In Person and Online
Dharma Talk by Guest Speaker Rev. Gihan Un-no And Dharma words by Willie Mukei Smith on Juneteenth
Schedule:
5:30pm – Zazen
6:05pm – Dharma Talk
6:30pm – Four Vows & Service
Join us online or in person for an evening of meditation and a Dharma talk by guest speaker Rev. Gihan Un-no. He will speak on the theme, “Heart of Compassion, Words of Gentleness.”
Willie Mukei Smith will also offer his Dharma words on the occasion of this Juneteenth.
We’ll begin with 30 minutes of zazen, followed by a Dharma talk, and conclude with our Thursday evening service. All are welcome to join. Learn more about online and in-person practice here:
Rev. Gihan Unno graduated from Morioka Dai-ichi High School (in Science and Math focused curriculum) in Iwate Prefecture in 1988. He graduated from Nippon Sport Science University, Faculty of Sport Science in 1992, and stayed active as a professional skier while working for one of the companies of the Sport brand, and for a tourist company from 1992 until 2007.
He was appointed as Daihonzan Eiheiji Fukyoshi, Dissemination Teacher of the Daihonzan Eiheiji Temple from 2016 until 2017; was appointed as part-time Dissemination Teacher of Daihonzan Eiheiji Temple from 2018 until 2019. He was appointed as Abbot of Eishoji temple in Kitakami city, Iwate prefecture, in 2019.
Rev. Gihan Unno was appointed as Soto shu Tokuha Fukyoshi, a teacher designated by Soto shu to be dispatched for dissemination from 2019 till present; and was appointed as part-time Dissemination Teacher of Shoboji Monastery in Iwate prefecture since 2019 until the present.
Rev. Gihan Unno was given the UNESCO-Iwate Award on Education through his TERAKOYA, temple educational activities for children in 2020. He was a Guest Teacher for the NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), Culture program of Kitakami city and “Listening-to-Zen Sessions”. He was a radio personality for the program “Radio de Sutra” on Kitakami. For over 10 years, he hosted the TERAKOYA educational program at Eisho-ji temple for children. The program includes not only Zazen and Shakyo (sutra copying class), but also a variety of events throughout a year that allows the participants to appreciate the seasons with such activities as trekking or musical events.
Currently, he is working on creating a visitor-friendly temple anyone can casually access by leading a Flower-Viewing-Hill Project for people to enjoy viewing flowers and blossoms of four seasons.
Willie Mukei Smith is a Zen student at The Village Zendo, where he leads the People of Color Sitting Group. Mukei also represents the Village Zendo on the Buddhist Council of New York, and he is a Board member of the Zen Peacemakers.