BULLETIN
April 2024
“Thanks to emptiness, everything is possible.” —Nagarjuna
Dear Sangha,
I’ve always wrestled with the Buddhist notions of interdependence and emptiness. As far as I understand it, the fact that everything depends on everything else—that no single thing exists in and of itself (and apart from everything else)—is what ensures that no solid, abiding, individual self exists. Or, to put it another way, because everything leans on everything else, emptiness pervades the universe. Out of relationship: emptiness.
And yet—out of relationship, what fullness! What life! Out of relationship, flower, moon, mountain, heart. Out of relationship, a helping hand, a warm hug, a kiss. Out of relationship, Sangha! Yes, who could imagine that out of emptiness, this heartbreakingly beautiful tenderness, this love, this support—and yet as Shuso Hossen so wonderfully demonstrates, this is what we belong to: this is who we are, and what life is. Or, as Jyākuen wrote in a recent email, “We are all part of the most Amazing Community—Sangha, Sangha . . . SANGHA.”
All of this is to simply say, thank God that we are interdependent—that we lean on each other and support each other both. That what emptiness really means is we are a part of something bigger than ourselves: this beautiful, unimaginable community . . . this beautiful, unimaginable life.
With deep bows and endless gratitude for each and every one of you,
Taylor Plimpton
Editor
APRIL CALENDAR
Thursday, April 4: Zazen and Dharma Talk by Bokushu Sensei
Sunday, April 7: Online: Practice and Inquiry Circle
with Joshin Roshi, 9:30 am
In-Person: Body, Breath and Mind,
an Intro to Zen, 9:30 am
Thursday, April 11: Zazen and Dharma Talk by Yugetsu
Newcomers Meeting, 6:40 pm
Saturday, April 13: Zazenkai with Dharma Talk by Mukei
Sunday, April 14: Zazen and Dharma Talk by Ryoshin Hoshi
Music Improv, 4 pm
Thursday, April 18: Zazen and Dharma Talk by Ryotan Roshi
Sunday, April 21: Zazen and Dharma Talk by Gessho
Annual Meeting, 4 pm
Thursday, April 25: Fusatsu and Dharma Talk by Shinryu Roshi
Sunday, April 28: Zazen and Dharma Talk by Fugan Sensei
———————
Ongoing Groups:
The Bolivian Sitting Group meets online Saturdays, 8 am.
Bolivia Zoom Meeting ID: 297 525 8394; Password: 1234
The People of Color Sitting Group meets online Saturdays, 10:30 am
How to Meditate meets Monday evenings online, 6:30 pm
Sorting Out Your Stuff meets online Tuesdays, 10 am
Liturgy Training: In-Person,
1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month, 6 pm
Grace and Grit meets online, first Thursday of each month, 2 pm
Village Zendo Members are invited to join us online
Sunday, April 21, 2024, 4 pm – 5:30 pm
Annual Members Meeting
The meeting will include a review of our membership,
financials, programs, and special announcements.
There will be time for questions, comments, and suggestions.
JOIN THE ONINE ZENDO HERE
For more information contact: info@thevillagezendo.org
Image by Rodney Musho Greenblat
SHUSO HOSSEN
On March 24, Jyākuen Sherrilynn Posey became a Senior Student at the Village Zendo. Jyākuen gave her first Dharma Talk and engaged in Dharma Dialogue with sangha members in-person and online. The subject of her talk was the koan "Master Ma is Unwell." The photos in this section are by Jiryu (A.J. Jiryu Davis).
COMING IN MAY
For The Time Being: A Boatbuilder

On the heels of our wonderful Winter Ango, join the Village Zendo Book Club on May 5th
at 5 pm to discuss Douglas Whynott’s poignant book A Unit of Water, A Unit of Time.
Andy Bonton of Abe Books wrote: “Joel White was a man of few words who tended to
downplay his accomplishments, but they shine through in A Unit of Water, A Unit of
Time. One Brooklin boat builder, describing the ‘soul’ of boats, could have been
describing White: ‘Boats are live. They talk. The more poorly made boats talk more. The
best-made boats don't talk as much. They're quiet–quiet soldiers, they call them.’ "
According to Publisher’s Weekly: “Even readers with no special interest in boats are
likely to be caught up in this elegant homage to Maine boatbuilder Joel White (son of
E.B. White, and the “test pilot” for his father’s character Stuart Little), who pursued his
obsession with the time-honored craft of designing wooden boats while battling cancer.
Author Douglas Whynott made 17 trips to the Brooklin Boat Yard in Maine, where the
meticulous Joel, his son Steve and a yard crew spent two years designing and building
the W-76, a grand and graceful racing yacht. While Steve runs the yard, Joel–with a
section of his lung removed and walking on crutches after a bone graft–undergoes
chemotherapy and learns to walk again, enduring metastatic lung cancer with stoic
fortitude.”
The VZ Book Club will meet online via the regular Village Zendo online link on Sunday,
May 5 at 5 pm. All are welcome to attend.
For questions contact Doshin: chad.dechant@columbia.edu or ChoGaku: marjoriesmccoy@gmail.com.
The book is available in print and E-book. 320 pages
REFLECTIONS
A poem by Iris Ryūshō Hoger

at the creek in central park
listen
really listen
to the creek
to the sounds of the city
to my own ear ringing, buzzing
to your breath
your breath
breath
speak
really speak
me a word
aiuuu
alive
alive
alive!
We communicate in three places online:
our email list, a Facebook page, and a Groups.io list
where we share events and information among the whole
Sangha. Explore these various ways of staying connected and
up to date here: https://villagezendo.org/connect-with-us/
Editor: Taylor Plimpton
Editor Emeritus: Nina Shuka Klippel
Managing Editor/ Design & Production: Howard Thoresen

DONATE HERE
In these trying times, the Village Zendo still relies on your support.
If you are able, please make a donation.
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