Saturday, April 18, 2015

Meet Steve Allan



 

My name is Steve Allan, almost as far back as I can remember, even in high school in Sydney Australia back in the 60’s, when ever there was a ‘what is your religion?’ question , as a semi serious, semi rebellious joke, I always said I was a ‘Backyard Buddhist’ – I don’t know why! However it never got me out of Christian Fellowship 1st period every Friday morning.

In the 70’s we were all getting in to TM, The Beatles and the Marharishi and then life kicked in, career, family, stress, the time when we really need some meditation but are too busy and too stressed with life to fit it in.

For me , 25 years later the circle closed and my meditation practice started again and then I began to look behind the meditation to the to the concepts, the teachings and its origins, the more I looked the more rational the whole thing became.

10 years ago, living in a rural tourist town in Australia I began the practice of the ‘Trilogy of Hearing’ studying via book and internet and travelling throughout Australia, Asia and India for teachings, so instead of a backyard Buddhist I became a mobile Buddhist.

In a question and answer session after a teaching with the Dali Lama, he was asked,”what is the meaning of life” – his answer,”I don’t know the meaning of life but I know the purpose of life – to be of benefit to others, do no harm and be happy”. On the surface this seemed a simple little sentence, so why did it affect me so much? So I delved into it – Be of benefit; the practice of compassion and generosity. Do no harm; take up the practice of The 5 Precepts. Be happy; end suffering via ‘The 4 Noble Truths’ and the ‘8 Fold Path’, mixed with ‘The 5 Hindrances’ and a dab of ‘Dependant Rising’ and a whole lot of ‘Karma’ What a simple little sentence!!

In an effort to be of benefit I instigated Buddhist teachings in my Australian home town of Airlie Beach, bringing Tibetan Geshi’s and a teaching nun to town and I built, open and ran ‘The Whitsunday Meditation Society‘for 5 years until I retired.

But something in the Mahayana system was not quite right for me. I think it was the ancient Tibetan traditions that permeate their practice. I found them colourful, dramatic, awe inspiring and full of pageantry, but I kept coming back to just the Buddha’s words, maybe I was a fundamental mobile Buddhist!

It was these thoughts that reignited my search in Buddhism and after a couple of years I came to Zen due to its simplicity, honesty of practice and its focus on meditation.

Now retired and living in Bali I looked around Australia and S.E. Asia for a Sangha, I knew it was time for this mobile Buddhist to settle down.

After looking at a wide variety of Zen centres I settled on a small and very personal Zen centre on the central coast of NSW Australia, Silky Oak Zen, where I have now formally taken the precepts and found a home sangha.

In my desire to continue to be of benefit to others I am now seeking ordination and hopefully the opportunity to open a Zen centre in the mountains of North Bali in association with OBW.

With Metta, 3 bows.

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Open Gate Zendo Spring Sesshin



It’s Spring again and time for the Open Gate Zendo 2015 Spring Sesshin. This year’s retreat will be held on Saturday May 2nd and Sunday 3rd. Spring sesshin is a wonderful opportunity for those of us who may not attend regular group practice sessions to enliven and rejuvenate our personal practice. The intensive weekend provides a venue for refining techniques that may have lost clear definition over the course of time. Sesshin allows us to refocus and renew our commitment to a strong and regular personal practice, which is the very foundation of the Zen tradition.
 
The Sesshin begins officially on Saturday morning, however anyone attending is welcome to come Friday evening and spend the night in the zendo, otherwise non-resident attendees should try to arrive around 7:00 am on Saturday.

As usual, there will be an informal breakfast with social time Saturday morning, but otherwise we will be following our traditional sesshin schedule and etiquette. There is no fee for attending sesshin, but donations to help pay for food and heating costs are greatly appreciated. Mattresses will be provided for those who wish to remain in residence for the duration of the sesshin, but if you plan to stay you should bring your own additional bedding.

Please e-mail opengatezendo@msn.com to confirm your plans to attend, as we need an accurate head count for buying food stuffs.

2015 Spring Sesshin

Saturday Schedule

7:00-7:15 Arrive for Sesshin
7:15-Call to Zazen (Plank drum (Han) roll)
7:30-8:00 One period of Zazen
8:00-8:05 Incense Ceremony
8:05-9:00 Informal Breakfast in Hojo
9:00-9:30 Break and kitchen cleanup
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 period- clean up, yard work, meal preparation)
12:30- Call to Lunch (Han roll)
12:45-1:45 Lunch ceremony (Oryoki)
1:45-2:15 Break and kitchen cleanup
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
5:15-6:15 Dinner ceremony (Oryoki)
6:15-6:45 Break and kitchen cleanup
6:30- Call to Zazen (Han roll)
6:45-8:00 Two periods of Zazen alternated with Kinhin
8:00 -8:50 Tea ceremony & Teisho (teaching)
8:50- Closing ceremony
9:00- Prepare for bed or leave for the night.
9:00 Konsho (striking the evening bell)

Sunday Schedule

7:00-7:15 Arrive for Sesshin
7:15-Call to Zazen (Plank drum (Han) roll)
7:30-8:00 One period of Zazen
8:00-8:05 Incense Ceremony
8:05-9:00 Breakfast ceremony (Oryoki)
9:00-9:30 Break and kitchen cleanup
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 period), meal preparation and/or exercise.
11:45- Call to Lunch (Han roll)
12:00-1:00 Lunch ceremony (Oryoki)
1:00-1:30 Break and kitchen cleanup
1:15- Call to Zazen (Han roll)
1:30-2:45 Two periods of Zazen alternated with Kinhin
2:45-3:00 Short Break
3:00-3:55 Tea Ceremony, Teisho/Group Discussion
3:55 Closing ceremony
4:00 Konsho (striking the evening bell)