Eighty members of the Soto Zen Buddhist Association gathered at Camp Courage Conference and Retreat Center in Maple Lake, MN, from Wednesday, 28 September through Sunday the 2nd of October, 2016. This year’s theme — “Responding to the Cries of the World—Soto Zen Priests and Sanghas in an Age of Climate Change and Social Suffering” — reminded us clearly about the unfolding climate crisis, the call for solidarity with Native peoples at Standing Rock, and the upcoming election, whose sorrowful result heightens the need for a principled, non-violent response from all people of conscience. Over the course of four days of plenary presentations, breakout groups and TED-style talks, we addressed a wide scope of practice and action.
The SZBA board wishes to thank the Program Committee—Myo-On Hagler, Shodo Spring, and Susan Nelson—and we offer particular gratitude to Minnesota sangha members from Minnesota Zen Meditation Center, Hokyoji, Clouds and Water Zen Center, Compassionate Ocean Dharma Center for their myriad and tireless efforts to welcome us and make our gathering comfortable.
We also express gratitude and to the staff of Camp Courage. This was the SZBA’s first time holding a conference outside of a temple. Doing so presented new and unique challenges, while also giving us the opportunity to welcome a large representation of our Midwestern relatives, many of whom had not previously been able to attend a conference. We hope to continue to embrace the geological diversity of our membership in this way in the future.
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Most of us arrived on Wednesday in time for two simultaneous informal sessions, one for the full members and one for the associate members. After the informal sessions, we had a moving Opening Ceremony.
Thursday began with welcoming words from SZBA president Hozan Alan Senauke, reviewing our 20-year history and acknowledging the strengths and challenges of our present organizational circumstances. The day continued with a workshop on the Right Use of Power led by Peg Syverson & Tenku Ruff. Our good dharma friend Gengo Akiba Roshi, the Soto Zen Sokan or Bishop, made presentation on the Tempyozan monastery project moving ahead steadily in Clear Lake, California.
The afternoon session concluded with a memorial service for Shunbo Zenkei Blanche Hartman, Shofu Myozan Dennis Keegan, and Koko Dave Hazelwood, SZBA members who had died in 2016. We chanted the Lotus Sutra’s “Life Span” verses remembering our absent friends’ vivid examples:
In order to liberate all beings,
as skillful means I appear to have entered nirvana;
yet truly I am not extinct,
ever dwelling here to voice the dharma.
That evening David Loy, scholar, activist, and Zen teacher gave the keynote presentation, “Hearing the Cries of the World,” addressing the intersection of Dharma, ecology, and activism, urging us to commit ourselves to lead our communities into social action.
On Friday morning Peg Syverson and Peter Overton facilitated an interactive visioning session, introducing the Appreciate Inquiry method. The group took some initial steps to discuss and explore the direction and vision of SZBA, based on where we are in our organizational history and in this moment of Zen in the West. Generation X priests met for a breakout session over lunch. Afterwards, Thomas Bruner led a workshop on fundraising for Zen centers. The afternoon featured breakout sessions on the sewing practice and furthering the conversation with David Loy. In the evening Dai-en Bennage offered women members a seldom-seen Ananda ceremony, honoring the monk who opened doors to women monastics during the Buddha’s time.
Saturday’s business meeting heard reports from standing committees, as well as from Associate members and the Gen-X breakout group. Four TED-style talks included: Hogen Bays—“Nothing is Amiss: the Foundation for Social Action;” Tenku Ruff—“Cultural Competence Across Generations;” Koun Franz—“Race/Diversity/Privilege in the Sangha;” and Ben Connelly—“Working with Police departments with Mindfulness and Meditation.”
On Saturday afternoon we concluded our work with the Dharma Heritage Ceremony and closing ceremony, followed by a banquet and an evening of cultural sharing—songs, poems, skits, and even calligraphy. The Dharma Heritage Ceremony widened our Soto Zen priest circle to include:
Dainei Page Appelbaum, Chimyo Simone Atkinson, Myosho Ann Kyle Brown, Chodo Robert Campbell, Konin Cardenas, Ben Connelly, Seiso Paul Cooper, Kotoku Ray Crivello, Zenki Christian Dillo, Koshin Paley Ellison, Guy Gibbon, Tova Myocho Green, Prajnatara Paula Hirschboeck, Wanda Mahadana Isle, Myoshin Kaniumoe, Myozan Kodo Kilroy, Bussho Lahn, Flying Fish Barbara Murphy, Peter Overton, Christine Koshin Palmer, Margaret Syverson, Ryushin Andrea Thach, Bonnie VerbonCoeur, Kyoku Tracey Walen, and Steve Weintraub.
And on Sunday we forgot to rest. Some left for long afternoon and evening flights home. Others had a chance to visit Zen centers in and around Minneapolis, deepening friendships and dharma relations.
This report only touches on the rich discourse and warm fellowship of SZBA’s biennial gathering. We recognize as well, that many of our 300 members were not able to attend. We look forward to seeing you in the fall of 2018. |