SOSHIMSA ZEN CENTER - BLOG

On June 23, 2013 Soshimsa Zen Center celebrated its 4 Year Anniversary. Although with the new location it felt a bit like a Grand Opening. As usual we had a video collage of the past events, presentations and speeches by Ven. Myong-Ahn, Mooh-Sang and Duhk-Song Sunim as well as Mrs. Kelley Shim-Choi and Prof. Tracey Shors. We talked about our future plans and the work that Soshimsa Fellowship is doing at Rutgers University. Dr. Shors, who heads our meditation research study spoke of the impact of the Fellowship's and Soshimsa's work on the lives of students as well as the women at the battered women's center where Dr. Shors teaches meditation as part of the research. Ven. Duhk-Song, who serves as the Director of the 1000 Hands Outreach, had words of encouragement for the current participants of our Volunteer Program. He also congratulated past recipients of the President's Volunteer Award of which Soshimsa is a Certifying Organization ( www.presidentialserviceawards

On June 15, 2013 we took a late season-opening hiking trip to Lord Stirling Park. After an onslaught of rain over the past few days certain areas of the swamp overflowed and regions of the boardwalk were closed off. However, we managed just fine and even found lovely area for meditation (see picture on left) . It was a gorgeous day with plenty of sunshine, bird songs, and luscious greenery invigorated by the latest rains.  We all took a piece of the vast, unbounded, limitless sky with us for those rainy and gloomy days we all have now and then  (see picture on right) .  This was an overall good hike to break us in for whats to come. Hope to see you all you nature lovers out next month. July's Toughing Earth is planning to be a kayaking trip down in Princeton.