Dear Friends and Supporters, I’m writing with the begging bowl in hand, as I do each year at this time. But this year feels different—there’s more at stake. I hope you’ll take the time to read this appeal letter; it’s a little longer than usual, but for good reason. The
Loving Kindness on Election Day From Joshin Recognizing that I am not an observer, but a participant in the life of our world, may I resolve to bring peace to my own inner turmoil. May I embody peace in every breath I take, aware moment by moment of the rising
At Gather, we welcome everyone. It is who we are. We …. welcome … everyone. That is not as simple as it sounds. What does it mean to welcome everyone? It means, first, that when a person walks through the door, we welcome them: we greet them – by name
April 2024 Creativity is a way of letting in the whole world. Soon we’ll open our May Zen Circle where we’ll enjoy the works of Eihei Dogen and Bob Dylan side by side. It’ll be great fun and I hope you’ll join us. We have a strong arts practice at
This past Wednesday saw a large crowd coming together to joyfully celebrate the milestone of completing our first year together! It’s difficult to convey to all of you how much the support and goodwill you have shared with us has enriched the lives of many. We began the day as
Dear Sangha, The winter weather has quieted the atmosphere here at Bread Loaf Mountain Zen Community, but like the spring shoots preparing for their return, we’re using this time wisely to develop new programs we’ll be offering in 2024. Our hope is that these upcoming practice and learning opportunities (in
Dear friends, We’ve been doing some cozy and heartwarming things this winter at Bread Loaf Mountain. Some of you already heard about Valentine’s Day Gather Anniversary and Peacemaker Quilt Party. I hope you’ll enjoy the write up below and the article that our local newspaper ran about the event. Many
Quilts Soothe Children Dealing with Trauma February 8, 2024 By John Flowers A UKRAINIAN INFANT enjoys a quilt generated by volunteers involved in the Peacemaker Quilt Project. The project provides homemade quilts to children going through difficult times, ranging from war to foster care. Photo courtesy of Joshin Byrnes
My residency at BLMZC was a somewhat unique experience. I had planned to move in after graduating from Middlebury College in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the campus shut down completely, so I ended up moving in halfway through my final semester in March 2020. At the time,
New Year’s Intentions – A Note from Joshin Onward in Love! May each of us who wants peace on earth Make a commitment to transform the anger, hatred and violence in our own hearts. May each of us who wants a world without conflict, Make a commitment to resolve, in
We extend our boundless gratitude to everyone who gives to Bread Loaf Mountain to make our life possible
