To Those Who
            Study The Mystery
                       Sensei Beth Jacobs
 
A twist of smoke draws a squint from us all
But no one saw the same gray ribbon
        We huddle around fire in a trance
        Inside is a silent gray sea we can sense
We swim together in a silent sea
And cast language nets over mystery
        Each word we use carries a net
        Or bears a kite tail that turns and flips in
        the wind
The common wind carries separate seeds
We meet where we touch shared earth
        The earth is our witness
        The elements our difference
Our differences are total
We all speak sangha as a second family
        We bring shards of family to the group
        And heaps of gooey longing too
We share longing and divide resources
We make silence together and combine into chords
        We shovel silence in turns
        Like filling a grave with dirt
Filling a grave with peace
We buoy each other with close by knees
        Close by knees and hearts in a row
        There is no space between the warmth
Space fills with our particulars
While time wears off the edges
        Cushions and nests don’t have edges
        We never let our fledglings fall
Falling back and letting go
Our private efforts, common goals
        Each private inhale smells incense
        A twist of smoke draws a squint from us all
 
* This poem uses the Duplex form invented by Jericho Brown.

The altar from our recent Rōhatsu retreat (Dec. 5–7)

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Introduction to Meditation


Are you interested in meditation? In starting to practice on a regular basis? Ready to jump off
now or prepare to hit the ground running (or sitting ). We want to help you with the skills you need. We offer an Intro class to review the basics of sitting and form, depending on your physical needs, and end with a 30 minute meditation. Udumbara Zen Sangha is a welcoming community of zazen practitioners.

RSVP at 847-475- 3264

1330 RIDGE AVE., ROOM #2
UNITARIAN CHURCH OF EVANSTON
EVANSTON, IL.  60201

Mailing Address
Udumbara Sangha
P.O. Box 6031
Evanston, Il.  60204

847-475-3264

www.udumbarazen.org

To study the Buddha Way is to study the self. To study the self
is to forget the self. 
To forget the self is to be actualized by myriad things.
         DOGEN