Thursday, June 6, 2013

Earth Day Ordination

Left to right: Gansho, Cindy, Trey, Chris, Koro, Hadashi (Photo by Joe Gledhill)

On Monday, April 22nd, Chris Wiedamann joined the ranks of the Order of the Boundless Way in an Earth Day ordination ceremony held under a giant spruce tree at Lake Sylvia State Park.  Six people set out with Chris along the park trail in Montesano, Washington, including his friend and co-worker, Cindy Burton.  Also in attendance were ordaining teacher Hadashi Jeff Miles, Gansho Lenny Reed, and Joe Gledhill, all of Mountain Way Zendo, and Trey Grubbs and Koro Kaisan Miles of Open Gate Zendo. After a quiet processional walk through the woods, the party fanned out under the giant old tree for a brief liturgy.  Hadashi then spoke of Chris and what it meant to have him ordain, handing him the robe, bowl and staff in the process.  Afterward, each of the attendees said a few words about Chris and congratulated him on his ordination.

Muoepeopsu Jeoun (Photo by Joe Gledhill)


Chris originally took refuge vows with the Lexington Shambhala Center in Lexington, Kentucky in May of 2009, and was given the name ‘Fearless Dharma Tree’ (Jigme Chöshing in Tibetan).  This was incorporated as the first part of his new dharma name, with the second part being ‘Kimchi Cloud’. As he has an affinity for Korean culture and Zen practices, Chris uses the Korean translation of his name, which is Muoepeopsu Jeoun.  While in Kentucky, Chris also practiced with several other groups in the area, including a student group at the University of Kentucky, and the Cincinnati Dharma Center.

Front row: Joe, Jeoun, Trey, Back row: Hadashi, Koro, Gansho (Photo by Cindy Burton)
 
A practicing service forester and self-described ‘anarchical Buddhist’, Chris moved to Washington to work for a local conservation district for a year. While there, he practiced with Open Gate Zendo in Olympia, Blue Heron Zen Community at Seu Mi Sah Korean temple in Tacoma, and most recently, with the small sangha at Mountain Way Zendo in Grays Harbor, where he trained for his ordination.  He has recently relocated to western Virginia to be closer to home, and while he is now one of many far-flung Dojin of the Order, he will be sorely missed by his adoptive family out west.

The joke's on you! (Photo by Joe Gledhill)




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