Upcoming Local Events

Cleveland Zen Group resumes Thursday evening sittings at CBT; announces Fall study schedule on Saturdays

The Cleveland Zen Group (a Soto Zen sangha affiliated with Chicago’s Udumbara Zen Center) resumes regular Thursday evening sittings at the Cleveland Buddhist Temple this Thursday, August 21 at 7:00 PM.

Thursday sittings include zazen (sitting meditation), kinhin (walking meditation), a brief Soto Zen service that includes chanting (chant books provided), and a Dharma Talk.

This Thursday’s Dharma Talk will be given by Dean Williams discussing his recent three-week practice intensive at the San Francisco Zen Center. Fee: voluntary donation of $5 or more to the Cleveland Buddhist Temple requested.

CZG’s Saturday meditation and study classes resume September 13 and September 27 at the Cleveland Buddhist Temple. This Fall’s program will follow a series of tapes on the Noble Eightfold Path by Steve Hagen of Dharma Field Zen Center in Minneapolis.

Class begins at 9:00 AM: zazen (30 minutes); kinhin (10 minutes); zazen (30 minutes); tea break (15 minutes); listen to the tape (approximately 30 minutes); and discussion.

For more information, contact Dean Williams; phone: (440) 446-1142.

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Jewel Heart class on Karma begins Aug. 20

Beginning Wednesday, August 20, 2003, Jewel Heart Cleveland (2670 W14th St,) will hold a four-week reading, study and practice group called "Karma: Actions and Consequences."

Gehlek Rimpoche's Karma transcript will be used as a study guide. Fee: $20 for four classes. Transcript: $15. For more info, contact Anne Warren; phone: (440) 576-1190.

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Jewel Heart hosts workshop on Tibetan monastic debate Aug. 30

On August 30, Dennis McDermot, Ph.D., will hold a workshop on traditional Tibetan monastic debate at Jewel Heart Cleveland (2670 W14th St). The workshop will be from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

McDermot will introduce attendees to traditional Tibetan monastic debate functions as a way of learning and gaining mastery of Buddhist teachings. Basic principles of Buddhist logic will be covered, as well as the role of debate in Buddhist education. Participants will have the chance to practice the give and take of debate, including the traditional, symbolic gestures that have been used in Tibet and India for thousands of years.

McDermot has studied and practiced Tibetan Buddhism for many years. He studied Tibetan debate under Daniel E. Perdue, author of Debate in Tibetan Buddhism.

Requested Donation: $25. For more info, e-mail cleveland@jewelheart.org; phone: (216) 687-1617 or (440) 576-1190.

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Jewel Heart's first Friday potluck is Sept. 5

Jewel Heart Cleveland's first Friday potluck will be September 5, 2003 from 7:00 PM to whenever at The Ralston's. For directions, call (440) 247-6575 or pick them up at a Jewel Heart event.

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Mandala Dance weekend workshop scheduled for October 3-5

Jewel Heart of Cleveland and the Wisdom Moon Circle (a Northeast Ohio Tara dance practice group) announce a Mandala Dance weekend workshop, October 3 to 5, 2003.

Kris Kiko-Cozy, a student and teacher of the Mandala Dance of the 21 Praises of Tara, will welcome as facilitators her teachers: Prema Dasara and Anahata Iradah.

There will be an introduction Friday evening. Participants will learn and perform the Mandala Dance. Participants and audience will offer a few Dances of Universal Peace after the evening performance.

For more information, contact Kris Kiko-Cozy.

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Shambala hosts meditation and cooking weekend in October

The Shambala Meditation Group of Cleveland will host Ed Brown for a weekend of meditation and vegetarian cooking October 17-19.

Edward Espe Brown has been practicing Buddhism since 1965 and was ordained by Suzuki Roshi in 1971. Since then he has been teaching Zen Buddhism and meditation using his easygoing manner and lighthearted humor as valuable teaching tools.

Cooking classes are limited to 10 participants. Reservations or more information: Matt McMullen; phone: (216) 939-9117.

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New York City Yogi, Cyndi Lee, visits Beachwood Nov 1-2

November 1-2, Evolution Yoga in Beachwood hosts Cyndi Lee, director of OM Yoga in New York City. Lee is the author of the OM Yoga in a Box series and OM Yoga: A guide to daily practice. She also practices in the Shambala Buddhist lineage.

Registration and price info to be announced. For more info, contact Jennie McMullen; phone: (216) 939/9117.

Regional News

Columbus Lama Kathy Wesley will speak in Erie, Pa. on August 23

The Erie Times News reports that a small group of Buddhist students in Erie are seeking to establish a Buddhist teaching center there. The students are bringing Columbus-based Lama Kathy Wesley to Erie on August 23. She will speak at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Erie, 7180 Perry Highway. The students hope that Wesley's visit will lead to a larger, unified group of people interested in Buddhist practice.

Wesley is resident Dharma teacher at the Columbus Karma Thegsum Choling and a student of KTC founder, the Ven. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche since 1977.

For more details: "Buddhists work to start teaching center in Erie," Erie Times News, August 16, 2003.

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Chicago's Udumbara Zen Center plans two-day sesshin for October

Val Szymanski of Bamboo in the Wind Zen Practice Group (Cupertino, California), will lead a two-day sesshin at the Udumbara Zen Center in Evanston, Ill. (near Chicago) from October 11-12, 2003. For more details, contact Dean Williams or call UZC in Chicago: (847) 475-3264.

Szymanski is an ordained Buddhist priest in the Soto Zen lineage. He received ordination from UZC’s Diane Martin in December 2002. There is an illustrated diary and scrapbook of Szymanski’s formal ordination experience on the Bamboo in the Wind Web site.

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New Vajrayana center opens in Dayton

The Gar Drolma Choling (GDC) recently opened a new center at 2218 Andrew Rd. in Kettering, near Dayton, Ohio.

Gar Drolma Choling is a Tibetan Buddhist Dharma Center founded in 2002 by His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche, a high lama in the Drikung Kagyu lineage.

GDC will welcome Khenpo Sherab Oser October 14-19; Kanchok Nyandok in October; and Frank Howard, executive director of the Amitabha Foundation in November. For details and directions to the GDC, check out its Web site.: www.gardrolma.com.

National News

Thich Nhat Hanh holds Wisconsin retreat for public servants Aug. 24-29

Thich Nhat Hanh will give a five-day retreat August 24-29 at the Green Lake Conference Center in Green Lake, Wisconsin. The conference is called "Protecting and Serving Without Stress or Fear." It's audience will be law enforcement officers, firefighters, health care workers and others.

To register, call the Green Lake Conference Center: (800) 558-8898. For information about the retreat itself, contact David Haskin of SnowFlower Sangha; phone: (608) 920-3060.

National News Seattle Buddhist groups hold "Change Your Mind Day"

The Seattle Times reports that dozens of Seattle Buddhists converged August 9 at the annual "Change Your Mind Day," a celebration intended to bring different traditions together and instruct curious members of the general public about Buddhism. More info:

"Buddhist traditions converge at Change Your Mind day," by Angel Gonzalez, Seattle Times, August 10, 2003.

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The Dalai Lama visits the US next month

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will visit the United States from September 5-24, 2003. He will visit San Francisco, Bloomington, Indiana, Washington, D.C., Boston, Massachusetts and New York City.

Snow Lion Publications has published a detail itinerary of the Dalai Lama's trip to the US, his first since 2001.

See also:

"Fighters for peace to open temple," Indianapolis Star, July 25, 2003. Muhammad Ali will join the Dalai Lama in opening the Chamtse Ling, an interfaith temple with a mission to promote world peace and harmony on Sept. 7 at 10:00 AM in Bloomington, Indiana. Tickets: $75 and $500.

"Dalai Lama to speak at [NYC] concert," LA Times (via Times of Tibet), July 21, 2003. The concert is organized by actor and peace activist Richard Gere and composer Philip Glass.

Snow Lion publications recommends three books on Tibetan Buddhist philosophy to accompany the Dalai Lama's teachings in New York City next month.

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New Vipassana centers in Ontario and Illinois

The Vipassana Research Institute's June newsletter announced the opening of two new Vipassana centers in North America.

Dhamma Torana (Auspicious Gateway to Dhamma) opened in Southern Ontario about one hour north of Greater Toronto.

Dhamma Pakasa (Light of Dhamma) recently opened in Pecatonica (near Rockford), Illinois, about two hours from Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison.

International News

The Great Tibetan Marathon draws runners to Leh

Saturday, August 16, dozens of runners from Denmark, Norway, Spain, Australia, New Zealand and India began the 26.2-mile Great Tibetan marathon on the outskirts of Leh, India. The start was at 3,800 meters above sea level over very rough terrain on the outskirts of Leh near the Tibetan border.

More info:

"World's toughest marathon runs in the Ladakh mountains," Agence France Presse (via the Beaufort Gazette), August 14, 2003.

Photos:

"Buddhist monks pray as a group of European athletes listen before the start of the Great Tibetan Marathon...," Yahoo Photos, August 15, 2003.

"A Buddhist monk gives holy water to a western athlete inside a monastery before the start of the Great Tibetan Marathon...," Yahoo Photos, August 15, 2003.

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Japanese pachinko operators get Buddhist blessings

Reuters reports that Japanese pinball operators gathered at a Tokyo temple recently to express gratitude to the "pachinko" machines that earn them about $240 billion a year.

More:

"Tokyo Temple Ceremony Honors Pinball Machines," Reuters (via Yahoo News], August 8, 2003.

Photo:

"Kanyu Ishizuka, a Buddhist priest at the Sensoji Temple, conducts a Buddhist ritual in front of a golden Pachinko (or pinball) machine to offer thanks...," AP via Yahoo Photos, August 8, 2003.

Arts

Cleveland Museum of Art hosts Indian/Tibetan art events in August and September

The Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) is hosting several exhibitions and classes in August and September that will interest anyone with an affinity for Indian and Tibetan art and culture.

CMA will hold three Wednesday evening classes on "Introduction to Tibetan Art," facilitated by Seema Rao. To register, contact CMA's ticket center: (216) 421-7350.

CMA's special exhibition "The Sensuous and the Sacred: Chola Bronzes from South India," will close Sept. 14. Tickets are $7; the exhibit is free for CMA members. Excerpt from CMA description of the exhibit:

"Drawn from important collections of temple bronzes in the United States and Europe, this exhibition of approximately 60 South Indian sculptures presents the first major survey of the art of Chola bronzes. The show is organized in three thematic sections that focus on the iconography of the Hindu gods Shiva and Vishnu, along with examples of Buddhist bronzes. ... Photomurals of temples, as well as bronze statuary fully draped, ornamented, and ready for processional rituals will re-create the context in which these religious icons are seen and worshiped. "

Other Chola Bronze events of interest:

Wednesday, August 27, 6:30 PM, Dancing Sculptures: Dancer Sujatha Srinivasan explores the relationship between Chola bronzes and Indian classical dance.ÊFree.

Wednesday, August 20, 6:30 PM, Indian Temples, Photographer Masumi Hayashi discusses her work in India. Free. Cleveland photographer Masumi Hayashi creatively responds to the splendor and beauty of ancient Indian temples in her large-scale color photograph collages. Hayashi emphasizes architecture and sculpture rather than the role of temples as tourist destinations or active places of worship.

INVITATION: Sangham editor Lynne Brakeman invites readers to join her in a visit to the CMA on Saturday , August 30 to see both the Chola Bronzes and Indian Temples exhibits. Meet Lynne in the Museum lobby at 11:00 AM. Lunch at the cafeteria around 1:00 PM. The museum is open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday. E-mail Lynne if you are interested so we know who to expect.

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The artist as Buddha

The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities is currently exhibiting "paranirvana (self-portrait)," a 1999 sculpture by artist Lewis deSoto. The 26-foot-long sculpture is constructed of vinyl-coated, airbrushed cloth and inflated by a built-in electric fan. It is patterned closely after a 12th century, 42-foot-long stone Buddha in the ancient Gal Vihara Garden in Polonnaruva, Sri Lanka.

Read what DeSoto says about why he believes it is appropriate to put his face on the image at:

"Inflatable Buddha (with goatee) transcends traditional sculpture," by Amy Ellis, The Denver Post, August 15, 2003.

Cleveland Buddhist Temple

Cleveland Shambala Meditation Group

Cleveland Zen Group

Cleveland Zen Society - Cloudwater Zendo

Insight Meditation of Cleveland

Jewel Heart Cleveland

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