Wednesday evenings, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Led by Judith Elane
Soto Zen is the largest of the three traditional sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism. It is distinguished by its focus on the down-to-earth practice of "everyday zen." It encourages awareness of the workings of one's own mind as a means of living mindfully in all areas of daily life-at home, at work, and in the community.
Flint Sparks
Our Guiding Zen Teacher is Flint Sparks who calls our form of practice “relational Zen.”
A Soto Zen teacher and former psychologist dedicated to assisting people in the unending path of growing up and waking up, Flint is an experienced therapist and a master teacher. He is a clear and caring resource on the path of freedom from unnecessary suffering. His traditional Zen ordination and training began at San Francisco Zen Center more than twenty years ago, and he is currently a senior teacher at the Apamada Zen Center in Austin, Texas. He lives on Molokai in Hawaii and leads Zen retreats throughout North America and Europe.
More about Flint at his site, Flintsparks.org.
At Flint’s suggestion, readings will be from the book, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, by the Japanese Zen priest of the Soto lineage and founding father of Zen in America, Shunryu Suzuki.
Each practice session includes:
30 minutes of zazen (seated meditation)
10 minutes of kinhin (walking meditation)
20 minutes of reading and discussion
Contact Judith Elane with any questions at 501-912-1191 or jelane@aristotle.net Alternate contact: Sheila Peters at 501-442-2727 or smillerpeters@gmail.com