Roger Shikan Hawkins LIVE December 12, 2009 @ 3PM SLT (PDT)

When: 3 PM SLT (PDT)
December 12, 2009

Where: Kannonji Zen Retreat in Second Life

We are proud to announce that lay teacher Roger Shikan Hawkins (Shikan Hammill in SL) will be entering Second Life to give a Dharma talk, lead our sangha in meditation, and take audience questions. This is a rare opportunity to have a live interaction with a Zen teacher for those in isolated areas or with disabilities.

Roger Shikan Hawkins is a lay teacher with the White Plum Asanga with more than 30 years of experience practicing Buddhism. He is a Dharma heir of Lou Mitsunen Nordstrom-roshi and has also studied previously with teachers like Tenshin Reb Anderson of the San Francisco Zen Center and Taizan Maezumi-roshi of the White Plum Asanga. Please arrive early as seating may be limited.

Ken Mcleod LIVE Sunday, December 13 @ 4:00 PM SLT (PDT)

What: Meditation & Discussion

Who: Ken Mcleod

When: Sunday, December 13 @ 4 PM SLT (PDT)

Dear Sangha and friends of the Kannonji Community:

Ken McLeod is one of the more innovative teachers of Buddhism today. Known for his ability to explain difficult and subtle teachings, "he distills the nature and purpose of Buddhism to make it accessible for any newcomer without dumbing it down." (Phil Catalfo, Yoga Journal, July 2001 in a review of Ken's first book Wake Up To Your Life).

Formerly a translator for Kalu Rinpoche and other lamas, Ken has taken the same innovative approach to translation, consistently going beyond traditional terminology to express Buddhist teachings in clear, precise, contemporary English.

Ken's private practice model of one-on-one consultations roiled the Buddhist world in the 90s only to become an accepted way of working with students. He has pioneered new retreat formats, integrating daily individual interviews and practical application exercises with traditional meditation and teaching. And, recently, he set up a development program for teachers who want to work outside established centers and institutions.

Ken began his studies in 1970 under the tutelage of the late Kalu Rinpoche. After completing two three-year retreats, he was appointed to teach in Los Angeles. In 1990, he established Unfettered Mind through which he teaches classes and retreats and sees people individually. In recent years, he has worked as a corporate consultant, advising senior executives at the highest levels of corporate America. With degrees in mathematics and years of experience in traditional Tibetan Buddhism, Ken is uniquely able to bridge the gap between contemporary life and traditional approaches to spiritual practice.

Please arrive early for this event, as seating may be limited.

Nomon Tim Burnett LIVE December 19 @ 1PM SLT (PDT)

Where: Kannonji Zen Retreat in Second Life

When: December 19 2009 @ 1PM SLT (PDT)

Agenda: Meditation, Dharma talk and Q&A

Nomon Tim Burnett has been a student of Zoketsu Norman Fischer since 1987 when he was a resident at San Francisco Zen Center's Green Gulch Farm. After sitting practice periods at Green Gulch and Tassajara Zen Monastery, Tim helped found Red Cedar Zen Community (then the Bellingham Zen Practice Group) in 1991.

Tim was ordained as a Zen Priest by Norman in 2000, completed his Shuso (head monk's) training in 2003 and is now preparing for Dharma Transmission. Like his teacher, Tim is interested in the possibility of deep and complete practice by lay people.

A person of wide-ranging professional interests, Tim has been a botanist, elementary schoolteacher, writer, and computer programmer. In addition to his work at the Resident Priest of Red Cedar Zen Community, Tim works as a software developer.

Please arrive early for best seats.

Genjo Marinello Osho LIVE December 20th 2009 @ 3PM SLT (PDT)

What: Meditation, Talk and Q&A

Who: Genjo Marinello Osho

When: Sunday, December 20th @ 3PM SLT (PDT)

Dear Sangha and friends of the Kannonji Community:

We are proud to announce that Rinzai priest Genjo Marinello Osho will be at Kannonji Zen Retreat in Second Life on Sunday, December 20th at 3 PM SLT to lead us in sitting, give a Dharma talk, and field audience questions.

Genjo Osho is the Rinzai abbot of Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji in Washington state. He received Dharma transmission from his teacher, Eido Tai Shimano-roshi. In addition to his Zen practice, Genjo Marinello is a practicing Quaker and psychotherapist. Genjo began Zen practice in 1975 and became an unsui in 1980, then spent a few months in Japan from October of 1980 to February of 1981 training at Ryutaku-ji (the Abbot at that time was Sochu Suzuki-roshi and in residence was retired abbot Soen Nakagawa-roshi).

Please arrive early for this event, as seating may be limited.

Click Here to visit Kannonji in Second Life
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Keido Josh Bartok LIVE January 3, 2010 @ 2 PM SLT (PDT)

What: Meditation, Talk and Q&A

Who: Keido Josh Bartok

When: Sunday, January 3 2010 @ 2 PM SLT (PDT)

Dear Sangha and friends of the Kannonji Community:

Josh Keido Bartok is a Senior Dharma Teacher with Boundless Way Zen at the Ralph Waldo Emerson Sangha and was ordained in July of 2006 by James Ishmael Ford as a Soto Zen priest in the Boundless Way Zen tradition. In 2001, he became James Ford Roshi’s first formal student in the Boston area, and in 2005, James asked him to start the Boston sangha. Josh first encountered Zen practice in 1991 while studying Cognitive Science at Vassar College. In 1992, he became a student of John Daido Loori at Zen Mountain Monastery. After college he was a monastic practitioner at Zen Mountain Monastery for a year and a half. In 2000, he left Loori’s Mountains and Rivers Order, and began studying with Jan Chozen Bays Roshi in Oregon. Together with Rod Meade Sperry he founded Spring Hill Zen in Somerville/Medford, and shortly after met James Ishmael Ford, with whom he and several others helped found the Zen Community of Boston, now called Boundless Way Zen (BoWZ). Additionally, his Dharma is influenced by the Zen teaching of Ezra Bayda and Shin (Pure Land) Buddhism as taught by Shinran Shonen, and interpreted by Tai and Mark Unno. Josh is a staff editor at Wisdom Publications, where he has served as in-house editor for dozens of books on Buddhism and Zen including Hardcore Zen, Mindfulness Yoga, and The Dharma of Star Wars. Recreationally, he is an amateur photographer who shows locally in Boston.

Please arrive early for this event, as seating may be limited.

Click Here to visit Kannonji in Second Life
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Caitriona Reed LIVE Sunday, January 10 2010 at 2:00 PM SLT (PDT)

Where: Kannonji Zen Retreat in Second Life

When: Sunday, January 10 2010 at 2:00 PM SLT (PDT)

Event: Dharma talk, Meditation, Q&A

Kannonji Zen Retreat is proud to announce this special event!

Caitriona Reed is a Dharma Teacher, Group Facilitator, Poet, Hypnotist and Activist in the Transgender community. She has led retreats and workshops in Buddhism, Deep Ecology, and Social Responsibility in the U.S. and Europe since 1981. She has trained with Buddhist teachers in the Tibetan, Theravadin and Thien (Vietnamese Zen) traditions since 1971, and later received Lamp Transmission from her teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. She is co-founder of Ordinary Dharma in Los Angeles and Manzanita Village Retreat Centre in Warner Springs where, with her partner Michele Benzamin-Miki, she is conducting a two-year training program for social activists.

Please arrive early, as seating may be limited.

Myoan Grace Schireson LIVE Sat. January 16 @ 1PM SLT

When: Saturday January 16, 2010 @ 1:00 PM SLT (PDT)

Where: Kannonji Zen Retreat in Second Life

Agenda: Meditation, Dharma Talk and Q&A

Kannonji Zen Retreat is proud to announce that Grace Myoan Schireson, Soto Zen priest and author of the book Zen Women: Beyond Tea-Ladies, Iron Maidens, and Macho Masters will be at Kannonji on Saturday, January 16 at 2:00 PM Second Life Time (PDT).

Myoan Grace Schireson is a Soto Zen priest with training in the Rinzai school as well under the guidance of Keido Fukushima-Roshi of Tofuku-ji in Japan. Schireson is the founder and guiding teacher of the Empty Nest Zen Group, Modesto Valley Heartland Zen Group and the Fresno River Zen Group. A Dharma heir of Sojun Mel Weitsman of the Berkeley Zen Center in California, Grace is a former psychotherapist who offered some clients the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction techniques developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Schireson is married to Peter Schireson, a practice leader at Empty Nest Zendo ordained as a lay teacher by Sojun Mel Weistman.

Please arrive early as seating may be limited.

Click Here to visit Kannonji in Second Life
(requires client application install)

Genjo Marinello Osho videos

This is part 1 of the talk given by Genjo Marinello Osho on November 22, 2009 at our retreat in Second Life. All videos available on our channel.

Paul Dochong Lynch Videos

This is part 1 of the talk given by Paul Dochong Lynch, JDPSN on November 15, 2009 at our retreat in Second Life. All videos available on our channel.

Paul Dochong Lynch JDPSN LIVE December 6 2009 @ 3 PM SLT

When: Sunday, December 6 2009 @ 3 PM SLT (PDT)

Where: Kannonji Zen Retreat in Second Life

Agenda: Dharma Discussion & Meditation


Kannonji is pleased to announce that Paul Dochong Lynch, JDPSN, Guiding teacher of the Five Mountain Order of Korean Zen, will be at Kannonji Zen Retreat in Second Life on Sunday, December 6 at 3:00 PM Second Life Time (PDT).

Dochong JDPSN is a former student of Zen master Jibong and continues his studies with James Ishmael Ford-roshi of Boundless Way Zen. Paul began practicing Vipassana Buddhism in 1985 with Greg Penn, DD in Escondido, CA. He later met Zen Master Seung Sahn in 1989 and began practicing Zen in the Kwan Um School. In 1993 Paul founded and was installed as the Abbot of the newly formed Huntington Beach Zen Center. A few years later Zen Master Seung Sahn renamed the center to the Ocean Eyes Zen Center serving as its Abbot until 2007.

Please arrive early as seating may be limited.

Click Here to visit Kannonji in Second Life
(requires client application install)

Grace Myoan Schireson on Saturday, Dec. 5 @ 2 PM SLT (PDT)

When: Saturday December 5th, 2009 @ 2L00 PM SLT (PDT)

Where: Kannonji Zen Retreat in Second Life

Agenda: Meditation, Dharma Talk and Q&A

Kannonji Zen Retreat is proud to announce that Grace Myoan Schireson, Soto Zen priest and author of the book Zen Women: Beyond Tea-Ladies, Iron Maidens, and Macho Masters will be at Kannonji on Saturday, December 5 at 2:00 PM Second Life Time (PDT).

Myoan Grace Schireson is a Soto Zen priest with training in the Rinzai school as well under the guidance of Keido Fukushima-Roshi of Tofuku-ji in Japan. Schireson is the founder and guiding teacher of the Empty Nest Zen Group, Modesto Valley Heartland Zen Group and the Fresno River Zen Group. A Dharma heir of Sojun Mel Weitsman of the Berkeley Zen Center in California, Grace is a former psychotherapist who offered some clients the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction techniques developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Schireson is married to Peter Schireson, a practice leader at Empty Nest Zendo ordained as a lay teacher by Sojun Mel Weistman.

Please arrive early as seating may be limited.

Click Here to visit Kannonji in Second Life
(requires client application install)

Dosho Mike Port Sunday, November 29 @ 4PM SLT (PDT)

What: LIVE Dharma talk, meditation and Q&A with Dosho Mike Port

When: Sunday, November 29th at 4:00 PM PDT (Second Life Time)

Where: Kannonji Zen Retreat in Second Life

Dosho Port is a Soto Zen priest and Dharma heir of Dainin Katagiri-roshi. He has studied with Ikko Narazaki-roshi, Tangen Harada-roshi, Thich Nhat Hanh, Shodo Harada-roshi, and Daido Loori-roshi. He began studying Zen under Katagiri-roshi's guidance in 1977 and trained with him until his death in 1990. He was ordained as a Zen Buddhist priest in 1984 and received Dharma Transmission in 1989. His current teaching/practice project is Wild Fox Zen, Transforming Through Play Temple in Minnesota. The author of the newly published book Keep Me in Your Heart a While: The Haunting Zen of Dainin Katagiri, he is the half-time single parent of two wonderful children and the program lead in a school for adolescents with severe behavior problems.

Please arrive early, as seating may be limited.

Click Here to visit Kannonji in Second Life
(requires client application install)

Paul Dochong Lynch, JDPSN LIVE Sunday, Nov. 15 @ 2 PM SLT (PDT)

When: Sunday, November 15 2009 @ 2 PM SLT (PDT)

Where: Kannonji Zen Retreat in Second Life

Agenda: Dharma Discussion & Meditation


Kannonji is pleased to announce that Paul Dochong Lynch, JDPSN, founder of the Five Mountain Order of Korean Zen, will be at Kannonji Zen Retreat in Second Life on Sunday, November 15 at 2:00 PM Second Life Time (PDT).

Dochong JDPSN is a former student of Zen master Jibong and continues his studies with James Ishmael Ford-roshi of Boundless Way Zen. Paul began practicing Vipassana Buddhism in 1985 with Greg Penn, DD in Escondido, CA. He later met Zen Master Seung Sahn in 1989 and began practicing Zen in the Kwan Um School. In 1993 Paul founded and was installed as the Abbot of the newly formed Huntington Beach Zen Center. A few years later Zen Master Seung Sahn renamed the center to the Ocean Eyes Zen Center serving as its Abbot until 2007.

Please arrive early as seating may be limited.

Click Here to visit Kannonji in Second Life
(requires client application install)

Genjo Marinello Osho LIVE Nov. 22 @ 3 PM SLT (PDT)

What: Meditation, Talk and Q&A

Who: Genjo Marinello Osho

When: Sunday, Nov. 22 @ 3PM SLT (PDT)

Dear Sangha and friends of the Kannonji Community:

We are proud to announce that Rinzai priest Genjo Marinello Osho will be at Kannonji Zen Retreat in Second Life on Sunday, November 22 at 3 PM SLT to lead us in sitting, give a Dharma talk, and field audience questions.

Genjo Osho is the Rinzai abbot of Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji in Washington state. He received Dharma transmission from his teacher, Eido Tai Shimano-roshi. In addition to his Zen practice, Genjo Marinello is a practicing Quaker and psychotherapist. Genjo began Zen practice in 1975 and became an unsui in 1980, then spent a few months in Japan from October of 1980 to February of 1981 training at Ryutaku-ji (the Abbot at that time was Sochu Suzuki-roshi and in residence was retired abbot Soen Nakagawa-roshi).

Please arrive early for this event, as seating may be limited.

Click Here to visit Kannonji in Second Life
(requires client application install)

World AIDS Day Concert Event (Second Life) Nov. 27 & 28

In honor of World AIDS Day, Kannonji Zen Retreat will be hosting a two-day concert series with 24 hours of music to raise money for Maitri Compassionate Care and the Stephen Lewis Foundation. The music will begin on November 27th at 12 p.m. SLT (PDT) and last until 12 a.m., with the action picking back up November 28th again at 12 p.m. SLT until 12 a.m. that night. Come help us raise awareness and funds for these two worthy causes. A special thanks to Teann Bellic for organizing the event.

Musical lineup

Friday, November 27, 2009
________
12 pm- Luvvie Starsider
1 pm- Cellandra Zon
2 pm- ZeroOne Paz
3 pm- Strum Diesel
4 pm- LadyScarlett Gears
5 pm- Stella Silvansky
6 pm- pm Tallguy Kidd
7 pm- Harper Messmer
8 pm- Phemie Alcott
9 pm- Skye Galaxy
10 pm- MarcusAurelius Merlin
11 pm- Cataplexia Numbers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday, November 28, 2009
-----------
12 pm- Jon Bazar
1 pm- Thunderfoot Lorefield
2 pm- Quinton Diavolo
3 pm- Bones Writer
4 pm- Tone Uriza
5 pm-Seba Sideways
6 pm- Quinton Whitman
7 pm- Kitzie Lane
8 pm- Hazideon Zarco
9 pm- Rara Destiny
10 pm- Pato Milo
11 pm- Nyas Purrcell

Click Here to visit Kannonji in Second Life
(requires client application install)

Kannonji Meditation Leaders: Thunderfoot Lorefield

We are pleased to introduce Thunderfoot Lorefield.  In addition to being part of our meditation leader team, Thunderfoot is also one of our resident musicians, and is a regular performer at the Kannonji campfire.  Thunder recently shared his Q&A with us:


How long have you been in Second Life?
Just 2 weeks short of 1 full year. I was invited to play percussion at a local show for a singer friend. She told me of their live shows in second life. I thought it would be a great place to reconnect with my inner acoustic singer, who had lain dormant for a long time.

How did you find Kannonji?
Through another local RL musician who plays inworld. He played a concert at the Tai Chi pond which I attended. I stayed around after the show for awhile, and just kept coming back.

What do you enjoy most about Kannonji?
The scenery is lovely, and it is a very newbie-friendly sim. And I enjoy the campfire concerts, and take pride in my part of those, both as performer and as facilitator. But without a doubt, the greatest feature of Kannonji is the friendly welcoming attitude of it's citizens. The community is the best thing about Kannonji.

Would you like to share a little about yourself?
Okie, born and bred. Dyed-in-the-wool Methodist. I'm not a literal, practicing buddhist, but I admire and respect the philosophy, and Kannonji is a great place to learn it, study, and witness it in practice.

Any other hobbies or activities you enjoy that you'd like to share?
Musician, playing drums, guitars, bass, keyboards, and dabbling in other string instruments such as viola, cello, cigarbox guitars and oud. Career graphic artist, page layout designer and macaholic. And yes, a 3-d builder, going back to the days of using Imagine, on an Amiga 3000.

****

Our 30 minute meditation sessions are held daily at 1pm, 5pm, and 9 pm SLT (Pacific Standard Time). Please join us at Snowlion Mountain.

Youtube Intro to Kannonji Zen Retreat

Jundo Cohen LIVE November 14 @ 5 PM SLT (PDT)

When: Saturday, Nov. 14 @ 5 PM SLT

Where: Kannonji Zen Retreat in Second Life

Agenda: Dharma Talk, Meditation, Audience Q&A

Rev. Jundo Cohen (Jundo Miami in SL), ordained Soto Zen priest and Dharma heir of Gudo Wafu Nishijima-roshi, will be giving a Dharma talk, leading the Sangha in meditation, and taking audience questions on Saturday November 14th at 5PM SLT at Kannonji Zen Retreat in Second Life.

A writer and translator of Japanese, Cohen is a member of the American Zen Teachers Association and the Soto Zen Buddhist Association leading sitting groups in both the United States and Japan. Jundo began his Zen practice in 1980 and has lived primarily in Japan since 1989. Initially he was a lay student of Azuma Ikuo-roshi at Soji-ji Dai-Honzan. Jundo is a retired attorney with a wife and kids, making clear to Cohen that the boundaries between householder and priest have long-since started to vanish in Soto Zen. "Our practice, after all, is for living in the world," he writes.

Affectionately known as "Jundo Jim" he is most recently the translator of A Heart To Heart Chat On Buddhism With Old Master Gudo, a statement of Gudo Nishijima's fundamental perspectives that has been published by Windbell. It is a great privilege and honor to be host of such a groundbreaking event.

Kannonji Meditation Leaders: Luvvie Starsider

Our featured meditation leader for today not only leads meditation sessions four times each week, she is also a talented musician, who can often be found performing at the campfire stage.  We are pleased to introduce to you Luvvie Starsider and to share her response to our Q&A.

Share a little about yourself:
I have studied Buddhism and have considered myself to be a Buddhist since the early 1980's as a young adult. I have been in Second Life for about 7 months, since March of 2009. Love it! I love meeting people -- biggies and tinies. I love to explore people's creative endeavors and I am awed nearly every day.

There are almost no Buddhists where I live in RL, so when I realized that there are Buddhists in Second Life, I was elated! Kannonji Zen Reteat  is where I met (and continue to meet) the most helpful and friendly people.  I feel welcome here and I have met people I can trust.

I enjoy sharing zazen practice wih my friends. I love the scenery and creativity I find here. I am also very grateful that I get to share my  music with people at the campfire at Kannonji. Very cool!

I feel honored to be one of the group owners, a meditation leader and a resident of Kannonji Zen Retreat.

****

Our 30 minute meditation sessions are held daily at 1pm, 5pm, and 9 pm SLT (Pacific Standard Time). Please join us at Snowlion Mountain.

Youtube Transcript of Roger Shikan Hawkins Talk

This is the talk given by Roger Shikan Hawkins on October 30th, 2009 at our retreat in Second Life.

November 21st 4 PM PDT Jiun Foster Dharma Talk

When: Saturday November 21, 4:00 PM Second Life Time (PDT)

Where: Kannonji Zen Retreat

We are proud to announce that Reverend Jiun Foster, Abbot of Great Cloud Zen Center in Cincinnati, OH (http://cincinnatizen.org/index.php), and a practitioner of Buddhism for more than twenty years, will be giving a live Dharma talk, holding 1 hour of dokusan (koan interviews), and holding a Q & A session for those in attendance at Kannonji Zen Retreat in Second Life (a virtual reality platform) on Saturday, November 21 at 4:00 PM SLT.

Jiun is a formerly ordained Bhikkhu in the Tibetan tradition and former Tendai practitioner currently serving as a Bodhisattva priest in the Five Mountain Sangha founded by his teacher, Paul Dochong Lynch, JDPSN. Paul was a student of the great Zen master Seung Sahn and continues his training with James Ishmael Ford-roshi. Jiun has served as director and teacher for dharma centers in the Tibetan Kagyu and Tendai traditions in addition to his work in Cincinnati. We are deeply honored and gracious to have this opportunity. We hope to see everyone in attendance!

Jiun is known as Jiun Bodenhall in Second Life.

Kannonji Meditation Leaders: Meme Plutonian

Our meditation leader spotlight today shines on Meme Plutonian.  Meme leads meditation sessions at our Zendo on Tuesday afternoon and Saturday evening, and is also a member of our owners group, helping to keep Kannonji Zen Retreat on the grid and open to everyone.  We are pleased to share Meme's Q&A with you.


How long have you been in Second Life?
Almost 11 months


How did you find Kannonji?
I was searching for meditation sims and found Kannonji to be the best in SL. I was a newbie at the time and the owners (Caspian and Teann) were so welcoming, helpful and gracious.


What do you enjoy most about Kannonji?
The peaceful setting as well as a friendly, informal yet very focused, helpful and cooperative group.


Please share a little about yourself
I enjoy SL because you can be what you want to be. Also, it complements my real life interests in tai chi, meditation, astronomy and music.

****

Our 30 minute meditation sessions are held daily at 1pm, 5pm, and 9 pm SLT (Pacific Standard Time). Please join us at Snowlion Mountain.