Springs Mountain Sangha is a lay community rooted in the Zen tradition,
with an emphasis on meditation, koan practice and inquiry as facets of
awakening. We collaborate in this awakening through weekly meditation gatherings, regular retreats throughout the year, individual
consultation with teachers, group study, ceremonies, and social events.
We are a part of The Open Source, which connects us with other
communities practicing in this tradition. With a dedication to embodying
the Dharma in 21st century America, welcoming insights from sources old
and new, Eastern and Western, we practice to uncover and respond with
Awakened Mind in this very life we are living.
We meet three times weekly for silent meditation and sutras, talks, discussion or informal conversation. Longer meditations are held monthly, and we offer occasional classes and study groups. In addition, our teachers Joan Sutherland, Roshi (our holding teacher), Sarah Bender, Sensei (our resident teacher), and David Weinstein, Roshi, lead four intensive retreats each year.
All are welcome to weekly meetings at Shove Chapel on the Colorado College campus. No experience is necessary to attend. Orientation is available 15 minutes before each Monday evening meeting, and introductory classes are scheduled periodically. If you’re in the area, we hope you’ll join us!
While Zen is very much an individual undertaking, it is much more powerful practiced in community. Some of us attend regularly, some only rarely. All are welcome. We consider a member anyone who wishes to be considered a member. There are no membership dues or sign-up requirements (though we welcome, and in fact depend on, donations). Decisions are made as a whole or by steering committee, and there are a number of ways to participate. Members bring offerings of flowers, incense, food, readings, their own writings or thoughts, and most importantly, their own sincere practice. Growing up as a community without a resident teacher has given us some strengths, as well as some challenges. We value each other as teachers, and know that each of us holds the authority and responsibility for our own practice.
Zen practice doesn’t require abandoning other religious traditions. Rather it tends to deepen our understanding of religious traditions and practices; and the wisdom of other traditions enriches our practice of Zen. Our particular stream of Zen comes through the Sanbo Kyodan, formed in Japan by Hakuun Yasutani Roshi. It was further developed by Robert Aitken, Roshi, who founded the Diamond Sangha, and now by the Pacific Zen School, under the leadership of John Tarrant and Joan Sutherland. This lineage is characterized by a lay practice rather than a monastic one; a teaching style rich with encouragement and wide in scope, including both Soto and Rinzai teaching methods; and by a dedication to embodying the dharma in 21st century America, welcoming insights from sources old and new, Eastern and Western. For more information on the Pacific Zen School, which includes John Tarrant’s Pacific Zen Institute and Joan Sutherland’s Open Source Project, please see www.pacificzen.org and www.joansutherland.net.
Evolution of the Sangha
The roots of this sangha go back to 1996. We held our first retreat in 1997. In the summer of 1998, we adopted the name Springs Mountain Sangha and invited Joan Sutherland to be our holding teacher. Joan consults with our steering committee, offers her teaching through her writings, and visits twice a year to lead retreats. Some members also have formalized a student-teacher relationship with Joan. Others have done so with David Weinstein, who also travels here to lead retreats. Both teachers work with students by telephone between visits and lead retreats in other places, which we can attend.
In September 2006, Sarah Bender became a sensei with Joan Sutherland’s Open Source, as well as our first resident teacher. Sarah leads retreats and offers talks and Work in the Room during our regularly scheduled meetings.
Sarah also serves as Buddhist Program Leader for the United States Air Force Academy.
SMS members also can formalize a student-teacher relationship with Sarah Bender, Sensei. Please contact her at teacher@smszen.org for more information.
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