A monthly group with Shuko Edie Norton and Seishu John Wiley supported by Nomon Tim Burnett for all Red Cedar Zen Members interested in precepts studies. Students should have the intention to attend all 7 evening meetings and the two day retreats.
Students moving towards Jukai are expected to attend all sessions.Speak to a teacher before the first meeting if you are interested in receiving Jukai this year. (See the Going Further page on the website for more).
SCHEDULE
- Meeting #1 Wednesday March 18, 5:30pm - 6:30pm - about the precepts, refuges
- The Zen Sewing Weekend March 20-22 is important for jukai students sewing rakusu
- Meeting #2 Wednesday April 15th, 5:30pm - 6:30pm - pure precepts
- Meeting #3 Wednesday May 13th, 5:30pm - 6:30pm - precepts 1 & 9
- Meeting #4 Wednesday June 10th, 5:30pm - 6:30pm - precepts 2 & 3
- Meeting #5 Wednesday July 15th, 5:30pm - 6:30pm - precepts 4 & 5
- Meeting #6 Wednesday August 26th, 5:30pm - 6:30pm - precepts 6 & 7
- Cohort Retreat - Sunday September 20th, 9am - 1pm
- Meeting #7 Wednesday September 23rd, 5:30pm - 6:30pm - precepts 8 & 10
- Precepts Retreat & Ceremony - Saturday October 31st, 6am - 5pm (ceremony at 3pm, Jukai students usually invite friends and family).
Separate registration is required for the retreat.
Texts Used
Diane Rizzetto, Waking Up to What you Do
Robert Aitken, Mind of Clover
Reb Anderson, Being Upright
Study Process
Each group meeting will include discussion, experiential exercises, and reflection in small groups on what these precepts mean for us as human beings and students of Zen and in reflection of the teachers' comments in the 3 primary texts we study (see below).
In between meetings students will be invited to reflect on how the precept in focus shows up in their life and will be asked to do some kind of active response. This response would be written, artistic or verbal. At each meeting a new assignment for the next month will be offered by the teacher of that month’s group.
More on receiving Jukai.
For those it suits, receiving Jukai is a wonderful step and provides the student with a focus and structure in practice. It also offers the sangha support and nourishment through the student’s publicly made commitment to practice and precepts.
If you’re interested in in receiving jukai: you must receive permission from a sangha teacher. Speak either to Guiding Teacher Tim Burnett, Tanto Shudo Chris Burkhart, Lay Teacher John Wiley or to one of our Mentors who have been shuso and are authorized to support you in preparation for jukai: Edie Norton, Talus Latona, Bob Penny, or Kate McKenna.
Jukai preparation also includes practice interviews: in addition to attending the Precept Study Group and receiving permission from a sangha teacher, in order to move towards jukai you will also be meeting individually with a sangha teacher to discuss your process of engaging with the precepts privately in Practice Discussion or Dokusan.
Jukai is not required or expected: And it’s important to note that it’s wonderful and complete to study the precepts without approaching jukai and that receiving jukai and wearing the rakusu is not a requirement (or a blanket recommendation) in our sangha. It’s a choice and a discernment to be made with a teacher. (For more on Jukai and other training options at Red Cedar please see: the Going Further page on the website).
Please use the registration form at the left to RSVP if you intend to come to study group.
