Sangha Sharing Open Mic Event
Sangha Sharing Open Mic Event
I recently moved from California to the Portland area in Oregon and received a warm welcome from the Bright Way Zen community. I had been practicing for decades at various Soto Zen centers of the Shunryu Suzuki lineage in California’s Bay Area and Sacramento.
The annual Bright Way Zen ‘Sangha Sharing Open Mic’ event is new to me, but what a great way to get to know your fellow practitioners, especially if you’re fairly new to the community as I am.
Quite a variety of artistic, musical talent and hobbies were shared at the two hour event.
Online(Cloud) participants were invited to share their offerings as well. The online offerings included intriguing artwork, acoustic guitar & song, and an amusing haiku poetry reading.
The in person(Dirt) participants were no less varied and engaging. James sang and played a Buddhist tune on his guitar. Jeff presented a captivating slide show of exotic birds and landscapes. Mark followed in the same vein with his nature photography. Cedar took us on a shamanic journey with her Native American drum and sound bowls. There was a second poetry reading and an exhibition of two white heron paintings that gave pause for reflection on the great matter of stillness and duality.
A slide show presentation of Portland’s Forest Park as a personal, meditative place to saunter with one’s dog in the woods, brought to mind the Japanese ‘shinin yoku’ (forest bathing)
The indoor rock climber’s presentation concluded with an invitation to join them on a future excursion. A little zen on the rocks anyone?
The delightful Domyo brought the evening to a close with her beautiful and melodic accordion playing which allowed us to drift for a moment on gossamer wings before heading out into the damp chill of winter’s eve.
Palms together,
Koji
