Open Gate Zendo Winter Sesshin

Open Gate Zendo Rohatsu/Winter Sesshin

This years Open GateWinter Sesshin starts at 7:30 Saturday January 17th and runs through Monday, January 19th. Our three day practice schedule will include the 8th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Silent Peace Walk around Olympia’s Capitol Lake (beginning at Marathon Park at noon on Sunday).

Anyone wanting to arrive early is welcome to come Friday evening and spend the night in the Zendo. Attendees arriving in the morning should try to arrive by 7:00.  There will be an informal breakfast with social time Saturday morning, but otherwise we will be following our traditional silent sesshin schedule and etiquette.

There is no fee for attending, but as usual, contributions for food and to help pay for supplies and heating costs would be greatly appreciated. Mattresses will be provided for those who wish to remain in residence for their duration at sesshin and showers will be made available.

    

Please e-mail; opengatezendo@msn.com with any questions and/or to confirm your plans to attend, we need an accurate head count for buying food stuffs.

2015 Winter Sesshin

Saturday Schedule

First Morning Session

6:30 Wake-up bell

7:00 Non-residents Arrive (Chosho -morning bell tolled 9 times)

7:15-Call to Zazen (Plank drum (Han) roll)

7:30-8:00 One period of Zazen (Chosan- first morning meditation)

8:00-8:05 Incense Ceremony

8:05-9:00 Informal Breakfast and kitchen cleanup (in Hojo)

9:00-9:15 Sesshin Introduction and Instructions

Second Morning Session

9:15- Call to Zazen (Han roll)

9:30-10:45 Two periods of Zazen alternated with Kinhin

9:30-10:45 Dokusan (one on one meeting with the teacher) by rotation.

10:45-12:30 Samu (work and/or exercise/rest period)

12:30- Call to Lunch (Han roll)

12:15- Kitchen aids prepare Genkan for lunch- bring out trays

12:45-1:45 Lunch ceremony (Oryoki)

1:45-2:10 Break and kitchen cleanup

Afternoon Session

2:00- Call to Zazen (Han roll)

2:15-3:30 Two periods of Zazen alternated with Kinhin

3:30-4:30 Angya practice. (monk procession walk)

4:30- Call to Zazen (Han roll)

4:45-5:15 One period Zazen

5:15- Kitchen aids prepare Genkan for Dinner- bring out trays

5:30-6:15 Dinner ceremony (Oryoki)

6:15-6:30 Break and kitchen cleanup

Evening Session

6:30- Call to Zazen (Han roll)

6:45-8:00 Two periods of Zazen alternated with Kinhin

8:00-8:10- Kitchen aids prepare Genkan for tea, bring out trays

8:10 -8:50 Tea ceremony & Teisho (teaching) and/or Dharma Discussion.

8:55- Closing ceremony

9:00- Daily Closing- Konsho (striking the evening bell) tolled 9 times

9:00- Prepare for bed or non-residents leave for the night.

Sunday Schedule

First Morning Session

6:30 Wake-up bell

7:00 Non-residents Arrive (Chosho -morning bell tolled 9 times)

7:15-Call to Zazen (Plank drum (Han) roll)

7:30-8:00 One period of Zazen (Chosan- first morning meditation)

8:00-8:05 Incense Ceremony

8:05- Kitchen aids prepare Genkan for breakfast - bring out trays

8:15-9:00 Breakfast ceremony (Oryoki)

9:00-9:25 Break and kitchen cleanup

Second Morning Session

9:15- Call to Zazen (Han roll)

9:30-10:45 Two periods of Zazen alternated with Kinhin

9:30-10:45 Dokusan (one on one meeting with the teacher) by rotation.

11:15-1:15 Angya practice. (MLK Silent procession walk Capitol Lake)

1:15-2:30  Hosted Sangha Lunch in Olympia.

Afternoon Session

2:30- Call to Zazen (time adjusted to return time)

2:45-4:00 Two periods of Zazen alternated with Kinhin

4:00- 4:30 Work and/or exercise/rest period (may be adjusted for schedule)

4:30- Call to Zazen (Han roll)

4:45-5:15 One period Zazen

5:15- Kitchen aids prepare Genkan for Dinner- bring out trays

5:30-6:15 Dinner ceremony (Oryoki)

6:15-6:40 Break and kitchen cleanup

Evening Session

6:30- Call to Zazen (Han roll)

6:45-8:00 Two periods of Zazen alternated with Kinhin

8:00-8:10- Kitchen aids prepare Genkan for tea, bring out trays

8:10 -8:50 Tea ceremony & Teisho (teaching) and/or Dharma Discussion.

8:55- Closing ceremony

9:00- Daily Closing- Konsho (striking the evening bell) tolled 9 times

9:00- Prepare for bed or non-residents leave for the night.

Monday Schedule

Morning Session

6:30 Wake-up bell

7:00 Non-residents Arrive (Chosho -morning bell tolled 9 times)

7:15-Call to Zazen (Plank drum (Han) roll)

7:30-8:00 One period of Zazen (Chosan- first morning meditation)

8:00-8:05 Incense Ceremony

8:05- Kitchen aids prepare Genkan for breakfast - bring out trays

8:15-9:00 Breakfast ceremony (Oryoki)

9:00-9:15 Break and kitchen cleanup

Second Morning Session

9:15- Call to Zazen (Han roll)

9:30-10:45 Two periods of Zazen alternated with Kinhin

9:30-10:45 Dokusan (one on one meeting with the teacher) by rotation.

10:45-11:45 Samu (work and/or exercise/rest period)

11:45 Han Roll

12:00-12:30 One Period Zazen

12:30- 12:40 Kitchen aids prepare Genkan for lunch- bring out trays

12:40-1:30 Lunch ceremony (Oryoki)

Afternoon Session

1:30-2:00 Break and kitchen cleanup

1:45- Call to Zazen (Han roll)

2:00-3:15 Two periods of Zazen alternated with Kinhin

3:15-3:30 Short Break

3:30-4:30 Tea ceremony, Teisho/Group Discussion

4:30-Closing - Konsho (striking the evening bell) tolled 9 times

Happy New Year!

Meet Patrick Hughes

 

Greetings to Everyone,

Hello my name is Patrick Hughes. I’m Canadian born, but now live on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia with my Australian wife and two children: My son Bodhi (3yo) and baby daughter Ondine. I currently study at the University of Newcastle.

I actually decided I was Buddhist when I was still a kid. I read whatever I could find at the local library about Buddhism, but there was slim to no chance of joining or even finding a group then.

I eventually started Tae Kwon Do, then boxing, and Judo. When I was twenty I started training in Ninjutsu. Stephen Hayes, who was the fellow who brought it to North America, was an ordained Tendai priest. He incorporated Tendai Mikkyo into his teachings. I wrote a letter to his teacher, Rev. Clark Jikai Choffy, a professor living in Missouri. We corresponded for a while, and then he invited me to visit him. During my visit in '93, Jikai Sensei accepted me as his student, and initiated me into a Tendai ceremony.

Back in Canada. Rev. Jikai and I continued to correspond and talk on the phone. He would send me books and material to continue my studies. As well he encouraged me to attend other Buddhist organizations, like Nichiren and Jodo Shinshu. Then in '95 or '96, he geographically moved, and we unfortunately lost contact.

I then began a search for another Tendai teacher, but they were (and still are) few and far between in North America. Around this time I met Doreen Hamilton, the then Buddhist chaplain at University of Toronto. She was with the Jodo Shinshu (Pure Land) sect. She was never my formal teacher, but more of a mentor. I also began attending Karma Kagyu in Toronto; a Tibetan Buddhist centre. When I moved it became harder to make it down to regular teachings.

I then continued my interest in Buddhism generally. I studied Buddhism in various forms and saw The Dalai Lama twice in my travels. Eventually I became interested in Zen and contacted Hoka Matt Lawther (Fa Zhāo) through ZBOHY. I had been previously in contact with Matt for a few years before commencing my attendance at Silky Oak Zen. I have now been sitting with the Silky Oak Zen community for almost a year and they have become great friends. In this time I’ve become a student with The Boundless Mind Zen School and regularly keep up with OBW activities, through our local practice and on social media.

Over the years I've continued in many different martial arts, achieving multiple instructorships. I’m also a Feldenkrais Practitioner. I've practiced yoga on and off for years, and became a certified teacher in 2011.

I also like to play the Shakuhachi flute and am studying with Grandmaster Riley Lee.

Great to be part of the big family.

Cheers!
Patrick Hughes