New Year's Message

It’s Kyol Che time again.  Every year in Providence our school holds a 90-day meditation retreat at the beginning of the New Year.  This year it is being led by Zen Master Soeng Hyang, our School’s guiding Zen Master.

At Empty Gate Zen Center this time of year marks the beginning of our calendar and an increased schedule of retreats.  This January we will hold our usual 3 day retreat, followed in February by a one day retreat held in Garberville, Ca.  One of our long time Dharma Teachers, Ken Berman, holds a monthly retreat there and has asked us to join him in February.  In March we will hold our annual 8 day retreat from March 7-March 15.  We will hold a precept ceremony that week.

Kyol Che time is also a time for all of us to look into our practice-life and make an effort to make it stronger.  Some of us decide to add more sittings to our week, or keep a more regular sitting schedule.  Others might choose to do more bowing or more mantra practice during the  90 days of Kyol Che.

This year my commitment during Kyol Che will be a bit different.  My ongoing writing project is heating up.  I will be spending more of my time for the next year writing than I have up until now.  During retreats you may find me in my office writing rather than sitting in the Dharma Room.  

My hope is that we all can take some time during this time of the New Year and look deeply at why we are practicing and match our efforts to support that Great Vow.  May we all stay active in the life of Empty Gate and support and nourish each other’s practice.  May our efforts help each other, and may the world around us be healed through those efforts.