Those of you who follow our activities know of our community outreach efforts and just how much we emphasize giving back. As a monk one does not possess much of material goods but sharing the teachings is one of the primary task of a monastic life. To this extent we make the best effort to accept all invitations from the community to provide teachings via lectures, workshops and presentations. One of our presentations initially given at Drew University seems to have struck a note with the public library circuit. On July 24, So Shim Sa gave a presentation at the Sparta Public Library entitled Get to Know Yourself; Mind, Body and Soul. The 1.5 hour presentation received a thunderous ovation and plans for more programs were discussed. Piscataway Public Library has scheduled a four-part Stress Reduction training workshop to be held in Nov. If you or your organization is interested in any of the programs we offer feel free to contact the Zen Center at 908 377-9803 or via email at info@soshimsa.org. Many of the programs are customizable to fit your specific needs.
On Monday, June 22 nd Soshima Zen Center presented “Life, Death, Bardo, Next... a Meditative Journey Cloaked in Music”, a dramatic representation of the universal human journey as reflected in Mahayana Buddhist teachings. Attendees entered a darkened room to encounter a circle of cushions surrounded by a ring of electric candles. As they lay supine in the silent hall, the reverberation of the meditation bell signaled the beginning of the journey. Then, a dramatic narration began, accompanied by musical selections chosen to inspire the listener to imagine each stage of the process. The narrative told the story of a person transitioning from living mundane everyday life, unmindful of death, through sudden diagnosis of serious illness, struggle with disease, gradual acceptance of death, passing away of the body, the migration of the spirit, wandering in the bardo, liberation from the wheel of samsara, and the attainment of the Bodhisattva ideal. The conclusion of the prog...