Upcoming events

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• Friday Morning Practice

  • Start
    Friday, December 08, 2023
  •  
  • End
    Friday, December 27, 2024
  •  
  • Schedule
    56 sessions
  • Location
    Online on Zoom Only.

  FRIDAY MORNING PROGRAM

  Fridays 7am - 7:30am a sangha-led* morning sit: zazen, optionally followed by chanting the Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo.

  We also offer zazen practice with a service Mondays - Thursdays also at 7am. See more about Weekday Morning Practice at Red Cedar.

  
  

  * sangha-led practice times are led by experience students in the sangha. Teachers and priests are not always present. Rituals offered are simpler and private interviews are not available.

  
  

  
  

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• Saturday Morning Practice

  • Start
    Saturday, January 06, 2024
  •  
  • End
    Saturday, January 18, 2025
  •  
  • Schedule
    55 sessions
  • Location
    Online on Zoom Only.

  SATURDAY MORNING PROGRAM

  Saturdays 7am - 7:30am a sangha-led* morning sit with a 30-minute period of zazen to start your weekend off.

  We also offer zazen practice with a service Mondays - Thursdays also at 7am. See more about Weekday Morning Practice at Red Cedar.

  
  

  * sangha-led practice times are led by experience students in the sangha. Teachers and priests are not always present. Rituals offered are simpler and private interviews are not available.

  
  

  
  

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• Reading Dogen (weekly on Tuesday)

  • Start
    Tuesday, January 23, 2024
  •  
  • End
    Tuesday, January 07, 2025
  •  
  • Schedule
    51 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual Zendo online via Zoom

  Register

  Reading Dogen

  The Red Cedar Zen Community is continuing the weekly "Reading Dogen" Study Group.

  The event is hosted on zoom by Sangha teacher and Tanto (head of practice) Kanho Chris Burkhart. For an hour we will read Dogen and discuss whatever comes up for us. There is no need to commit to the series, dropping in is fine. 

  We are using "Master Dogen's Shobogenzo" (Gudo Nishijima & Chodo Cross) and "Treasury of the True Dharma Eye" (Tanahashi) as the main translations.

  For questions or a copy of the fascicle we are currently reading, please contact Kanho Chris at cburkhart@gmail.com.

  Location: We are meeting online in our Virtual Zendo - please visit the Our Zendo page for connection information.

  Registration: There is no fee for this class but please register so we can send you updates.

  REGISTER

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• Sangha Mentors Program

  • Start
    Friday, March 22, 2024
  •  
  • End
    Saturday, January 11, 2025
  •  
  • Location
    Arranged with your mentor

  Register

  Nomon Tim and the Red Cedar Zen Practice Leaders are happy to invite a new round of mentorship. This program is available to all Members of Red Cedar Zen Community. 

  In this simple program sangha members are paired with a mentor. The mentors are our Practice Leaders: Lay Teachers and Priests who have completed the shuso (head monk) training. Our Guiding Teacher, Nomon Tim Burnett, will not serve as a mentor, rather he will be directing the program and consulting regularly with the teachers. You are always welcome to consult with Nomon Tim one on one in dokusan (private interview).

  The process is simple: simply sign up and indicate a 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice of whom you would like to serve as your mentor.

  You will hear back from Nomon in a few weeks on which mentor was assigned. Know that the teachers do not see your preferences. Simply pick whom you feel affinity with and we will do the rest.

  Once paired, you'll meet with your mentor and decide how often you would like to make contact. And how. We recommend touching base once or twice a month as a general guideline, but the program is flexible according to individual needs and the currents in our busy lives.

  There is no registration fee or charge but you might consider an offering of dana (generosity) to your mentor in any form that feels appropriate.

  What will the conversations be about? Anything related to the practice. Which is to say, anything related to living our lives with more awareness and kindness. You might choose to both read an article or study a text and talk about it; you might choose to make a commitment about daily practice and have someone to check-in on how that's going; you might simply relax together over a cup of tea and feel the deep benefits of spiritual companionship.

  We hope sangha members will take advantage of this opportunity. And remember that it helps our sangha's teachers to grow and develop when they have an opportunity to take on these roles. The Sangha Mentors program is a wonderful way to strengthen our individual and collective practice and inter-connection as a sangha.

  ---

  Not yet a member? Please sign up on the Membership Page. A current membership is required to participate in the Sangha Mentors program.

  
  

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• Weekday Morning Practice

  • Start
    Monday, September 30, 2024
  •  
  • End
    Thursday, April 24, 2025
  •  
  • Schedule
    120 sessions
  • Location
    Online on Zoom Only.

  WEEKDAY MORNING PROGRAM

  Monday - Thursday 7am - 7:30am a simple morning sit: zazen, and brief dedication of merit.

  On Friday mornings also at 7am we offer a slightly different program.

  Verses used are available here. 

  You may add a name to our well-being and memorial blessings list here.

  If you would like to have a private interview (dokusan) with our Guiding Teacher, Nomon Tim Burnett, simply use the Zoom chat function to send Nomon a private chat - just saying "doksuan" is fine. Note that Nomon Tim is often logged in as Red Cedar Zen Community.

  Printable Chant Books covering all chants done at Red Cedar events are available here.

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• Thursday Evening Practice

  • Start
    Thursday, October 31, 2024
  •  
  • End
    Thursday, February 11, 2027
  •  
  • Schedule
    118 sessions
  • Location
    Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, 1207 Ellsworth St, Bellingham, and Online on Zoom

  THURSDAY EVENING PROGRAM

  This is our central weekly practice and community meeting. The usual pattern is:

  • 1st Thursday of the month: Precepts Ceremony.
  • 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Thursdays of the month: Regular Schedule (see below).

  Most evenings begin with zazen (sitting meditation) and include kinhin (walking meditation), bowing and chanting service, Dharma Talk and discussion.

  During our annual Winter Practice Period Schedule the schedule emphasizes meditation more strongly.

  Location: In-person at BUF and online via Zoom - see our Zendo page for details.

  Dokusan (private interviews with the teachers) will be available in both places - an announcement will be made at the beginning of the program on how to request a session. Learn more about dokusan.
  

  Orientation: If you're new to Zen or our community, we're happy to offer an orientation to the program (when and how to do what). Just email orientation@redcedarzen.org. It's also perfectly fine to just show up, pick someone, and do what they do. 

  Regular Schedule:
  6:50pm han (sounding board) begins
  7:00pm zazen (sitting meditation)
  7:30pm kinhin (walking meditation)
  7:40pm service (chanting and bowing)
  8:00pm dharma talk by Guiding Teacher Nomon Tim Burnett and others
  8:40pm discussion
  8:55pm refuge chant
  9:00pm close

  Printable Chant Books covering all chants done at Red Cedar events are available here.

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• New Year's Eve Zen Ceremony

  • When
    Tuesday, December 31, 2024
  •  
    7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
  • Location
    Mountains and Waters Temple, 2509 Cedarwood Dr, Bellingham WA 98225 or on Zoom

  Register

  Come join us in ringing in the New Year with 108 rings on the bell, a fire/purification ceremony, meditation and chanting at our temple-under-construction!

  Bring forward your intentions for what to let go of in your life, and enjoy an evening with sangha in ritual and connection. 

  Come a little early to get settled as this popular evening of practice returns after a 5-year hiatus.

  Pre-Event Prep:
  4pm - Optional - to help sweep, clean and prepare Cloud Hall at Mountains and Waters Temple as our zendo for the evening. Dinner break before the ceremony.

  Location: Mountains and Waters Temple (Sansui-ji), 2509 Cedarwood Drive in Bellingham. 

  Cancellation Warning: We expect the portion of the temple we'll be using will be safe and accessible to us on December 31st. If it isn't: cancellation of this event will be announced. If you're registered you will receive notice of any changes sent directly to you.

  New Year's Eve Schedule:
  7:00pm Zazen (sitting meditation)
  7:30pm Kinhin
  7:40pm Zazen
  8:10pm New Year's Ceremony
  Approx 10:00pm close with snacks and tea outside around the fire

  We'll also be burning any name cards from the altar of people who've died in the last years. If you have any of these from your home altar you are invited to bring them.

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• January Construction Work Party

  • When
    Saturday, January 18, 2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    2509 Cedarwood, Bellingham, WA

  Register

  Construction Work Together on Our New Home

  Construction has begun and we are now doing significant construction work to help our contractor (and to reduce costs). It's all physical work, but there are a wide variety of tasks for different abilities and skill levels.

  At each work party going forward there will be a mix of tasks ranging including:

  • construction clean up
  • sheet rock removal
  • simple carpentry
  • landscape maintenance

  Safety: we now have work gloves, eye protection, and ear protection available to to borrow - bring you own if you have them and do wear sturdy clothes and footwear.

  Lunch: if you can stay into the afternoon please bring a lunch. We are planning full 9am to 4pm days, but any amount of time you can spend is a big help.

  Timing: Arriving later than the start time is just fine. Please come when you can in the 9am - 4pm window.  And please RSVP and indicate your best guess and when you'll be there to help our facilitators in planning.

  Location: The new zendo is at 2509 Cedarwood, Bellingham, WA, near the intersection of Cedarwood and Northwest Avenue. 

  Click here for Google Map.

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• 2025 Zen Precepts Studies - True Freedom Through Ethical Conduct

  • Start
    Monday, February 03, 2025
  •  
  • End
    Saturday, August 09, 2025
  •  
  • Schedule
    8 sessions
  • Location
    Online via Zoom

  Register

  Our annual 8-month study group on the Zen Precepts. The group will be led by Guiding Teacher Nomon Tim Burnett and Practice Leader Myoki Raizelah Bayen.

  This class, and community, for Zen practitioners interested in deepening their relationship to their practice and their lives through the study of the Zen Precepts has been a valued part of Red Cedar Zen programming for years.

  Students should have the intention to attend all 7 evening meetings and the half-day retreat.

  All are welcome. And students moving towards Jukai are expected to attend all sessions plus the Jukai ceremony on November 9th at the Fall Samish Sesshin.

  Note: If you are interested in receiving Jukai this year, please see the Going Further page on the website and speak with a teacher for information on the process.

  This course is completely online via Zoom.

  Meetings

  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.

  A second monthly meeting is self-organized by smaller study groups to discuss the readings and further reflect on how the precepts show up in their lives. Responses can be written, artistic, or verbal.

  The study group concludes with a half-day retreat in early August.

  Text Used 

  Opening to Oneness: A Practical and Philosophical Guide to the Zen Precepts by Nancy Mujo Baker. 

  Schedule

  1st Monday evening meetings plus a Saturday half-day retreat.

  2/3 - 6:00-8:00pm About the precepts, taking refuge
  3/3 - 6:00-8:00pm Pure precepts
  4/7 - 6:00-8:00pm Precepts 1 & 9
  5/5 - 6:00-8:00pm Precepts 2 & 3
  6/2 - 6:00-8:00pm Precepts 4 & 5
  7/7 - 6:00-8:00pm Precepts 6 & 7
  8/4 - 6:30-8:00pm Precepts 8 & 10
  8/9 - 9am - 1pm Saturday Half-day retreat

  Teachers

  Myoki Raizelah Bayen

  Raizelah began her Buddhist journey at Green Gulch Zen Farm in 1988, working on the farm, sitting zazen, and participating in her first practice period. She refers to the temple at Green Gulch as the cradle for her spiritual baby, nourishing her early spiritual practice and growth. After her residency at Green Gulch, she took a hiatus from formal Zen practice, during which she continued her sitting practice and participated in the Diamond Approach to realization. She returned to formal Zen practice in 2006 with Norman Fischer's sangha, Every Day. There, she participated in monthly 1-day sittings and annual sessions, for over 15 years. There, she also connected with her primary Zen teacher and friend, Chris Fortin.

  In 2021, Raizelah moved to Bellingham, continuing her practice with Red Cedar Zen Community. Actively involved in Red Cedar, Raizelah has served as Ino and Susho in 2023. She is currently sewing her priest robes and preparing for ordination in 2025.

  Nomon Tim Burnett

  

  Tim has been a student of Zoketsu Norman Fischer since 1987 when he was a resident at San Francisco Zen Center. After sitting practice periods at Green Gulch and Tassajara Zen Monastery, Tim helped found the Bellingham Zen Practice Group in 1991. Tim was ordained as a Zen Priest by Norman in 2000, received Dharma Transmission in 2011, and was installed as Guiding Teacher of the sangha in April, 2017.

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• Living as Vow: Retreat for Women and Femme Practitioners

  • When
    Saturday, February 15, 2025
  •  
    8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, 1207 Ellsworth St, Bellingham and Online on Zoom

  Register

  Living as Vow

  As we navigate this world of confusion and suffering, how do we live our Bodhisattva vows?

  Join us for this gentle 1-day sitting and Dharma inquiry into your life as vow.

  One Day Sits are an opportunity for sustained quiet practice together in sangha and a great way to learn more about formal Zen practice.
  

  Facilitated by Seiu Hannah and Myo Ki Raizelah.

  Saturday, February 15, 8:00 to 4:00 pm (lunch included, but please eat breakfast before arrive). The retreat will also be available online via Zoom. 

  The schedule will be announced after the new year.

  Registration: Registration is required. If you are attending in-person, for the safety of everyone you'll need to follow our current COVID protocols.

  Myoki Raizelah Bayen

  

  Raizelah began her Buddhist journey at Green Gulch Zen Farm in 1988, working on the farm, sitting zazen, and participating in her first practice period. She refers to the temple at Green Gulch as the cradle for her spiritual baby, nourishing her early spiritual practice and growth. After her residency at Green Gulch, she took a hiatus from formal Zen practice, during which she continued her sitting practice and participated in the Diamond Approach to realization.  She returned to formal Zen practice in 2006 with Norman Fischer's sangha, Every Day. There, she participated in monthly 1-day sittings and annual sessions, for over 15 years. There, she also connected with her primary Zen teacher and friend, Chris Fortin.
  
  In 2021, Raizelah moved to Bellingham, continuing her practice with Red Cedar Zen Community. Actively involved in Red Cedar, Raizelah has served as Ino and Susho in 2023. She is currently sewing her priest robes and preparing for ordination in 2025. 

  

  Seiu Hannah Sullivan was shuso, head student, during the 2022 Winter Practice Period when she explored the Diamond Sutra in her shuso's class. Hannah is also a student of Sokaku Kathie Fischer.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  More options for Sits, Retreats, and Sesshin
  

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• February Construction Work Party

  • When
    Saturday, February 22, 2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    2509 Cedarwood, Bellingham, WA

  Register

  Construction Work Together on Our New Home

  Construction has begun and we are now doing significant construction work to help our contractor (and to reduce costs). It's all physical work, but there are a wide variety of tasks for different abilities and skill levels.

  At each work party going forward there will be a mix of tasks ranging including:

  • construction clean up
  • sheet rock removal
  • simple carpentry
  • landscape maintenance

  Safety: we now have work gloves, eye protection, and ear protection available to to borrow - bring you own if you have them and do wear sturdy clothes and footwear.

  Lunch: if you can stay into the afternoon please bring a lunch. We are planning full 9am to 4pm days, but any amount of time you can spend is a big help.

  Timing: Arriving later than the start time is just fine. Please come when you can in the 9am - 4pm window.  And please RSVP and indicate your best guess and when you'll be there to help our facilitators in planning.

  Location: The new zendo is at 2509 Cedarwood, Bellingham, WA, near the intersection of Cedarwood and Northwest Avenue. 

  Click here for Google Map.

  Show details
• Samish Island Sesshin 2025 - Save the Date

  • Start
    Friday, June 13, 2025
  •  
    5:00 PM
  • End
    Saturday, June 21, 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM
  • Location
    Samish Island Campground, 11565 Scott Rd Bow WA 98232
  • Spaces left

  Save the dates for the 2025 sesshin:
  June 13 - June 21, 2025

  Registration will be open in early 2025

  Our annual 7-day (8 nights) silent Zen sesshin with Zoketsu Norman Fischer with talks and interview also available with Nomon Tim Burnett and others, includes seven days and eight nights of silent practice of sitting and walking meditation in this beautiful church camp on the water on Samish Island in the Skagit Valley. Retreat includes dharma talks by Norman and other Northwest teachers, dokusan and practice discussion, sitting and walking meditation, and delicious vegetarian meals. A deep time for practice and reflection with the support of sangha and teachers.
  

  Many photos of Samish are available on our Photos page.

  The following information is from a past Samish sesshin to give you an overview before registration opens.

  To keep current on this and all our events, please join our email list!

  Schedule:
  You may attend the entire retreat or just the first or second half. Second half attendance is only appropriate to those who have sat sesshin with us before. We are unable to offer other attendance choices. Signing up is making a commitment to be part of the retreat for the entire period you signed up for.

  

  Full Retreat - Friday 5:00pm to Saturday at noon

  First Half - Friday  5:00pm to Tuesday at 5pm

  Second Half - Tuesday at 5pm to Saturday at noon.

  Prerequisites & Requirements
  This is a rigorous and structured experience. To benefit from being at Samish Sesshin please abide by the following requirements.

  • You should have attended at least one full day formal meditation retreat before attending this 7-day, 8-night retreat. Please do not register if you have never sat a full day of formal meditation (in Zen or other traditions is fine).
  • If you have never attended Samish sesshin please start at the beginning by attending the full retreat or the first half, and do not attend just the second half.
    Orientation and instructions are offered at the beginning only.
  • No attendance options other than the three listed above can be accommodated. 
  • This is a silent retreat without talking, reading, writing, computer or cell phone use. Please be prepared to follow this guideline fully.
  • Following the full schedule is a core practice of Zen. Some alternate schedules can be arranged with the Ino in cases of health and other needs.
  • Plan on remaining at Samish Island camp during the entire time of your sesshin attendance, not leaving for errands or appointments, etc., and remaining at the camp through final clean up at noon on Saturday unless illness or unavoidable travel arrangements prevent this.

  Housing:
  There are currently four different housing options to choose from:

  E-Cabins are recently built multi-room cabins with a bath shared with one other room. E-Cabins are in short supply in this retreat. Please choose a rustic cabin if that is possible for you in order to leave the e-cabins for those with health challenges. Or consider sharing an e-cabin. 

  e-Cabin Exterior

  e-Cabin Interior

  Rustic Cabins - simple plywood cabins built in the 1950's. Camp style bathrooms in a separate building. Most rustic housing will be private (not shared), however, if couples or friends are willing to share a cabin this can make a difference in accommodating everyone if the sesshin is full.
  

  Rustic Cabin, exterior

  Rustic cabin, interior

  RV site with hookups - you can bring your own RV and connect to the camp's services.  A lower cost option.

  Tent - you can bring a tent and camp on the lawn. A lower cost option.

  Samish Island Campground

  We have rented the Community of Christ's wonderful camp at the eastern end of Samish Island for over a twenty-five years for our residential retreats. A wonderful place where sea meets sky.

  11565 Scott Rd, Bow, WA 98232
  Map and Directions

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