Central Ohio Center for Pragmatic Buddhism

Zazen is not meditation. It is not a mental exercise, a thing you do with your mind. It is not focused on practices that are antidotes to afflictive states or secondary consciousness. It is not about attaining a special state, being relaxed, or solving your problems. It is not about reducing stress, working with trauma, and being happy. Nor is it associated with visualizations or phrases to nurture certain qualities of mind.

It is about being radically open to things just as they are, not grasping at or rejecting phenomena, but simply being present and at ease with moment to moment uncertainty and groundlessness. It is fully embodied presence, with no separation between the mind, heart, body, and the context of our lived experience, and letting openness or not knowing deconstruct our version of reality. It is the method of non-method. Nothing extra, nothing added. This is zazen… just sitting upright.

Perspective´s everything...
by Thinking Art

Don't hate.. meditate! https://amzn.to/3fePShF

Curtis Cox here- Hello and many blessings fellow Sangha members. I am trying to help beautify the outdoor appearance of our Center. I have recently sprayed all the overwhelming w**ds in an attempt to get ahead of the spread. (Nice rhyme there). I will be heading up a Weeding and Landscape Maintenance Day this coming Saturday (September 2) starting around 9:00am. If you are available I could use some help with the actual pulling/trimming of the w**ds and perform general maintenance in front and behind the center. I have basic garden hand tools, gloves, w**d trimmer shrubby trimmer and yard waste bags for disposal. If anyone else has tools and gloves it would be helpful. I will also provide, fresh bottled water, and other refreshments (juice, vitamin water) and some healthy treats. However, I would like to have a general idea of how many I can expect both to plan the work and to bring sufficient food and drinks. 2 would be nice, 5 to 6 would be fantastic. If we could get a real good handle on the grounds maintenance and beautification then I would be willing to volunteer one day a week, weather permitting, to help maintain the area. Certainly we can also discuss ideas for low maintenance grounds keeping such as quarterly use of a non-herbicide treatment and potted flowers and/or gravel, flag stones or ground cover. You may reply here or please contact me directly through my personal email [email protected]. “Show compassion, seek wisdom, practice peace.” Curtis."

White House extends warm wishes to Buddhists with third annual... The White House held its third annual celebration in recognition of Vesak hosted by Second Gentleman Mr. Douglas Emhoff on Friday, May 5.

Excellent book - definitely non-canonical!

Maitreya in Outer Space Roger Zelazny’s 60s sci-fi epic, Lord of Light, pits the Buddha against the Hindu pantheon on a distant planet

How Samadhi Can Lead to Inner Happiness A well-connected mind doesn’t just lead to insight but an inwardly generated delight that we should pursue and enjoy, says meditation teacher Christina Feldman.

Join us at the Center tonight at 7:00 for a short meditation, sutras and a fire ceremony offering our intentions for the New Year.

We WILL NOT have practice on Christmas morning 12/25, but WILL have practice on New Years Day 1/1.

Join us today for board games at the Center starting at 2:00.

The altar is set for the Feast of Ancestors this Sunday.