEO OF THE MONTH
Our teaching video of the month selection is How to Stay Present in Difficult Moments by Marshall White JDPSN.
TEACHING SELECTION OF THE MONTH
Our teaching selection of the month is Enlightenment Only Means Wake Up by Zen Master Su Bong
SANGHA SUBMISSIONS
We encourage all our Sangha members to share Buddhism-related pieces of wisdom with us. If you have anything you’d like to share in our monthly newsletters, please contact us via our website or by simply replying to this email.
SANGHA VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
We are always on the lookout for ways to give back to the community. If you know of any local group volunteer opportunities, please contact us via our website or by emailing us.
Last month, members of our Sangha volunteered with the Farmworker Association of Florida at the Hope CommUnity Center in Apopka, helping to revitalize their community garden. There is another opportunity to volunteer at the garden on Saturday, May 30th, from 8:00am to 12:00pm. You do not have to join the entire time, but any help is greatly appreciated. Plus you may be able to take home some fresh veggies or herbs straight from the garden! If interested, please reply to this email with your availability.
There is also a cleanup opportunity with Keep Orlando Beautiful on Saturday, May 16th, from 9:00am to 11:00am. If you are interested in joining, please click here to visit the opportunity details page, then click the green “Sign Up” button. When signing up, specify that you are with a group, and select Orlando Zen Center. We hope to see you there!
If you are interested in volunteering for certain jobs during in-person practice, please contact us as well. The jobs include opening the altar at the start of practice, performing the Evening Bell Chant, and signaling the start/end of meditation with the chukpi (wooden clapper).
DID YOU KNOW?
Orlando Zen Center is an affiliate of the Kwan Um School of Zen, an international organization of more than a hundred centers and groups.
MEMBERSHIP
By becoming a dues-paying member of Orlando Zen Center, you help support its ongoing practice and programs. You’ll also automatically become a member of the international Kwan Um School of Zen, and part of its effort to bring this teaching to new students and to other parts of the world. The practice is always free, but if you aren’t ready/able to become a dues-paying member, donations are always appreciated and help support our center.
IN CLOSING
Thank you for reading this newsletter. We hope to grow it each month with more current opportunities to connect with our Orlando Sangha both in and outside of the Dharma room. We plan to send these newsletters out to subscribers every Monday of the week before Long Sit, so be on the lookout for our next edition. If you would like to assist with creating the newsletter, please contact us via our website or by emailing us.