Editorial
To be called a student of Zen you have to demonstrate this harmony through your practice, through your life. No separation. Connect with everything you meet and make the best of it.
Ekai Korematsu Osho
Welcome to the March 2022 issue of Myoju magazine. Each year Ekai Oshō chooses a theme for the Jikishoan Community, a focal point for practice and training throughout the year. This year’s theme is Harmony, and the sub-theme for this first quarter is Harmony: Self Care. Ekai Osho’s Dharma Talk, Harmony: Self-care was given at Bansan (formal entering ceremony) at Thursday evening Sanzenkai at Quang Minh Temple in Braybrook. He speaks of the importance of bringing one’s “best possible physical condition and good energy to the practice (then) your mind can work beautifully, resuming its own natural, original way”.
In this issue of Myoju we have reflections by students of Jikishoan’s Integrated Buddhist Studies Program (IBS) on their past year of practice and training. Tony Crivelli is training as Benji (attendant to the Head student) in the current Shuso Ryo. He writes about his experience chanting the Vow of Samantabhadra, during Shitsunai Kankin, one of the Shuso Ryo’s weekly practice activities.
Retreat practice is the focus of the Main Course C study program and for the last two years Jikishoan has hosted three online retreat periods each year. Ruth Brunt has written about her first year of practice in the Main Course C program, exploring how best to approach long term practice; the pitfalls she has encountered, and the lessons learned.
Naomi Richards contribution is taken from a report written as part of her training as an assistant coordinator in the Main Course A program during 2021. She writes on using memorisation as a way of embodying the practice.
My deepest thanks to everyone who has contributed to the production of this issue.
I hope you enjoy Myoju.
Margaret Kokyu Lynch — Coordinator
On behalf of Ekai Korematsu Osho — Editor
