Four Thursdays: February 18, 25, March 4, 11, 4:30 – 6:30 pm PT

Led By Dōjin Sarah Emerson, Chris Fortin and Jenifer Block

In this time of difficulty and uncertainty, the archetype of Jizo Bodhisattva, an embodiment of fearlessness and great persistence, is a profound resource. Jizo vows to walk into the fires of suffering, and to accompany all beings across to the safety and equanimity of awakening.

Calling forth this spirit of creative and wholehearted engagement, we will deepen and stabilize our capacity to meet personal grief and loss and the collective grief of the global pandemic, racial violence and inequities, climate catastrophe, economic instability, societal and communal uncertainties.

The event is offered to deepen the qualities of Jizo Bodhisattva: unconditional love, great commitment, and unshakable fearlessness, in our practice and in the world. Our hope is that this offering will cultivate our individual and collective capacity to accept and engage with what is painful and difficult.

Jizo Practice Group

Our final session will be a Jizo Ceremony in which we bear witness to each other’s grief and loss and dedicate our efforts to the healing of our communities and in the world.  All are welcome, especially those in need of compassion, healing, and solace from the many losses, uncertainty and changes of these times.This is a unique opportunity to begin or deepen your bodhisattva practice. Together we will explore the meaning and power of Jizo Bodhisattva.  Meetings will include dharma talks, relevant reading, discussion, creative expression, as well as supporting one another in navigating the tricky places. We will introduce creative practices to nurture the qualities of Jizo: optimism, compassion, courage, and peace. We will study the Wheel of Life, and Jizo’s role in opening the doors of practice in the six realms of transmigration: gods, jealous gods, hungry ghosts, hell-beings, animals, and humans.

Advance registration required, this is not a drop-in group.

Offered through San Francisco Zen Center:

for more information and to register click here

The ango this year will be online through zoom.
The theme of the ango will be “The Eightfold Path We Walk Together.”

• The Sunday talks on March 14 – April 4 will be on the topic of the ango.
• The ango study group will meet on Wednesday evenings, March 10 – April 7, 6:00 to 8:00 (possibly ending earlier on some evenings). During these meetings, participants are invited to offer brief (5-10 minute) presentations  to express and share their own understandings, experiences and living applications of one or more folds of the Eightfold Path. We particularly invite developing connections between the Eightfold Path and contemporary issues including social justice, living in the pandemic and the climate crisis.
• We plan to hold an ango practice day combined with the Sunday offering on March 21, 9:15 am – 3:00 pm.

The Eightfold Path is a classic exposition of the 4th Noble Truth of the Path (the 4 Noble Truths are the truths of suffering, the cause of suffering, freedom from suffering, and the path).

The Eightfold Path consists of:
1. Skillful View (or Understanding)
2. Skillful Intention (or Resolve or Vow)
3. Skillful Speech (or Conversation)
4. Skillful Action (or Conduct)
5. Skillful Livelihood (or Integration)
6. Skillful Effort (or Energy)
7. Skillful Mindfulness (or Recollection of Teachings)
8. Skillful Concentration (or Meditation)

There are a number of books which discuss the Eightfold Path. We would like to recommend the following as our base text:

The Eightfold Path edited by Jikyo Cheryl Wolfer (Temple Ground Press). It is a compilation of commentaries on each fold by contemporary woman Zen teachers.

The ango will be led by Dojin and Korin.

Suggested donation for Ango: members $110, non-members $150, if you’re having financial hardship, please email (see below),                no one turned away for lack of funds

Please sign up by sending an email to stonecreek@sonic.net

From 9am-12pm we will have a quiet, online 1/2day retreat-alternating sitting and walking meditation.

Please join for whatever portion works for your schedule.

Email: stonecreek@sonic.net for the link.

1) Thursday 12/31- New Year’s Eve sitting from 3-6pm PST

To close out this momentous and challenging year, please join us for some quiet meditation together. We will alternate sitting and walking meditation.

Come and leave as you need.

On Stone Creek’s zoom- please email if you need the link: stonecreek@sonic.net

2) Saturday January 2^nd-  New Year’s ½ Day Renewal Retreat and Jizo Ceremony, 2-5pm

For this afternoon, we will come together to sit, reflect and make space for our personal and collective grief to honor and give closure to the challenges that we met in 2020, and make some room in our hearts and lives for renewal and continued healing in 2021.

We will sit zazen, share some teachings about Jizo Bodhisattva (the bodhisattva of fearlessness who supports us in feeling and expressing our grief and loss, and crossing over into realms of connection and healing), and meet with one another in small groups. We will then share together in a Jizo Ceremony where we make small offerings and entrust them to the care and tending of Jizo’s great capacity.

Led by Dojin

Please register by Thursday 12/31 by emailing: stonecreek@sonic.net

Suggested donation, sliding scale $30-$60, no one turned away for lack of funds.

9-945am

Our monthly introduction to Zen practice returns in an online format. Instruction in the basics of Zen meditation and learn a little bit about Stone Creek Zen Center and our sangha.

This will be held on Zoom from 9-945 before our weekly Sunday program which begins at 10 (please feel free to stay for the whole morning).

Please email to let us know you are interested and so we can send you the Zoom link:

stonecreek@sonic.net

Welcome to Stone Creek’s Online Silent Auction!

The auction will be online December 7-21, 2020.

To submit a bid, please choose your level from the preset bids for each item, and email stonecreek@sonic.net

Bids will be held in order received and updates will be posted daily (so your bid may not show up right away…not to worry).

Items will be available to bid on until the auction closes at 9pm on 12/21, or they are sold through the “Buy-It-Now” price.  Because we have fewer items and bidders this year, the Buy-It-Now price is slightly higher than the original value.

If you choose a Buy-It-Now bid, we will make arrangements for you to pick up the item as soon as possible.  Otherwise, items won will be available for pick up at the Stone Store 4-5pm on 12/22 and 12/23, or by appointment if needed.

Please note, Auction items are FOR PICK UP ONLY, we do not have the capacity to ship them.

If there are items that do not receive any bids, they may be available after the close of the auction, we will keep you posted about this.

(Click on an image to see more detail)

Silent Auction Items:	Descriptions:
	Item #1: Foot Soldier Jar, with Lid John Chambers, noted Sebastopol artist Browns with black stoneware 6 ½ H x 5 ½ W complexity arising out of the simplest of means Value: $160 Opening Bid: $80 Bid 2: $100 Bid 3: $120 Bid 4: $140 Bid 5: $160 Buy-It-Now: $175
	Item # 2: Vintage Porcelain Hand-Painted Tea Pot Artist unknown Blue and gold 5 ¾” H x 9” W ((including spout & handles) Value: $50 Opening Bid: $25 Bid 2: $35 Bid 3: $45 Bid 4: $50 Buy-It-Now: $60
	Item # 3: Small traditional Japanese Cast Iron and Enamel Tea Pot Artist unknown 4 ½’ H (7 ½“ with handle) x 5 ½” W (with spout) SOLD!
	Item #4: Vintage Woodstoke Lidded Casserole Gulf Coast Pottery Collective Gray, blue & ochre stoneware 4 ½” H (6” with lid) x 7 ½ W Value: $100 Opening Bid: $50 Bid 2: $70 Bid 3: $90 Bid 4: $110 Buy-It-Now: $125
	Item # 5: Vintage Woodstoke Bowl Gulf Coast Pottery Collective Gray, blue & ochre stoneware 3” H x 9” W Value: $100 Opening Bid: $50 Bid 2: $70 Bid 3: $90 Bid 4: $110 Buy-It-Now: $125
	Item #6: Serving Bowl by John Chambers, noted Sebastopol artist Calligraphy by Sunae Chambers Green-gray stoneware with calligraphy in dark brown 9 ¾”W x 2 3/8”H SOLD!
	Item #7: Ceramic Bowl Harvey Brody Noted North Bay ceramicist & painter Black, with multi-colors 3 ½ “ H x 9” texture and form guide the process Value: $50 SOLD!
	Item #8: Hand- Painted Ceramic Bowl Mary Classen, noted Sacramento area artist 3” H x 5 ½” W Light gray, with unique multi-colored floral motif Value: $125 Opening Bid: $60 Bid 2: $80 Bid 3: $100 Bid 4: $125 Buy-It-Now: $150
	Item # 9: Japanese Tea Bowl with Antique Wooden Box Artist unknown Pale pinkish and grey with crackle glaze 4 15/16”W x 2 15/16”H Box: 5 15/16”W x 5 15/16”D x 5”H, with calligraphy, artist’s stamp, Japanese wrapping cloth, and attached ribbon Value: $125 Opening bid: $65 Bid 2: $85 Bid 3: $105 Bid 4: $125 Buy-It-Now: $150
	Item # 10: Moroccan Silver Necklace Artist unknown 8” hanging vertical, from clasp to center bead Value: $100 Opening Bid: $50 Bid 2: $70 Bid 3: $90 Bid 4: $110 Buy-It-Now: $120
	Item #11: Wool Rug Description: Artist unknown Red, black, and grey vintage hand-woven rug from Guatemala Set up for wall hanging, or could be used on the floor 21 ¾” W x 39” H Value: $175 CURRENT BID: $85 Bid 2- $115 Bid 3- $150 Bid 4- $175 Buy-It-Now price: $200
	Item #12: Stoneware Pitcher with Handle Stone Pool Pottery, noted American potter Mark Shapiro Light brown stoneware, stamped with the artist’s stamp: MS 8 ½ H x 5 ½ W Value: $200 CURRENT BID: $150 Bid 3: $200 Buy-It-Now: $250
	Item #13: Antique Ginger Jar Chinese, artist unknown Hand-painted blue on off white, all-over pattern 8’ H x 7 ¾’ W Value: $100 Opening Bid: $50 Bid 2: $70 Bid 3: $90 Bid 4: $110 Buy-It-Now: $125
	Item #14: Antique Ginger Jar Chinese, artist unknown Hand-painted blue on off white, floral motif on one side 7’ H x 7 1/8’ W Value: $100 Opening Bid: $50 Bid 2: $70 Bid 3: $90 Bid 4: $110 Buy-It-Now: $125

The Dharma of being Anti-Racist: Accessing Skillful Engagement

ONLINE: 17-weeks Class

TUESDAYS: January 26 – May 18, 2021 6 -8 pm PT

with Rev. Liên Shutt, Rev. Sarah Emerson, Rev. Charlie Pokorny, and Dalila Bothwell

Would you like to have skillful ways to be in the midst of these critical times?

If so, the teachings of the 8-Fold Path directly shows us how we can use our wisdom & heart-mind training to support our behaviors with these qualities:

Wisdom in:

• Skillful Understanding / View
• Skillful Thought / Motivation

Enacted through Heart-Mind trainings/meditations & practices in:

• Skillful Effort
• Skillful Mindfulness
• Skillful Concentration

To foster behaviors of:

• Skillful Speech
• Skillful Action
• Skillful Livelihood

These 8 aspects are taught as ways to live an intentional life of non-harming. Each week you’ll be presented with traditional & social justice-oriented contemporary frames to understand & apply these aspects in real & every day ways. You’ll be able to learn & practice how they make sense for you in your life now & not just as theories & concepts.

Inquiring into, understanding, and responding to the causes & conditions that have brought about our collective suffering of racism, this course will offer a variety of instructional/guided meditations, reflective writings, and mindfulness practices along with interactive exercises to support grounding, settledness, & wise action. Connecting to how you have agency/power (in yourself & with your communities) in the midst of racial conditioning is the best “medicine” for these times. We’ll practice skills for staying in discomfort & resilience through cultivating an open-hearted intimacy with suffering, invoking anti-racism to have impact in the world.

Class format will alternate between class session of teachings & home practice assignment with small group session to discuss what came up for you in the home practice that week (small groups will be formed as BIPOC-only and white-identified-only to foster brave-space intimacy).

To apply, please submit information at Access to Zen’s website:

https://accesstozen.org/events/2020/8/3/the-dharma-of-being-anti-racist-accessing-skillful-engagement-e4pj2

On Tuesday 12/8, we will gather virtually to sit in commemoration and celebration of Buddha’s Awakening.

The sitting will be 9am-12pm on the Stone Creek zoom link.

Schedule for the morning, please join at any time:

9-930 zazen

930-940 walking meditation

940-1010 zazen

1010-1030 short dharma talk

1030-1040 walking meditation

1040-1110 zazen

1110-1120 walking mediation

1120-1150 zazen

1150-12 brief celebratory service and end

Please email for the Zoom link if you need it: stonecreek@sonic.net