Quick Scan - This Month's Headlines

Local Events

Buddhist Peace Fellowship Cleveland holds first Peace Walk next Sunday, January 22 at CloudWater Zendo

CloudWater Zendo will host the first of four quarterly Peace Walks organized by the Cleveland Chapter of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. The event will begin at 1:00 pm and includes a for a reading and prayer before setting off on a silent walking meditation for peace through the neighborhood. After returning to the Zendo, the group will pass through a ritual grieving gate followed by a service led by CloudWater's Ven. Shih Ying Fa. The event will conclude with a Dance of Universal Peace from inspired by the Buddhist Tradition: Om Hum, So Hum.

CloudWater Zendo is located at 14436 Puritas Ave. on Cleveland's West Side. Call 216/889-1393 or e-mail yingfa@cloudwater.org for more information.

BPF Cleveland is finalizing details for Peace Walks later in the year in cooperation with Cleveland Shambhala, Jewel Heart Cleveland and Cleveland Buddhist Temple.

The next meeting of BPF Cleveland is Sunday, February 19 at 1:00 pm atthe home of Lynne Brakeman. Everyone is welcome. For more information, visit www.bpfcleveland.org or e-mail Mark McDermott.

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Volunteer opportunity: Homeless Stand Down in February

InterAct Cleveland, a nonprofit group that brings together individuals of different faith traditions, is seeking 60 volunteers to collaborate on its 2006 Homeless Stand Down event. Volunteers can choose from many activities or functions, but all must register by Jan. 6 to participate. The organization is also accepting donations of food, money and clothing. The event takes place over several days in February. "Stand Down" is a military term, which describes soldiers taking care of other soldiers in a safe and secure place.It became an event for homeless veterans in 1988 in San Diego, California, but is now held in many cities across the nation.Cleveland was the first city to offer a Homeless Stand Down for both veterans and civilians in 1994. The Homeless Stand Down is produced in collaboration with the Bishop Cosgrove Center, the City of Cleveland, and the Northeast Ohio o Coalition for the Homeless. For more information, please contact Sarah at 216/271.0230 x17 or sommers@interactcleveland.org.

Local News

NEO Soto Zen Group changes sitting schedule and venue
Starting Sunday, February 5, the Northeast Ohio Soto Zen Group will begin meeting at members' homes on Sundays from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. The schedule will include sitting and walking meditation, a short Soto chanting service and 45 minutes of Dharma study and discussion. One Sunday a month will be a longer schedule, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm followed by a potluck from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Details of the new schedule are at the group's Web site, members.cox.net/neosotozen.

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True Names Sangha meets the third Sunday of each month
One of the joys of publishing this newsletter is discovering new Buddhist groups in the area that I didn't know about before.The True Names Sangha studies in the Thich Nhat Hahn traditiion and meets the third Sunday of every month from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at members' homes. Visit their Web site or e-mail xxx for more information.

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Buddhist Precepts Study Group continues in Lakewood
One Saturday a month from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, Lynne Brakeman will host a study group on the Buddhist Precepts. Last year we read through about a dozen unpublished Suzuki Roshi Dharma talks given to Lynne as part of her rakusu/jukai study kit. This year we will read aloud from Being Upright: Zen Meditation and the Buddhist Precepts by Tenshin Reb Anderson Roshi. The next study date is January 28. After that the class will usually be on the second Saturday of each month. E-mail lbrakeman@cox.net for details and directions.

Regional News

New Columbus-based Thich Nhat Hahn group holds Mindfulness Retreat near Mansfield Feb. 24-26
A group of students in the Columbus area are starting a new Thich Nhat Hahn group there. To explore the idea, Larry Ward and Peggy Rowe, senior dharma teachers ordained byThich Nhat Hanh, will guide a Mindfulness Retreat the weekend of February 24-26 at the Fleming Falls Retreat Center near Mansfield. Whether a beginner or an experienced practitioner, this retreat will provide participants an opportunity to deepen their practice. Before February 1, the fee is $200 (double occupancy) or $175 (triple or quadruple occupancy) and includes vegetarian meals, two nights lodging and all materials. After February 1 the fee is $225. Limit 24 persons. For more information or to register, contact Sandy Coen or Florence Jain or call 614/268-0838.

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Jewel Heart's Gehlek Rimpoche will lead a series of classes on Shantideva's Boddhisattva's Way of Life

In 2006, Jewel Heart Ann Arbor will welcome its spiritual leader, Gehlek Rimpoche, for a series of all day Saturday classes on Shantideva's classic Bodhicaryavatara. The classes will cover Chapter IX: Affection of Wisdom. Class will be from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on seven Saturdays: January 28, March 25, April 8, June 3, July 29, September 30 and October 21. The cost per class is $40 for nonmembers, $20 for members. Jewel Heart Ann Arbor is located at 207 East Washington St. (Directions). For more information, e-mail: programming@jewelheart.org

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Columbus Zen announces 2006 sesshins with Daniel Terragno

Columbus Zen announced dates for two week-long sesshins with Daniel Terragno. The spring sesshin is Friday, March 31 through Friday, April 7. The fall sesshin will be Tuesday, Nov. 7 through Sunday, Nov. 12. Daniel Terragno is the Dharma heir of John Tarrant Roshi of the Pacific Zen Institute. Terragno started his spiritual practice in 1967 studying the Gurdjieff Work with W.A. Nyland before taking up Zen. Terragno received authorization to teach Zen in 1995, and in 2001 received Dharma transmission from Tarrant Roshi. Unless otherwise noted, Zen Columbus activities take place at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, Room 8, 93 W. Weisheimer, Columbus, OH (Directions). For more information, e-mail: flemingms@hotmail.com,

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Buddhist Women's Conference will be in Chicago next March

The Buddhist Council of the Midwest and DePaul University, Chicago are jointly sponsoring the Buddhist Women's Conference March 11, 2006. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Rita gross, author of Buddhism after Patriarchy: A Feminist History, Analysis and Reconstruction of Buddhism. There will also be a panel discussion on the topic "Women Living the Dharma." Panel members include Kyoki Roberts, head priest of the Zen Center of Pittsburgh and Abbess Khenmo Drolma of the Vajra Dakini Nunnery. There will also be a number of workshop sessions. For more information, see the conference schedule.

Tenshin Reb Anderson Roshi returns for a six-day sesshin in Pittsburgh in June
The Northeast Ohio Soto Zen Group and Pittsburgh Stillpoint Sangha are collaborating to welcome back Tenshin Reb Anderson Roshi for a six day Soto Zen sesshin retreat, June 16-21 at the Franciscan Spirit and Life Center in Pittsburgh. On June 22, Tenshin Anderson will give a public talk at a location to be decided. Space for the sesshin is limited More details will be available soon. Contact Mark Kasunic to be added to the announcement list.

National News

Dalai Lama plans visit to Buffalo, NY next September

The University of Buffalo announced that HH The Dalai Lama will speak on Friday, Sept. 21, 2006 at the University's stadium as part of its Distinguished Speakers Series. You can sign up to receive information about ticketing and related events when it is available.