ANNOUCEMENT: The Board of Ordinary Mind Zen-Brownsville has decided to change the day and time of our meetings. Beginning this week, the fourth week in October of 2007, we will hold our meetings on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. The time will change to 6 pm. Beginners seeking instruction should arrive at 5:45 pm.
At 6pm we will begin with sitting meditation, followed by kinhin at 6:30, and discussion ending at or around 7:15pm.

For additional information please contact:
Ed Miller at (956)621-1767
James or Suzie Lovegren at (956)399-9548

Ordinary Mind Zen-Austin Intensive

James and I attended a weekend Intensive at our sister sangha, Ordinary Mind Zen-Austin, on September 21-23. It was led by Peg Syverson, Zen priest and founder of Ordinary Mind Zen-Austin and Flint Sparks, Zen priest, psychotherapist, and founder of Austin Zen Center. I would like to invite you to view Peg's Ordinary Mind blog and go to "Reflections from the Intensive" on September 27th 2007

http://ordinarymindaustin.blogspot.com/

Peg asked, "What is possible in a weekend?" Listening to Flint Sparks make the esoteric teaching of the masters sound so available, so ready to use and doing it in such a wonderfully humorous and poetic way; Sitting with serious students in silence, eating with them and feeling their support of this practice; Feeling Peg's caring guidance at each moment -during zazen, working at preparing meals, attending practice interviews, and listening to her wondrous commentary on the artistry of each of our lives. So what is possible in a weekend is this: To fully recommit to the heart of this strange and mysterious practice that we call zazen.

Noble Truth

"The Buddha's teaching starts with an assault upon the shame we feel about our suffering. He says that dukkha - imperfection, suffering - is real and we do not need to be ashamed of it. In fact, facing inevitable affliction is noble. A noble person is one who accepts the reality of adversity and is not investing energy either in avoiding the necessity to deal with it or in exacerbating it. The salvation of humankind will be found in the practice of a noble response to existential reality. That is enlightenment."

Taken from "The Feeling Buddha" by David Brazier

Adoption

Ed and Marie Miller are happy to announce the addition of Betty, Maricela and Maria to their family.

We are now Ordinary Mind Zen-Brownsville

Over the past few months, Rio Grande Zen has been reading from various writings from Charlotte Joko Beck during our dharma talks. The governing board of Rio Grande Zen has decided to change our name to reflect the emphasis on her teachings. We will now be known as Ordinary Mind Zen-Brownsville. We will still meet on the second and fourth Wednesday nights at the All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church at 125 Paredes Line Road, Brownsville at 7:00 p.m.

Scheduled Sittings

Rio Grande Zen will sit on the second and fourth Wednesday nights of the month. Our next sitting will be Wednesday, May 9 at 7:00 p.m. at the All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church. We will also sit together on May 23 at 7:00 p.m. also at All Souls.
Everyone is invited to sit with us. Please bring a cushion to sit on and wear comfortable clothes.

Rio Grande Zen Sangha's First Sitting

Rio Grande Zen sat together for the first time on Wednesday night, April 25.