Mt. Baldy Zen Center

Dear friends,

We have great news. The Zendo remodel is complete!

As you can see, the results are both subtle and dramatic.  There’s a much greater feeling of spaciousness, harmony and attentive craftsmanship.  Yet the sense of quiet purpose is very much the same.  When people step inside for the first time, their reactions are a mix of big smiles, soft exclamations and sudden desires to sit until next spring.  We’ve even been able to bring up Roshi, who assessed its presence with an approving, “Fifty more years.”

Most importantly, the Zendo now is solidly anchored to the rocky slope for the first time in its more than 50-year history.  Inside, the low, flat ceiling has been opened to a vaulted space, and the ancient linoleum replaced with a cherry-surface floor.  Walls are insulated and new, double-pane windows installed to make the Zendo warm in winter, and multiple fans will pull out hot air and create a breeze in summer.  Outside, the Zendo looks largely unchanged, though both sagging porches have been replaced with much sturdier versions.

We’re immensely grateful to the 137 people who have donated to this project so far; your names appear below.  Mount Baldy Zen Center couldn’t possibly have made this important, necessary shift without your help.  On behalf of our extended sangha, we deeply thank you.

This sort of project ordinarily is done by raising all funds before prying out the first rusty nail.  In this case, though, we didn’t have the luxury of waiting.  Between Roshi’s 105 years, the Zendo’s safety issues and impending snow, we needed to move ahead without full funding.  To date, we’ve received $44,000 toward the $90,000 cost, leaving $46,000 to go.

Please consider joining this meaningful effort by giving what you can. If you’ve already done so, we ask that if possible, you give a little more.  If you haven’t yet contributed to the Zendo, please offer a donation if you’re fortunate enough to have the resources.

We know the timing is difficult given the weak economy, the presidential election and the pain of Hurricane Sandy.  Please consider, though, that this isn’t one more noisy, hollow fundraising campaign.  The Zendo is now a worthy vessel to carry Roshi’s Rinzai Zen practice and teachings into the future.  It also can cradle the wider sangha of Tibetan Buddhism, aikido, yoga and other practitioners whose workshops we’re honored to host.

This is the last Zendo appeal we’ll make.  And while we have no doubt that your generosity will manifest its own rewards, we’re not above more secular means.  Roshi kindly agreed to let us put his calligraphy of the Zen founder Bodhidharma on a mug. We’ll be happy to send one to each of the first 25 donors.  Please just let us know if you prefer black or white.

To donate, send a check to:

Mount Baldy Zen Center

PO Box 429

7901 Mount Baldy Road

Mount Baldy, CA 91759

Or scroll to the bottom of this page for the Paypal button.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to those of you who have donated, and to those of you whose donations are forthcoming.

Gassho,

Gento