All posts by stonecreek

Events

Dharma Talk This Sunday

Sunday Program

8:00am            Zazen (meditation)
8:30am            Informal breakfast and conversation
9:10am            Cleaning/work practice
10:00am         Zazen (meditation)
10:30am         Service
10:40am         Dharma talk

You are welcome to join for all or part of the program.

10am zazen through the Dharma talk is available online as well as in person.

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If you’d like an introduction to Zen meditation and forms or would like the Zoom link for online offerings, please reach out at info@stonecreekzen.org.

We are located in West Sonoma County at 2999 Bowen Street, Graton, California.

 

Events

Next Sunday Dec 10: Guest Speaker Nancy Petrin

Next Sunday we’ll have our regular Sunday program in person and online, with guest teacher Nancy Petrin (Horin Raika/Dharma Forest Bringing Harmony) 

 

Nancy began dharma practice moving to Green Gulch Farm Zen Center in 1996 for the Farm and Garden Apprenticeship. She lived and practiced at Green Gulch and Tassajara Zen Mountain Center as a resident for 9 years. After leaving Green Gulch Nancy trained and worked as a birth and postpartum doula and continued to contribute to the Children’s and Coming of Age Programs at Green Gulch Farm. In 2010 Nancy began work in the Development Department of SFZC where she worked with members and donors for over 8 years. After that time she moved to City Center with her husband Myles Cowherd and served as Tanto, Head of Practice. In 2022 Nancy received Teaching Entrustment from Rinso Ed Sattizahn. Nancy currently works for Enso Village, a Zen-inspired senior living community as Spiritual Coordinator.  

Sunday Program

8:00am            Zazen (meditation)
8:30am            Informal breakfast and conversation
9:10am            Cleaning/work practice
10:00am         Zazen (meditation)
10:30am         Service
10:40am         Dharma talk

You are welcome to join for all or part of the program.

10am zazen through the Dharma talk is available online as well as in person.

***********************************************************************

If you’d like an introduction to Zen meditation and forms or would like the Zoom link for online offerings, please reach out at info@stonecreekzen.org.

We are located in West Sonoma County at 2999 Bowen Street, Graton, California.

 

Events

Exploring Gender – Talk and Workshop with Pamela Weiss on Feb 11

On Sunday, February 11, Pamela Weiss will share stories about the Buddha, early Buddhist nuns, and the founding of the Bhikkuni sangha that highlight women’s experiences and feminine expressions of the Dharma.

Workshop: During this afternoon gathering, all women-identified sangha members are invited to join Pamela to explore their experiences within a male-dominant tradition, and celebrate women’s unique expression of the Dharma. Together we will practice mindful speech, deep listening and taking refuge within a community of mutual respect and support. Our time together will include guided meditation, interactive inquiry and community building.

Pamela Weiss is dual-lineage teacher in Insight meditation and Soto Zen. She is the first Lay Transmitted teacher in the Suzuki Roshi lineage and the author of, “A Bigger Sky: Awakening a Fierce Feminine Buddhism.”

Details and workshop sign-up coming soon

Events

Exploring Gender – Talk and Workshop with Gregory Mengel on Feb 25

On Sunday, February 25, Gregory will offer the Stone Creek sangha a Dharma talk about the gendered social conditioning that boys and men are subject to and how the imperative to dominate and control in order to be “real men” distorts our ability to express our full humanity.

Workshop: In the second part of the day, the male-identified members of the Sangha are invited to join Gregory for an exploration of their own gendered conditioning. Because dominance-based masculinity thrives by instilling in individual men a sense of inadequacy and isolation, it is easy to feel insecure about being man enough, which can lead us to feel disconnected and mistrustful of other men. The antidote to this is to connect and share with other men. Gregory will lead activities and discussion to help us practice supporting each other as we look at the ways our conditioned thoughts and behaviors can cause harm to ourselves and our relationships. 

Gregory Mengel, PhD is a culture worker engaged at the confluence of personal and collective social change. Gregory received his PhD in Philosophy and Religion from the California Institute of Integral Studies, where his research centered on the social, spiritual, and ecological challenges of our time. For over a decade, he has been supporting white people to examine their racial conditioning, through his work for Beyond Separation, which he co-founded, the East Bay Meditation Center, and the UNtraining, where he currently serves as a Senior Teacher. Gregory also engages groups of self-identified men in the vital work of transforming masculinity. He offers consultation, group facilitation, and leadership coaching to schools, nonprofits, and other pro-social organizations committed to building cultures of racial and gender accountability. His writing has appeared on The Good Men Project and The Body is Not an Apology. To learn more about Gregory, please visit his website at GregoryMengelPhd.com

Details and workshop sign-up coming soon

Events

Rohatsu Sesshin – Dec 5-8

Led by Sessei Meg Levie and Jisho Warner

Rohastsu means “the 8th day of the last month” in Japanese, and it traditionally marks the day of Buddha’s enlightenment. Rohatsu sesshin is a zazen (Zen meditation) retreat held during this time of year, celebrating the Buddha’s awakening and the potential for awakening in us all.

We will be sitting from 8:30am to 5:30pm each day, with an optional early morning sitting starting at 6:30am. Please come for all four days if you can, though you also may come for part of the retreat as your schedule allows (one full day minimum).

The sesshin will be held in silence, with alternating periods of zazen (seated meditation, usually 30-minute periods) and kinhin (walking meditation, usually 10 minutes), and a work period each afternoon and time set aside for stretching. A Dharma talk will be given each day and participants will have the opportunity to speak with a teacher (dokusan).

An informal vegetarian lunch will be served, as well as morning and afternoon snacks.

Fees are sliding scale of $60 – $120 per day including lunch and snacks. No one turned away for lack of funds.

If you are new to sitting or would like a gentle way to step back in, please consider first joining the Beginners’ Half-Day Sitting on November 4 or speak with a teacher. (Requests may be sent to info@stonecreekzen.org.)

REGISTER HERE

Events

Yoga with Corina – Wednesday Mornings 9-10:30

Ongoing Yoga Classes

Wednesday 9-10:30 am
In Person and Online

Corina Stoicescu teaches classes in the Viniyoga tradition that focuses on meeting the unique condition of the individual. Using breath centric movement and pose adaptations, she helps students find integrity in all the poses. Classes are accommodating to a large variety of people and designed so students learn about their own bodies and minds and how the tools of yoga can serve them.

Every month when possible, she offers a series where students can experience the cumulative effect of going deeper in a particular subject.

Rewiring the Stress Response
 
Starting in November, we will address common symptoms of stress and how to rewire the nervous system.
 
November 15: Strategies for Sleeplessness
November 29: Toning Down Anxiety
December 13: Lifting Up Depression

Price
Drop In: $20
Monthly Series: $60 (4 live classes/calendar month, access to series videos for 3 months, written sample sequence)
8 Class card: $120 (4 month expiration)

Please, purchase a ticket before coming to class.

REGISTER HERE


Corina Stoicescu first started teaching yoga in 2005. After a bicycle accident, she discovered Viniyoga and and used Buddhism to help heal her body and heart. She is certified as both a 300 hour Viniyoga Wellness Instructor and 500 hour Viniyoga teacher. In 2020, she completed 1000 hour Yoga Therapy training and is certified by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). Yoga therapy can address specific health and healing needs like preparing for surgery, post surgery care, osteoporosis, digestive issues, Parkinson’s, allergies, trauma, etc. using through the full spectrum of yoga tools. She has been practicing meditation and daily life mindfulness practice since 2002 and uses both the Buddhist and Yogic understanding to inform her perspective.

YogawithCorina.com

 

Events

Bell-Ringing on the New Year! – Sunday, Dec 31

Sunday, December 31 will will gather to ring the bell 108 times to let go of what’s past and welcome the New Year after one year in the renovated building!

SCHEDULE:

8:00am            Zazen (meditation)
8:30am            Informal breakfast and conversation
9:10am            Cleaning/work practice

10:00am        Zazen
10:30am        Short Dharma talk and service, ceremonial ringing of the bell

Potluck celebration to follow.

Please note that there will be no Sunday program on December 24 and zazen the following week until Dec 31.

Events

Gift Bags for Shelter

This holiday season, the Community Church of Sebastopol is inviting us, along with students at Sequoia School, to join them in filling “Christmas Gift Bags” for residents of Sam Jones Shelter in Santa Rosa. Our contributions last year were greatly appreciated.

All the details about how to participate are described in the attached flyer. Everyone opens their bags together, so do include everything on the list provided, and resist the temptation to add extras. You’re able to personalize your bag by enclosing a card.

Those of us unable to shop, can participate by making a donation. Please send your check by December 8th, payable to: Community Church of Sebastopol, 1000 Gravenstein Hwy. North, Sebastopol, CA 95472 with Christmas Bag-Stone Creek written on the memo line.
For those filling one or more bags, the final drop off date is December 17th, by the tree in the Community Church entry hall during office hours, Tuesday – Friday, 10-4. Remember to add the color coded ribbon provided or a piece of paper that designates the gender. To arrange other drop off times contact Liz or Kate.

Sangha members interested in supporting this effort, are asked to RSVP to Kate Burroughs, buglady@sonic.net, (707) 338-9126 or Liz Finn, lizfinn@sonic.net, (707) 478-2558. They are happy to assist with any questions you may have or special requests.

INSTRUCTIONS AND LIST OF ITEMS ARE HERE:

Christmas Bags 2023

 

 

Events

Dharma Talk – in-person and online – Oct 23

This Sunday we’re meeting in person at the Graton Community Club for our regular zazen and Dharma talk.

Meditation at 10:00 amPT, with the talk at 10:30 am.

Masks are required for in-person gatherings. Please see our full Covid protocols here.

If you’re new to practice and would like an orientation to meditation and Zen forms, please email info@stonecreekzen.org.

If you’d like to join by Zoom, please email info@stonecreekzen.org for the Zoom link.

Please note that the talk on Sunday, November 6 will be online-only as the hall is being used for voting.

Events

Dharma Talk – in-person and online – Oct 2

This Sunday we’re meeting in person at the Graton Community Club for our regular zazen and Dharma talk.

Meditation at 10:00 amPT, with the talk at 10:30 am.

Masks are required for in-person gatherings. Please see our full Covid protocols here.

If you’re new to practice and would like an orientation to meditation and Zen forms, please email info@stonecreekzen.org.

If you’d like to join by Zoom, please email info@stonecreekzen.org for the Zoom link.