Appamada Spring 2026 Integrated Intensive
Not Two: Encounter
Facilitators: Peg Syverson & Joel Barna with Flint Sparks
Sunday, April 26 - Saturday, May 2nd, 2026
This intensive explores what it means to practice encounter — not as a concept, but as a lived experience. The Zen tradition has always known that awakening happens most often not in solitude, but in the moment of genuine meeting: in the kitchen, on the road, in a brief exchange that opens something that had been closed. Zazen prepares us for that meeting. This intensive puts both practices together.
What We'll Explore
What actually happens inside you the moment another person comes into view?
What does it mean to listen without preparing a response, offering advice, or performing understanding?
Where do you maintain distance, even in a community you trust — and what does that distance protect?
Can you tell the difference between being present with someone and performing presence?
Who is the self that shows up in relationship, and is it the only one available to you?
What We'll Do
Extended periods of zazen, dharma talks and dicsussion, dharma activities, practice discussion with a teacher, and group inquiry. No prior experience with these practices is required. Flint will offer an online dharma talk as part of the intensive.
Peg, Flint, and Joel warmly invite you to join us!
Register here:
https://syverson.wufoo.com/forms/q1jefr0x16edgzd/
Information
All sessions will be hybrid — in person at the Appamada zendo (913 East 38th St., Austin, TX) and online via Zoom.
Please indicate on the response portion of this form whether you are applying for onsite, online, or some combination. Be sure to specify which times you would like to participate onsite, as we have a limited number of places in the Appamada zendo..
Schedule (All times CDT):
Sunday, April 26: 6:30-9 pm,
Monday-Friday, April 27- May 1 6:30-7:45 am, and 7-9 pm.
Saturday, May 2: 6:30 am-5 pm.
Following the morning program (Monday-Thursday) there will be an optional walk in the neighborhood at 8:30 AM for those who can join us.
Important! If you are attending in person, please bring a sack lunch on Saturday.
Deadline for registration: Sunday April 19th.
As with all intensives, we ask you to participate wholeheartedly—by being present, coming from your heart, and showing curiosity and care—and that you follow the schedule completely. For each session and after each break, please find your seat at least 5 minutes before the session starts.
Book Launch—Not Two: The Appamada Story
Sunday, May 3, 2:00–4:00 PM
KMFA, 41 Navasota St., Austin 78702
More Info & RSVP
Work Day
We hope to see you this coming Saturday, 4/11, at Appamada to enjoy the practice of caring for the earth that holds us all.
We’ll gather at the side porch of Appamada at 8 AM on Saturday to express our intention to carry out our zazen in the form of caring for the Appamada gardens.
We’ll work together weeding, pruning, and caring for this small plot.
Bring whichever yard-work tools you’d like to use; there will be plenty of extras.
Feel free to stay for the entire session, 8-1, or drop in for as long as you’re able.
The song of cicadas in the branches, the voice of water under rocks.
Rain last night washed away the soot & dust.
Don’t say there’s nothing special in my grass hut,
come and I’ll share with you a window full of cool air.
Ryokan
Don’t wait
SUZUKI ROSHI BOOK STUDY (ONLINE)
6 Weeks starting Tuesday, March 10: 6:00–7:00 PM
Register here!
CULTIVATING JOY IN AN UPSIDE-DOWN WORLD
In times of uncertainty and overwhelm, it can feel hard to access even a small sense of ease or happiness. This event offers a beginner-friendly introduction to meditation and mindfulness, helping participants notice and cultivate joy by grounding in what is already alive and nourishing in each moment.
Zazen and Dharma Talk
Appamada's Practice Period
Please register for Appamada's Practice Period. This is an opportunity to set new intentions for your practice and to connect with a practice buddy (to your choosing, if you'd like).
Here's the link: https://syverson.wufoo.com/forms/q1og959a111f2hy/
Here's a photo from Seren8y's Head Student Entry Ceremony today.
And use this link to sign up for tea with Seren8y: https://calendly.com/seren8y-van-ventures/
Dharma Transmission Talk and Reception
DHARMA TRANSMISSION TALK
AND RECEPTION FOR
NATHAN HŌSHIN KŌNEN SMALLEY
Sunday, November 16
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM CST
Please RSVP (in person and online) by November 9th
KMFA Studio
41 Navasota St
Austin, TX 78702
Morning Ancestor Bows with Nate
Hokusai, “Transmitting the Spirit”
Dear Sangha—
As part of Nate’s Dharma Transmission ceremonies, he will be chanting the names of the Zen ancestors for one month, daily at 5:45 AM, before morning zazen weekdays. The formal Japanese name for this ceremony is Bussorai. We invite sangha members to sign up for a day to ring the bell for this ceremony, which takes about half an hour. There are two signup forms, one for October (here) and one for November (here). Please note that on October 28 and 29 this ceremony WILL BE IN THE EVENING, AT 7:00 PM. Please come about 15 minutes early to get set up and instructions. You can also see a video of the Bussorai ceremony with Peg and Flint.
Traditionally, an attendant would ring the bell for this ceremony, but when I was preparing for Dharma Transmission, Kosho suggested that I might invite sangha members to take a role ringing the bells.
I remember how moving it was to share this ceremony with each sangha member who rang the bells. I’d love to share the sweet intimacy of this experience with our sangha once more. I hope you will take this lovely opportunity!
With appreciation,
Peg
Fall 2025 Practice Period (hybrid)
The Fall Practice Period starts with the September 2025 Integrated Intensive 9/14/25-9/20/25 and ends with the Rohatsu Intensive 11/30-12/6.
Register here.
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Dear friends,
This fall, Appamada will hold a ninety-day practice period. A practice period is a time to return to the essentials and meet what arises with presence and care. We begin again—not to start over, but to enter more fully into what’s already here.
Our shared inquiry for the season is:
How do we transmit the Dharma in our thoughts, words, and deeds?
There’s no need to add or strive. A practice period isn’t about doing more or being better. It’s about turning toward what’s already here with intentionality and care. As we sit, work, and tend to ordinary life, we take this time to live the inquiry together.
This fall, our sangha will also be preparing for the Dharma transmission of Nathan Smalley. Rather than naming a Head Student for this period, we invite the sangha to support this moment by sitting regularly, joining offerings, and walking alongside Nate in this shared season of practice.
As always, the practice period is held by the shared vows of those who choose to participate. This is an open invitation—to take part, to lean in, and to discover what this season of practice might offer you.
We hope you’ll join us!
With appreciation,
The Teachers at Appamada
September 2025 Integrated Intensive (hybrid)
The September 2025 Integrated Intensive will be led by Nate Smalley and Peg Syverson. It will be the beginning of the Fall 2025 Practice Period.
Register here.
Appamada's 2025 Precepts Program
“It is precisely Buddhist conduct that is the Buddha.”
—Hui Neng, Sixth Zen Ancestor
OVERVIEW
What does it mean to live a life of practice? What does it look like to respond, moment by moment, with care and clarity rather than habit and compulsion?
Appamada’s Precepts Class is a year-long personal inquiry into the Bodhisattva Precepts. The class is not a rulebook review or a behavioral audit. It’s not about becoming a better person, or even a good one. Instead, it’s a radical invitation to observe, without flinching, how our actions arise, how they land, and what they reveal.
The Buddhist precepts are not commandments or moral laws. They are intimate descriptions of awakened conduct—showing how a person might move through the world with clarity, compassion, and responsibility. Historically, the Precepts emerged as part of the Buddhist monastic code, but in Zen they’ve evolved into something subtler, serving not as rules to obey, but as living questions to carry. Rather than prescribing behavior, they illuminate the terrain of our choices. We don’t “follow” the precepts so much as investigate them. We test, observe, and refine how our actions express (or obscure) our deepest vows.
The Precepts are portals to intimacy, responsibility, and liberation.
The class will be led by Sandra Medina Bocangel, Ann Lipscomb, Kim Mosley, Nathan Smalley, Jessica Steinbomer, and Jon-Eric Steinbomer.
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STRUCTURE
Over the course of 10 monthly hour-and-a-half long sessions—culminating in an optional ceremony in July—we’ll explore each of the precepts through the lens of our own lives. We meet not to master material but to metabolize it.
Each session includes:
A brief period of zazen (5 min)
Personal reflection on previous precept (15-25 min)
Study and dialogue on one precept (45–60 min)
Shared closing with chant and the Bodhisattva Vow
Between sessions, participants are encouraged to maintain a modest daily sitting practice and engage with the precept in the wild terrain of daily life. During each session we’ll invite reflection on the previous precept at each session. What showed up? What surprised you? What challenged your sense of who you are? This is not a linear curriculum—it’s a spiral, a conversation, and a mirror.
PARTICIPATION
Classes are offered via Zoom.
Schedule: Thursday evenings, 7:00-8:30 PM CT
Commitment: Monthly attendance, a daily sitting practice, and wholehearted engagement.
Who it's for: All are welcome—first-timers and returners alike. No prior Zen experience is required, just a willingness to show up and look closely.
Texts: Our core text will be Waking Up to What You Do by Diane Rizzetto We'll also weave in wisdom from assorted teachings by Reb Anderson, Robert Aitken, David Loy, and others.
SCOPE & SEQUENCE
September 11—Introduction: What Are the Precepts?
October 9—Practicing with the Precepts
November 20—Speaking of Others with Openness
December 11—Meeting Others on Equal Ground
January 8—Cultivating a Clear Mind
February 12—Taking Only What Is Freely Given
March 12—Respectful Intimacy
April 9—Letting Go of Anger
May 14—Supporting Life
June 11—Sustaining the Sangha
July 12—Precepts Ceremony (Sunday, 10:20 AM CT)
FINAL NOTES
This is a class, yes—but more truthfully, it is a container. A space for honest reflection, deep listening, and shared inquiry. You don’t need to be polished or “ready.” Just bring your wholehearted practice. Everything unfolds from there.
August 2025 Intensive on Embodiment in Zen (hybrid)
Kim Mosley and Jessica Steinbomer will be leading this Intensive. Register here.
Friday, August 1, 7–9 PM
Saturday & Sunday, August 2-3, 8 AM–5 PM
Sitting together in Zazen invites us into a profound connection with the present moment, gathering our scattered thoughts and touching the essence of our embodied existence. This experience offers a unique opportunity to fully inhabit our experience — body, breath, and awareness — allowing us to encounter life with clarity, tenderness, and unwavering presence.
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Zazen is not about personal enlightenment—it is about how we express universal reality through our bodies. During this session, we will cultivate embodied mindfulness, experience awakening in and through our bodies, and recognize that our deepest wisdom is intertwined with our everyday movements, breath, and sensations.
Our days will include:
Sitting in Silence – Zazen as an embodiment practice, grounding our awareness in breath and posture.*
Moving with Presence – Kinhin (walking meditation), Yoga asana, and mindful work (samu) as expressions of non-separation.
* Eating with Attention – mindful meals as a practice of interdependence and gratitude.*
Ritual and Reflection – Chanting, bowing, and dharma talks to deepen our connection with the lineage of practice.
The body is the vessel of realization. Through practice, we can soften habitual patterns of distraction and resistance, allowing ourselves to be fully present — where wisdom, compassion, and liberation naturally unfold.
Flint Sparks reminds us that awakening is not an escape from life but a deeper participation in it. This practice opportunity invites us to rest in the present, recognize the body as a field of practice, and meet each moment with an open heart.
Let us come together to breathe and remember: the way is already here, waiting for us to step in.
Join us in touching the heart-mind, in this body, in this life.
Lunch will be provided for onsite participants.
Gassho,
Jessica and Kim
Enneagram Class with Lesley Bradstreet (hybrid)
All are invited to join Appamada Council member, Lesley Bradstreet, for a class on the Enneagram. Register here.
Where: Appamada (913 E. 38th Street, Austin, TX 78705) and Zoom (link on Appamada calendar).
Deadline for registration: Thursday, June 12.
The Enneagram at Appamada: an introduction to an ancient system of self-awareness and inner transformation, rooted in psychology, spirituality and somatics. Each of the nine Enneagram types has a different pattern of thinking, feeling and acting that arises from a deeper inner motivation or way of seeing the world.
The Enneagram aligns deeply with Buddhist principles of mindfulness, self-inquiry, and liberation from suffering, and can be useful as a tool for cultivating greater self-awareness, compassion, and wisdom—qualities essential to the Buddhist path. The class will include an interactive tour of the types offering participants an opportunity to discover their own style; as well as large and small group activity.
Lesley Bradstreet has been a student, practitioner and teacher of the Enneagram for many years, and will lead this introductory exploration of nine strategies for relating to the self, others and the world. Learning about these patterns fosters a greater understanding of ourselves and others. By observing where you put your attention and energy, you can build awareness of your automatic patterns and explore a path to personal development.
Head Student Closing Ceremony (hybrid)
This ceremony for Head Student Jess Ambiee celebrates his contribution to the sangha during the Spring 2025 practice period. Zoom link is on the Appamada Calendar.
Introduction to Zen, Spring 2025
Jess Ambiee, our Head Student for the Spring 2025 practice period, is offering a three-part class series on "Introduction to Zen Practice." This hybrid (online and in-person) series is designed for both new and experienced practitioners. We'll explore Zen and meditation with curiosity, (re)discovering this practice together. Register here.
Saturday May 10 - 11 AM-12 PM CDT
Saturday May 17 - 11 AM-12 PM CDT
Saturday May 24 - 11 AM-12 PM CDT
In-Person Location: Appamada, 913 E 38th Street, Austin, Texas, 78705
Online via Zoom link on Appamada Calendar.
If you have any questions, feel free to email Jess at jess.ambiee@gmail.com.
Appamada Spring 2025 Practice Period (hybrid)
Theme: Embodiment in Zen
Register here for the practice period.
Teachers: Flint Sparks, Peg Syverson, Todd Bankler, Joel Barna, Kim Mosley, & Laurie Winnette
Head Student: Jess Ambiee
A practice period is an opportunity to explore a deeper connection and commitment to your practice. In our tradition practice periods last 90 days (80 days for this period).
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Historically, this represents the time during the rainy season in India when the roads were impassable and Buddha would gather his disciples for deeper teachings.
A practice period is a time when those who wish to participate make a formal agreement with their teacher about their intentions and practice. During our practice period, there will be an expanded set of offerings. The Head Student(s) will also be offering talks and informal tea with participants by appointment. The Practice Period begins with an entering ceremony and ends with a closing ceremony.
Participants consult with a teacher about what commitments are appropriate for their schedules and their aspirations.
Two-Day+ Intensive on the Five Skandhas
Dharma Friends,
You are invited to join Appamada Entrusted Teachers Joel Barna and Kim Mosley, for a “Two-Day+” Intensive.
Schedule: (All times are Central Daylight Time)
March 13: 7-9pm, March 14: 6:30-7:45am, 7-9pm. March 15: 8am-5pm (with breaks for lunch)
Deadline for registration: Wednesday, March 12.
Registration: https://syverson.wufoo.com/forms/qpirfhw1rl0xfs/
The theme of this brief intensive will be, “The Five Skandhas.” During the intensive, we will explore Buddhist teachings on form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness (the skandhas). Through meditation, dharma talks, activities, and group discussions, we will examine the nature of perception and cognition and how they contribute to the persistent illusion of the separate self. It's good for us to remind ourselves periodically about what the Buddha taught: We shouldn't quite believe our eyes and ears and other sensations (and particularly our thoughts) as thoroughly as we usually do.
(This connects with “Embodiment in Zen," the theme for the Spring 2025 practice period, which begins on Sunday, March 16. We will have the opening ceremony for a new head student on March 16, in place of that day's dharma talk.)
All sessions will be hybrid — in person at the Appamada zendo and online via Zoom. A zoom link will be shared in the Appamada calendar.
As with all intensives, we ask you to participate wholeheartedly—by being present, coming from your heart, and showing curiosity and care—and that you follow the schedule completely. For each session and after each break, please find your seat at least five minutes before the session starts.
If you will be attending in the zendo, please bring a sack lunch on Saturday.
March intensive costs include daily operating costs for Appamada. Based on expected attendance, both onsite and online, we estimate the cost per person at $50. Please consider this information as you determine what you can contribute in support of the intensive. Appamada depends on the generosity of its members, and all are welcome.
February Integrated Intensive: Six Perfect Practices to Cultivate Joy
You are invited to join Appamada's Senior Teacher, Peg Syverson, for the 2025 February Integrated Intensive February 16-22. Six Perfect Practices to Cultivate Joy is the theme.
Deadline for registration is Monday, February 10.
The daily schedule will be: (All times are CST)
Sunday, February 16: 7-9pm
Monday-Friday, February 17-21: 6:30-8:30am and 7-9pm
Saturday, February 22: 6:30am-5pm
As with all intensives, we ask you to participate wholeheartedly—by being present, coming from your heart, and showing curiosity and care—and that you follow the schedule completely. For each session and after each break, please find your seat at least 5 minutes before the session starts.
All sessions will be hybrid — in person at the Appamada zendo and online via Zoom. A zoom link will be shared in the Appamada calendar.
All are welcome at Appamada. We depend upon the generosity of participants. Please contribute what you can to cover the cost, which is approximately $250 per participant for this intensive. Thank you!
Please see the link below for the registration forms. Currently there is only room for online participation.
https://syverson.wufoo.com/forms/qx11evy14gkjjz/
Everything you do can strengthen your practice, and everything you do to strengthen your practice benefits our community and all beings. We hope you will join us for this intensive.
Jukai Ceremony (hybrid)
The Jukai Ceremony (Receiving the Precepts) is a traditional Buddhist ritual in which a student formally undertakes the Bodhisattva Precepts and publicly affirms their commitment to the Buddhist path. It symbolizes entering the community of Buddhist practitioners and embracing a life of ethical practice and compassion. During the ceremony, participants receive a rakusu (a symbolic garment) and a Dharma name that reflects their spiritual journey. Jukai emphasizes the aspiration to live with mindfulness, kindness, and integrity, while vowing to benefit all beings.
After the ceremony there will be a reception in the study (around 3pm). We’ll be online there as well. Please join us!!!
Potluck Evening with Peg Syverson
Special PotLuck Evening with a reading by Peg from her book Not Two: the Appamada Story; date 2/14/25, time 6:30pm -7:30 for the meal, 7:30 - 8:30 reading, meal - onsite & reading hybrid
2025 January Online Right Use of Power Workshop
Appamada Board and Council members are invited to join Appamada Board and Council member, Nelly Myoju, for an online workshop on the Right Use of Power.
Schedule: Workshop one: Saturday, January 11, 2025, 10am–3pm (CST).
Workshop two: Saturday, January 18, 2025, 10am–3pm (CST)
For both dates there will be a 30-minute lunch break from 12:30-1pm and short stretch breaks.
Deadline for registration: Monday, January 6.
Register here: https://syverson.wufoo.com/forms/q17slufs1o54tb3/
The Right Use of Power approach is a dynamic, inspiring and relational approach to the ethical use of power to promote well-being and the common good. It is the embodied practice of right relationship - together, sharing a language and framework for understanding and navigating power with strength and heart.
Through this foundational training, council and board members will have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of the Right Use of Power approach, increasing skillfulness, engagement and awareness in uses of power in their life in general, and in their spiritual leadership roles at Appamada.
The course will be presented through engaging presentations, facilitated discussions and experiential practices. There will also be a short period of zazen and a Right Use of Power service.
This workshop is offered through the generosity model: All are invited to give generously to support Appamada. Please also consider a dana offering to Nelly directly (PayPal: @NellyMarcadet).
Rohatsu Integrated Intensive
Practice Period ends with Head Student Exiting Ceremony.
Register here: https://syverson.wufoo.com/forms/q1bwawvn0zdbu59/
December 1-7, 2024 Rohatsu Intensive
We have a limited number of places at the Appamada zendo. Please indicate on the response portion of the form whether you are applying for onsite, online or some combination. (Please be sure to specify which times you would like to participate onsite.)
Teachers: Laurie Winnette and Kim Mosley
The theme of this intensive is Rohatsu: Barriers and Pathways For Enlightening Activity.
Enlightening activity sometimes happens spontaneously. However, we can also prepare ourselves by engaging in certain activities and developing specific attitudes that encourage arising. Some examples of these pathways include the Four Noble Truths, the Six Perfections and the Refuges.
Conversely we can create barriers to enlightened activity, such as the Four Obstacles, the Five Desires, the Five Hindrances and the Near and Far Enemies.
Please join us for Buddha’s Rohatsu Integrated Intensive, where we will explore these barriers and pathways together.
As always, each day will include a dharma talk, kinhin, practice discussion, and group dharma activity. The schedule will be as follows:
Sunday, December 1: 6-9pm
Mon-Fri, December 2-6: 6:30am-8am and 6-9pm
Saturday, December 7: 6:30am-5pm
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Please bring a sack lunch on Saturday. As usual, a table with snack food and refreshments will be available in the side room.
As with all intensives, we ask you to participate wholeheartedly—by being present, coming from your heart and showing curiosity and care—and that you follow the schedule completely. For each session and after each break, please find your seat at least 5 minutes before the session starts.
We expect that you will attend the entire intensive. If for some reason you are unable to do so, please contact Laurie (512-576-0604).
If you can participate by taking on a role in support of this special intensive, please indicate your willingness to do so in the comments section on this registration form.
All sessions will be hybrid - in person at the Appamada zendo and online via zoom. A zoom link will be shared in the Appamada calendar.
This intensive is offered through the generosity model. All are welcome at Appamada and this intensive is without a set fee. However we do rely on the generosity of the community to sustain the day to day operations of our sangha. Appamada thrives because of your generosity. Please contribute what you can.
Entrusted teachers are not paid for the hours they spend studying, researching and teaching the dharma for an intensive. Please consider a generous dana offering to the teachers in gratitude for the time and effort they have given.tion text goes here
Entrustment Ceremony for Kim Mosley
Location:
Cherrywood Center (formerly Cherrywood Methodist Church)
1605 E 38 1/2 St
Austin, TX 78722
(corner of E 38 1/2 St and Cherrywood Rd)
Starting time:
2:30 p.m. (Please plan to arrive and be seated at least 15 minutes early)
Officiating:
Peg Syverson, Appamada Senior Teacher
Reception:
A reception with cake, coffee, and tea will follow the ceremony
Sitting with Kim Mosley
Dear Sangha—
In preparation for Kim Mosley’s Entrustment Ceremony on November 3rd, he will be sitting at Appamada from Monday to Friday, October 28th to November 1st. From 1-3pm CDT each day, the Zendo will be open for you to join him and sit zazen together. You are warmly invited to come and leave any time during that period. Kim will certainly appreciate your company and support as he prepares for this profound moment of Entrustment as a Dharma Teacher on November 3.
If you wish to connect via Zoom, the link will be available on the calendar. Alternatively, you are welcome to join in person.
With appreciation for your support and care,
Peg
Integrated Intensive
Registration: https://syverson.wufoo.com/forms/q10bly7e1rwkvw2/
Theme: Trust in Mind (sources: Hsin Hsin Ming and Musong’s writings).
Oct. 27 Sunday evening only: 7:00pm-9:00 pm
Oct. 28-Nov 1 (Monday through Friday):
- Morning: 6:30am-7:00am; 7:00am-7:05am break; and 7:05am -7:45am
- Mid-Day: (Participants are on their own to follow their normal daily schedule of work, school, etc.)
- Evening: 7:00pm-9:00pm
Nov. 2 Saturday: 6:30 am-5:00 pm
Fall practice period
Fall Practice Period ends with Head Student Exit ceremony at 10am CDT on December 15, 2024. You can register to take part in the Fall Appamada practice period at:
https://syverson.wufoo.com/forms/qjcjxew13wmds5
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Sangha,
During the Buddha’s time, disciples gathered during the rainy season, which lasted about three months, to hear the Buddha’s most profound teachings and to practice deeply together. This model of shared practice and deep inquiry for a concentrated period has been conveyed generation after generation by Buddhist practitioners down to our time. In the Zen tradition an Ango, or Practice Period has been a special time in the life of a monastery in which the monks intensified their ordinary schedule with a very focused 100-day commitment to deepening their practice and training. Appointed during this time is a Shuso, or Head Student Rosemarie Gates, who serves as a spiritual friend to the other monks and assists the Head Teacher in his or her duties. The Ango has a formal beginning at which time the monastery is closed to outsiders and ends with a ceremony in which the Shuso engages in a formal offering of his or her teachings to the assembly.
Today, in non-residential practice centers such as Appamada, a Practice Period offers an excellent opportunity for beginning and more experienced Zen practitioners to join together in an intense period of warm-hearted practice, including zazen, dharma talks, classes, work, and close contact with the teachers as well as the Head Student. A Practice Period can offer guidance and encouragement to each participant in developing and deepening his or her regular sitting practice and encourages a daily routine that integrates mindfulness into daily life.
Appamada's 2024 Fall practice period will start with an intensive led by Robin Bradford and Sandra Medina Bocangel, which will begin the evening of Sept. 5, includes sitting on Friday Sept. 6 and Saturday, Sept. 7th. On the morning of Sunday, Sept. 8th will be a special Head Student Entry ceremony starting at 10 a.m.. (You don't need to participate in the intensive to join in the Head Student Entry Ceremony—all are welcome and encouraged to attend.)
It is here that you can define how you might further your practice, including linking up with a practice buddy to encourage one another’s practice.
The Sept. 5 – 7 intensive will introduce the focus for the entire practice period, drawing on the Hsin Hsin Ming, one of the most important poems for Mahayana practitioners.
The practice period will end with a Rohatsu intensive Dec. 2 – 8. The weekend of the intensive will culminate with a Head Student Exit ceremony -- one of the most moving in the Zen tradition. More details on this event, as well as registration information, will be shared.
In between, Peg Syverson will lead the Oct. 27 – Nov. 2 Appamada Integrated Intensive. More about the intensive will be available soon.
We hope you are well and will join us in this shared practice together!
Warmly,
Todd, Laurie and JoelDescription text goes here
September Intensive
The September Intensive will introduce the Fall 2024 Practice Period theme with a study of the Hsin Hsin Ming (Trust in Mind), a 7th century Chinese poem and key text in Zen study, led by Robin Bradford and Sandra Medina Bocangel.
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Schedule (all times are CDT):
Thursday, 7-9 pm
Friday, 8 am-5 pm
Saturday, 8 am-5 pm
(Those attending in person will bring sack lunch for Friday and Saturday. For those attending in Europe, we intend to record the Friday night program and will invite you to watch it before you join us Saturday.)
Register now.
The Intensive will be followed by the Head Student Entry Ceremony (open to all) on Sunday, September 8th. Senior Teacher Peg Syverson will lead an Integrated Intensive October 27-November 2 that will offer deepening study of the verse including Mu Soeng's exploration of the poem in his book Trust in Mind: The Rebellion of Chinese Zen.Learn about meditation intensives.
About the intensive leaders:
Robin Bradford has practiced at Appamada since 2008 and was Head Student in 2018. She is a graduate of the Buddhist Chaplaincy Program at Upaya Zen Center and studied grief tending with Francis Weller. Since retiring from her nonprofit career earlier this year, she has dedicated herself to meeting with people who have experienced loss and to creative practices (especially quilting!).
Sandra Medina Bocangel was Head Student earlier this year and has practiced at Appamada since 2012. Originally from Peru, Sandra worked as an MD in Mexico City before coming to the U.S. where she studied to become a Board Certified practitioner of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. She sees patients in person in San Antonio and also online and is bilingual.
The registration deadline is September 2nd.
Bows,Robin Bradford and Sandra Medina Bocangel
June Integrated Intensive (Practice Period Closing)
Laurie Winnette will offer a 7-day integrated practice intensive offered both in-person and online.
Register here: https://syverson.wufoo.com/forms/q1ju96nw1p8im1c/
Starts Sunday evening, June 16th from 6:45pm-9 pm. Then we will meet each morning from 6:30am-7:30 am and again each evening from 7pm-9pm. The middle of each day will be your normal personal work/school/life schedule. We will wrap up with an all day sitting on Saturday June 22rd from 8am to 5pm and close at 5pm.
Schedule:
Sunday, June 16th: 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Monday, June 17th: 6:30 to 7:45 AM and 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Tuesday, June 18th: 6:30 to 7:45 AM and 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Wednesday, June 19th: 6:30 to 7:45 AM and 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Thursday, June 20th: 6:30 to 7:45 AM and 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Friday, June 21th: 6:30 to 7:45 AM and 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Saturday, June 22nd: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
One Day + Sit
A One Day Sit Plus Intensive will be offered the weekend of Friday and Saturday, May 17-18. The Intensive will begin Friday evening, May 17, at 7pm (please make sure to arrive and be seated by 6:55). We will end at 8:50pm with the Pali refuges. We will begin again on Saturday morning at 8am (please be in your seat by 7:55am) and finish at approximately 5pm.
The theme for this intensive is Metta. We will explore what Metta is, how to practice it, different viewpoints on using Meta and why it's important to our practice.
You may register using this link: https://syverson.wufoo.com/forms/quk6apo15t9aw6/
Besides sitting in zazen, we will have walking meditation, writing, group interaction, dharma talks, and participating in a dharma activity. As with all Intensives, we ask you to participate whole-heartedly and that you follow the schedule completely.
Please bring a bag lunch on Saturday as no meals will be provided. There will be a snack table with some fruit, coffee, tea, and water as well as other snacks.
For questions, please contact Laurie Winnette.
April Integrated Intensive
Schedule: March 31: 7-9pm, April 1-5: 6:30-7:45am, 7-9pm. April 6: 6:30am-5pm. (CST)
A seven-day integrated practice intensive led by Peg Syverson and Flint Sparks. Offered both in-person and online.
To register for online participation: https://syverson.wufoo.com/forms/qb1luso0riryll/
Onsite registration is closed, but to get on the waiting list please contact: Stephanie Seiler.
Spring Practice Period
Appamada Spring 2024 Practice Period
Theme: Open Heart, Boundless Mind.
Teachers: Todd Bankler, Joel Barna, Laurie Winnette, with Flint Sparks and Peg Syverson
Head Students: (to be named)
When: March 15-June 22, 2024
A practice period is an opportunity to explore a deeper connection and commitment to your practice. In our tradition practice periods last 90 days. Historically, this represents the time during the rainy season in India when the roads were impassable and Buddha would gather his disciples for deeper teachings.
A practice period is a time when those who wish to participate make a formal agreement with their teacher about their intentions and practice. During our practice period, there will be an expanded set of offerings.The Head Students will also be offering talks and informal tea with participants by appointment. The Practice Period begins with an entering ceremony and ends with a closing ceremony.
Participants consult with a teacher about what commitments are appropriate for their schedules and their aspirations. This form will serve as a guide and an agreement between teacher and student.
One Day + Sit (Spring Practice Period Opening)
We am pleased to announce the opportunity to sit in the stillness and quiet of meditation during a One-Day Sit Plus scheduled for Friday, March 15th, 7-9 pm and Saturday, March16th from 8 am to 5 pm. This short intensive will open Appamada's Spring 2024 Practice Period (all are welcome to attend this one-day sitting, regardless of participation in the practice period.)
The One-Day Sit Plus is an excellent opportunity for beginning practitioners to get accustomed to sitting zazen for a more extended period of time in preparation for longer intensives. At the same time, the One-Day Sit Plus is worthwhile for more experienced students who just want to sit in repose for a day to remember who they truly are.
Please join us for this special offering.
Registration Link: https://syverson.wufoo.com/forms/qnywicy0v0ox7p/
For questions, please contact Joel Barna.