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| • Description The Delaplane Zen group is a small community of Zen practitioners in Fauquier County in Northern Virginia about 45 miles west of the Washington, DC beltway. Since 1992, the group has been meeting at Emmanuel Episcopal Church near the town of Delaplane, Virginia. The sangha is small (typically three to five people at a regular meeting) and beginners, newcomers, and sitters from other traditions are welcome. Although the etiquette of meetings is formal in the Zen style, the atmosphere is warm and encouraging. Sittings are between 30 and 45 minutes long, and on Saturday mornings after sitting, we often talk together about issues raised in koan study. Because we meet in a rural area, we encourage home practice. The group also tries to engage the members in a variety of community and social outreach programs. Leadership is provided by Tom Davenport, a Zen layman and since 1976 a student of Joshu Sasaki Roshi, a traditional Rinzai teacher headquartered at Mt. Baldy Zen Center near Los Angeles. Mr. Davenport began practicing Zen in New York City in 1970. He is an active member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Delaplane, where the meditation group meets. • Schedule and Retreats Weekly Morning Sitting Saturday mornings 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Three sittings with kinhin (walking) in between. All Day Sits 2007/2008 Usually the second Saturday of the month. November through March. November 10 December 8 January 12, 2008 February 9 March 15 (Silence observed throughout) 7:00 am - Opening and first sitting 9:15 am - Breakfast 10:00 am - Second sitting 12:00 pm - Caretaking, Lunch, Rest 1:30 pm - Orientation for beginners 2:00 pm - Third sitting and interviews 4:30 pm - End Each sitting will have three meditation periods of about 35 minutes each. You may join or leave the retreat during any of the breaks, but if you are a part timer, we encourage coming late and staying to the end. Beginners are welcome but it is advisable to come to some of the regular morning sittings prior to the all day sit. A donation of $15 to the Church is requested. Weekend Zazenkai at Flat Top May 23-26, 2008. Contact Bill Stephens. Sesshins (3 or 5 day) are held twice a year in the Spring and Fall in conjunction with the Blue Ridge Zen Group in Charlottesville, Virginia. See a short video below. These sesshins are usually led by Sandy Gentei Stewart http://www.nczencenter.org with assistance from Abbot Bill Stephens, Linda Campany, and Tom Davenport. • Directions  Emmanuel Episcopal Church (emmanuel-delaplane.org) is located at the junction of Route 17 and Interstate 66, exit 23 about four miles west of the town of Marshall, Virginia. The church is just to the east of the exit and entrance ramps of Interstate 66 on Maidstone Road. We meet in the Church. For a map go to: http://www.emmanuel-delaplane.org/Directions_and_Map.html • Contact Information Tom Davenport 540-592-3701 Films on Zen Films on Zen made by Tom Davenport, who leads the Delaplane group. "Bodhidharma's Shoe" is a two part video about a Zen retreat or sesshin at Bodhi Manda Monastery in New Mexico.. Flat Top Zen is a short documentary on a weekend retreat at Flat Top Zendo near Charlottesville. |
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