10.03.07

Posted in MBZC Journal at 4:55 pm by admin

Hello Friends,

It has been a long time since the last update, but here we go. Summer seichu ended on September 13th, and it was eventful. Perhaps most notably, Gento the Shika came down with an unexpected bout of pancreatitis that forced him to leave in July. During this time, Mt Baldy was at Rinzai-ji for the Dai-Sesshin that took place to commemorate Roshi’s 45th year of teaching in America. Although pancreatitis can be fatal, Gento is okay and plans to rejoin us this fall to regain his strength for Winter Seichu. Chizo is now at Rinzai-ji to help with building repairs at Genroan and to fill in for Sohan who, for family reasons, had to leave his position as Rinzai-ji’s Shika.

The day after September Dai-Sesshin, on September 9th, Reuben Litten who has lived here for a year and a half, was ordained as Tsuo, and now fills the Jikijitsu position. The other staff members include Judith Johnson as Tenzo, Fred Martinsen from Norway as Shoji, and Deva Graf as Densu. Deva returned with her husband Soken, who finished Rolfing school and is now Shika.

Shortly after seichu, Chizo came up to fortify the free standing upper toilet septic tanks by adding wood and steel bracing to make up for the ground that would otherwise support them. During seichu we were also helped by Soiku from Vienna who served as Tenzo, as well as Gyodo Jim Shapiro, a middle school director and long time student of Roshi’s who comes regularly from New York City to spend his summer vacation practicing here. Other seichu students inculded Rick Anderson from Colorado, who recently retired and has chosen to follow Roshi and fill his days wth the study of Tathagata Zen. We were also joined by Myoko Maureen Vivino from Ithaca. Myoko is a member of Moosewood restaurant and regularly attends seichu when she is not publishing cook books or teaching Tai-Chi. Susan Linnell, a former resident and staff member at Bodhi Manda Zen Center, was also with us. Susan and Myoko spent a lot of time sewing robes, repairing cushions, cleaning, organizing and revitalizing the sewing cabin. We were also joined by Oren Beth Schaefer, who helped with sewing and served as Densu in the last weeks of seichu.

Currently we are working on ways to electronically distribute this update as well as announcements and acknowledgments. If you are interested in receiving such information and you are not already, please send us your email address to office@mbzc.org with a note that you would like for us to put you on the mailing list and we will do so.

Well, it is getting colder and darker outside. The cat needs to be let into Roshi’s cabin to continue to keep out the mice, dinner needs to be made, and I need to gather the various requested articles for the early drive to Rinzai-ji tomorrow morning and Day 7 of the Daruma-ki sesshin.

Thank you all for your support and interest in Mt Baldy Zen Center.

Soken

05.26.07

Update: 5/26/07

Posted in MBZC Journal at 3:27 pm by admin

Hello Friends,

When I began writing this email to you last Sunday we were hosting the Aikido-Ai workshop, and I could hear students and dan’s alike smacking blue mats in the sutra hall. This past Memorial Weekend was Sensei Frank McGouirk et al.’s 25th anniversary of coming to MBZC for retreats. They celebrated the anniversary with a nice meal on Sunday. Instructors Danielle Molles Smith and Michael Smith got married at MBZC, and every year they renew their vows here, which made Sunday’s celebration that much more special.

It’s been a busy group season at the Zen Center, but most of us full-timers have still managed to either schedule or take our family visits. Reuben will be visiting his family in New York mid-June. I was able to spend ten days with my family in Wisconsin during May, and Tyler went back to Canada for ten days at the end of winter Seichu.

Chizo, Reuben Litten, Tyler Turpin, Judith Johnson and I are MBZC’s current fulltime residents (with Fred Martinsen joining us after spending Kessei at Bodhi and attending Mt. Cobb’s Dai-Sesshin June 17-23rd). Last summer Judith told us that she would be coming to MBZC the following summer, and has made good on her promise, arriving two weeks ago. She began her training with Eshin at the Vancouver Zen Center and has done a couple retreats at Baldy and spent a month of Seichu here.

It’s spring, and especially dry this season, but that hasn’t stopped the wildlife from bleating, bustling, cawing, ferreting, rooting, scurrying here, climbing there, and generally bringing the mountain to life. Tyler ran into a bear cub on the driveway as he walked to the Zendo one morning, and Reuben heard a bear crashing on the hill outside the sewing cabin one evening after closing. While Reuben had the luxury of staying indoors and ignoring the bear, Tyler had to make it to the Zendo for morning practice. He backtracked to the sutra hall foyer, grabbed a gong and intrepidly made his way to the Zendo while banging the gong to scare the bear away. Let it never be said that MBZC students lack commitment when it comes to keeping the schedule!

Aside from bears, camp is alive with squirrels, snakes (king and rattle), and lizards — many of which wind up in the mouth of Kuru, MBZC’s cat, as he prowls the grounds. Yesterday Kuru decided to invade a rattlesnake nest. He probably would have lost that battle if I hadn’t heard a high-pitched rattle coming from behind the Inji cabin and, thinking a hose had broken and was spraying water, came back around to investigate and carried him off. Meanwhile, the mountain itself is bright with yellow flowers and green conifers. And, as it’s just beginning to warm up but not heat up, the weather is near perfect.

Now that we’ve got you thinking about how beautiful it is here, we would like to encourage you to join us for practice this summer. We have been pleasantly surprised by how quickly our summer Dai-Sesshins are already filling up, so please act fast. If you’re a student, to reserve a space send a non-refundable $100 deposit to PO Box 429, Mt. Baldy, CA 91759. If you’re ordained send us an email or call and let us know which Dai-Sesshins you plan on attending.

Summer schedule is as follows:
June 30 — Mount Baldy Summer Seichu begins
July 1 – 7 — Dai Sesshin
August 5 – 11 — Dai Sesshin
September 2 – 8 — Dai Sesshin
September 13 — Mount Baldy Summer Seichu ends

We would also like to invite any locals to join us on Sunday, June 10, for a Zazenkai. The schedule is:
9AM Zendo
12AM Semi Formal lunch
1:30 PM Zendo
2:30 PM Dharma talk by Kigen Osho
4PM Close

There is a suggested donation of $20 for the Zazenkai. Please email or call if you wish to attend.
Looking forward to practicing with you all soon,

Gento,
Shika

03.24.07

Update: 3/24/07

Posted in MBZC Journal at 2:56 pm by admin

Greetings Friends,

Winter Seichu came to a close on March 5, with Roshi leaving two days later for a three day Zazenkai in Phoenix at Haku-un-ji. After he finishes up the current Dai-Sesshin in Puerto Rico, Roshi will fly to Los Angeles for his birthday Dai-Sesshin April 1-7.

MBZC’s current fulltime residents are Chizo, Reuben Litten, Feryal Genc, Tyler Turpin and me. We look forward to seeing everyone who will be attending the Hanamatsuri celebration on April 8th at Rinzai-Ji. This will be an especially important festivity as it will coincide with the sangha’s celebration of Roshi’s 100th birthday.

MBZC has a full workshop season this Seikan. This May, led by Frank McGouirk (with Teja Bell, Cyndy Hayashi, Michael Smith and Danielle Smith), the Aikido-Ai’s will be celebrating their 25th year of Aikido retreats at MBZC. As every monk, nun and student who has spent Seikan at MBZC knows, this is a special occasion, and MBZC is looking forward to it. Ken McCloud and Marvin Traeger will be hosting retreats at MBZC this Seikan as well, along with a new yoga group from LA run by Carry Kim.

MBZC has several work projects planned for this Seikan. In the continuing effort to improve the upper toilets we will be purchasing and installing a new holding tank to go with the existing two new tanks, which will increase the capacity of the toilets greatly, saving us money on pumping costs. Meanwhile, we have rented a carpet cleaning machine and shampooed all the carpets on camp, and Chizo has been changing the oil and brake pads on all the vehicles (and teaching Tyler how to do so as well). Feryal is sewing robes in the sewing cabin, and Reuben, as Nakaten, has learned how to make Tempeh and sour kraut. Finally, Kuro, our cat, has been busy manifesting the “feline activity” by catching two mice since February in Roshi’s/the Inji cabin.

Last week, Bodhi Manda board member David Vogel and his partner Larry were kind enough to invite MBZC (along with Chizo’s wife, Tanya Podymova) to their house in Palm Springs for a post-Seichu “harmony day.” We swam, grilled, hiked, spent the night, and on the way back to Mt. Baldy visited the Zen Mountain Center located in the beautiful San Jacinto Mountains of Southern California. Yesterday MBZC joined Rinzai-Ji at Charles Towle’s (”Chip’s”) house in Upland for submarine sandwich night, which Chips has been kind enough to make a regular Seikan event. He spoke of visiting Mt. Baldy for the first time many years ago and recalled the monks—now oshos—who were living here then.

Reuben, Feryal and I plan on taking our family visits at various points this Seikan. Tyler is currently visiting his family in Canada.

Our Seikan schedule is:

4AM wakeup
4:15 zendo
6:30 semi-formal breakfast
7:45 or 8AM work bell
11:45 end work
Noon: semi-formal lunch
2:00 zazen
2:30 work bell
4:45 end work
5:30 informal dinner/cleanup in kitchen
7-8:30 zazen, tea, chanting, close

Wishing you all the best this spring,

Gento,
Shika

01.02.07

Happy New Year!

Posted in MBZC Journal at 10:50 am by Steve

Greetings friends,

We are almost a month into our winter Seichu here at Mt. Baldy. On camp this Seichu we have one scholarship student, one new student, one returning student, two new monks, one experienced monk, one nun and a cat.

New to Mt. Baldy, Tyler Turpin joins us from the Victoria Zen Center in Canada, where he practiced with Eshu. Feryal Genc has returned to Mt. Baldy from Germany; she plans on spending winter Seichu and part of Seikan with us. Myoko joins us from Ithaca, New York, while Genko is up from Rinzai-Ji/LA and is our Jiki-Jitsu.

Rounding out the officers this winter are Reuben Litten, Nakaten; Chizo, Shoji; Gento, Shika.

Meanwhile, mice in the Inji/Roshi’s cabin have been an ongoing problem. A little over two weeks ago, during our Rohatsu Sesshin, Roshi asked Jessica Kramer and Sokai to acquire a cat. The result is Kuro-san (black boy), our newest Sangha member (found in a shelter in Claremont). Around eight months old, this otherwise jet-black cat has white paws and long white eyebrows (looking very much the feline patriarch). He is terrifically friendly and affectionate save in the presence of mice (we know of two confirmed kills so far). Rinzai-Ji hosted its traditional New Years party two days ago, which Mt. Baldy attended, and while the Mt. Baldy staff, all the students and Roshi are down at Rinzai-Ji until tomorrow, Kuro-san is currently sharing quarters with the Shika in the Inji cabin. Every evening around bedtime he lets loose with a chorus of hearty, emotion-filled meows, just in case his presence is not being fully appreciated.

In the recent past Mt. Baldy has made a strict policy of allowing only full-time participants in Sesshin. This policy has changed. Part-time status is now permitted. Part-timers must complete four full days of Sesshin.

A special thanks to Gary Galsworth, who donated his plumbing know-how and services to Mt. Baldy this past Seikan, and to John Dumbrille for his help in updating our Website calendar.

Please be advised that our winter Seichu schedule has changed. The new schedule is as follows (and can be found on our website at MBZC.org):

MBZC Winter 2007 Seichu Schedule
January 10, Rinzai-ki Ceremony

January 11- 17 Mt. Baldy Dai-Sesshin

January 24-30 Rinzai-ji Dai-Sesshin

February 8-14 Mt. Baldy Dai-Sesshin

February 15 Nirvana Day

February 25 – Mar 3 Mt. Baldy Dai-Sesshin

March 5 Seichu ends

Looking forward to practicing with you all very soon,

Shika,
Gento

09.21.06

Posted in MBZC Journal at 5:50 pm by Chizo

We have finished Summer Seichu. Roshi extended it for two more days. We had an evening gathering by the fire circle with a fire, and now everyone has left except Gento, Reuben, and me. Mark Hurwitz and Steve Krieger were ordained in a Tokudo Shiki ceremony the day after Dai- sesshin, and they have become respectively Genko, and Gento.

Roshi led seichu with a strong spirit, and we are grateful.

I feel very good about the seichu. We had a strong group ranging from twelve to twenty people. The Dai-sesshins were full and we had useful and demanding work in between. The highlights of the work were: Gendo and Genshu working on the shower building installing a wood floor in the jacuzzi room, and windows in the shower rooms; Susan Linnell sewing new robes and support cushions; Danny Moritz painting the building exteriors; and Mark Hurwitz, now Genko, creating the membership flyer, and a flyer to promote the workshop business we do in seikan. There is quite a lot of unfinished work which we are trying to complete before our first workshop in October, and the weather gets more difficult.

Soiku took a break from seichu to go climbing and he injured a knee, and had to return to Vienna. We missed him for the remainder of seichu and wish him a full and speedy recovery.

The Board of Directors and I held a meeting to consider the future of MBZC. It was very useful for us to focus on the factors of sustainabilty that exist and may develop. My viewpoint is that the measures we can take to strenghthen the Zen Center include: improving the condition of the facilities, foremost is the improvement of the bathrooms; increasing the participation of the sangha, in seichu and seikan residents, in Dai- sesshins, in work projects, etc.; and building a strong economic base. To me the Zen Center is a miracle of a facility, but it requires much fuel to prosper.

I thank everyone for Summer seichu and invite you for the Winter.Here is the schedule for Winter Seichu:

MBZC Winter Seichu Schedule

December 9 Seichu begins
December 15-22 Rohatsu Dai-sesshin
January 10 Rinzai Ki at MBZC
January 11-17 Dai- sesshin
February 8-14 Dai- sesshin
February 15 Nirvana Day at MBZC
March 4-10 Dai-sesshin
March 13 Seichu ends

And a reminder that the cost of Dai- sesshin has been increased to $425, and individual Sanzen $6.

Chizo, Shika.

08.30.06

Posted in MBZC Journal at 8:09 pm by Chizo

The price of Dai-sesshin will increase from $350 to $425 beginning with Rohatsu. Also the policy at Mt. Baldy will be that students who are here from Banka through final closing have priority if there is more demand for places than there are seats. And it is necessary to send a deposit to reserve a place.

08.20.06

Posted in MBZC Journal at 11:54 am by Chizo

We are now doing a schedule of two morning sanzens and an afternoon of samu. Genshu and Gendo are putting windows in the shower rooms. As of yet we have only openings and no glass but it has completely changed how I feel about taking a shower. I am taking a shower almost every day. Danny has painted most of the lower camp. We have started splitting the logs that were next to the fire circle, and that is probably the most fun work. Susan Linnell is making support cushions.

We have been inspected recently by both the Health Department and the Forest Service, and we had only a few minor violations. It was interesting to hear the Forest Service person’s point of view on this place. She was emphatic that this property belongs to the public, and although what we do here is a proper use, we have a responsibility to be open to the public. She asked if we have other groups here and I was a little vague until I realized that she considers it an obligation for us to make this place available. We host workshops during seikan for money and she said that it is essential that we do that. She was also very strong about not introducing plants that are not native. I ended up liking her quite a lot.

December 15-22 are the dates for our Rohatsu Dai-sesshin and I advise sending a deposit if you want to come because I overbooked September and I don’t want to do that again.

We are sending out a flyer asking people to become members, so please do so if you can.

Chizo

Posted in MBZC Journal at 11:07 am by Chizo


07.26.06

Posted in MBZC Journal at 6:26 pm by Chizo

Hello- I have been reminded that is has been almost two months since we have published an update. I’ll let you imagine what it is like to be Shika at Mt. Baldy.

Summer Seichu began July 3rd, and we rapidly grew to fourteen participants. Dai-sesshin went well; we were a full zendo; and it was a little hot. There was a week and then everyone went to Rinzai-ji for the Roshi 44th year in America commemoration. Everyone from here, but me, stayed for the Dai-sesshin.

The Board of Directors approved projects of putting a wood floor over the jacuzzi, improving the toilet system in the upper restrooms, beginning the plans for constructing lower restrooms, and painting most of the buildings at the zen center. The company that insures us for fire added the substantial project of trimming branches away from the roofs. We bought a pressure washer and Danny Moritz has almost finished blasting the peeling paint in the lower camp. We also bought an airless paint sprayer and we intend for Danny to start priming and painting. Judith Johnson is from British Columbia and adept with the chainsaw, and she and Mark Hurwitz have accomplished a lot on the tree trimming. Genshu and his family are staying in the Kigoryo for a month, and he and I hope to get the floor over the jacuzzi before the end of July. Gendo is coming for August Dai-sesshin and staying for ten days to help reinforce the shower building against earthquakes. Soiku is here, as are also a bunch of other good people.

After the first day of Dai-sesshin I suggested to Roshi that maybe it would be better if he didn’t do Teisho every day. He snarled “we are in sesshin”. And he seemed to get stronger during the week.

Chizo

06.09.06

Posted in MBZC Journal at 3:18 pm by Chizo

We have finished the season for hosting workshops. The Aikidos took over our kitchen and definitely broadened or usual menu. Next year will be their 25th consecutive year coming to Mt. Baldy. With Roshi’s guidance we have created a slightly different program for the workshops which emphasizes more of the Mt. Baldy Zen program. Here is the letter we sent to the groups:

Hello- In response to Roshi’s request that the groups who come to Mt. Baldy Zen Center for workshops participate more in the program of the Zen Center, the staff of the Zen Center have developed the following guidelines for all participants:
1. The Shika will make a talk of orientation.
2. The traditional bowl sets of the Zen Center will be used for all meals.
3. Breakfast will be vegetarian and silent.
4. Every day following breakfast there will be 30 minutes of work, mostly cleaning.
5. We encourage everyone to join us for our practice of 5:00 am tea, chanting, and one period of 25 minutes of meditation, but this is not obligatory.

We hope very much that this will work for you. Please let us know.

We are now concentrating on getting ready for Summer Seichu. We have several people signed up for the entire period and others for parts. There is no shortage of projects such as the showerhouse remodel, fixing many doors, and the acute need to paint most of the buildings .

Sesshins are filling up. I am going to visit my mother for two weeks. And the weather forecast for today is…beautiful!

Chizo

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