We held our fall retreat at the Wake Up Dharma Center in Lee’s Summit, Missouri from September 2 – 4, 2011. We had an intimate group in attendance due to last minute conflicts that arose due to our over-site of the retreat being scheduled on Labor Day. That stated it was a wonderful group and we got to know one another quite well. Because we had a small group I kept the retreat quite informal and we actually went out for dinner and lunch a few times.
On Saturday we had several ceremonies, Joshua Wanji Paszkiewicz was installed as the Abbot of the new Zen Center and we had a Precepts Ceremony. One of our members was unable to attend due to an ailing pet and a relative who was in the final stages of hospice care. In the picture above you can see Rev. Chasayk in the Laptop screen. She took precepts via Skype from her home in Michigan while her husband, Rev. Charama was able to physically attend the ceremony. This was the first time I had given Precepts over the internet, and I had always felt that it is a valid methodology for granting precepts.
Because we are a sangha that depends upon technology, we have two on-line seminaries and many of our teachers meet weekly with their students via Skype, it was a natural evolution. When I attended the Buddhist Geeks Conference earlier this year, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche asked the group of attendees if anyone had ever heard of an organization granting precepts over the internet. I called out several times that Jundo Cohen has been doing this for a while, but because I was in the back of the hall he didn’t hear me. Rinpoche then said that he had asked the Karmpa if giving Tibetan Empowerments over Skype could be the same as doing them in person. He said that the Karmpa replied, “If the teacher transmitting the empowerments had the intention of transmitting them over Skype then they would be considered valid. All in all we had four people take precepts and one person became a Dharma Holder in the Five Mountain Order.
Following the precepts ceremony we all went out to have a Sushi Celebration at a local Lee’s Summit hangout. We had fun sharing and getting to know one another and the highlight of the evening was the addition of real wasabi to accompany our well prepared sushi.
I was pretty sick during the weekend but was in the good hands of all our loving sangha members. I am sure that this retreat will be remembered fondly by all.
My good friend Haeja Sunim attended and was able to assist me with the precepts ceremony.
Rev. Paul Yuanzhi Lynch
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