A Ceremony for Those Who Have Died, GGF 11/1
Description
Sunday, November 1, 2 – 5 pm, Green Gulch Farm
In this afternoon event, people from all walks of life and loss gather to acknowledge and mourn the death of those who have died. We first create handmade offerings in the Japanese Buddhist tradition of Jizo Bodhisattva, and then say goodbye in a ceremony of remembrance and letting go. Our time together ends with a procession to the garden, where we tie paper prayers on the memorial cherry tree with the intention of nurturing the beings who have died and the beings who continue to live.
This memorial event originates in the Japanese Buddhist tradition of honoring of Jizo Bodhisattva. One of the most beloved figures of Japanese Buddhism, Jizo statues are common on roadways, in parks, and in cemeteries, where various items are placed on or near a statue as an offering and petition to Jizo to help guide and protect their loved ones as they make the passage from life into death. Everyone is welcome who has experienced a loss, and friends and families have found it quite healing to attend together. You are welcome to bring children, and please know there are several periods of quiet time. It works best if at least two adults attend the event so one can attend to the children if they are not able or willing to participate in the quiet time. There is outdoor space to explore/enjoy if this is the case.
- Part 1 of our time together is for creating personal, unique fabric offerings to be used in the ceremony. We will provide fabric, scissors, needle, and thread. You are welcome to bring your own fabric as well. Red is the traditional color used for Jizo offerings, but it is not essential. Much of this time is spent in shared silence so we may each be with our own story and experience.
- Part 2 is a ceremony of dedication for those who have died. Everyone is invited to approach the altar, which is adorned with flowers and statues of various figures of compassion, including Jizo Bodhisattva, Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis, angels, and the like. You can make an incense offering, place your fabric creation on or with a compassion figure, and speak aloud or silently communicate your wishes for the well-being of your loved ones.
- Part 3 is a silent group procession to the memorial garden, where we hand tie paper prayers in a special cherry tree. There is time for lingering and enjoying the beauty of the garden, and the beach is a 20-minute walk away for those with the time and energy.
Fee Information
- Standard Ticket Price: $75 — covers full program costs
- Member (Become an SFZC Member): $68 — for current SFZC members
- Supported: $45 — community supported rate
San Francisco Zen Center is committed to making Zen practice and the Dharma accessible to all who seek it by offering both a General support fund and a dedicated BIPOC support fund. Please email supportfunds@sfzc.org for more information BEFORE signing up.
Or call 415-354-0360.
Jennifer Block
Jennifer Block, MA, (she/her) is a Buddhist chaplain, Interfaith minister, educator, and Zen practitioner whose current chaplaincy work focuses on accompanying people through the spiritual and emotional dimensions of aging, illness, dying, grief, and profound life transitions. One of the early Buddhist chaplains in the United States, Jennifer brings decades of experience in hospice, grief, and spiritual care, including her years as Director of Education and Chaplain at Zen Hospice Project, where she helped develop and share its distinctive contemplative approach to care for the dying.
Hoka Chris Fortin
Chris is a Soto Zen priest and teacher in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. She is founder and guiding teacher of Dharma Heart Zen in Sonoma County CA. She began formal practice as a resident at San Francisco Zen Center in 1976 and continued her practice in the world as an MFT psychotherapist in private practice with a specialization in trauma.
Meikyo Chelsea True
Meikyo Chelsea True (she/they) came to Green Gulch Farm nearly twenty years ago with her daughter, Amelie, and has supported family practice at SFZC ever since. She first encountered Zen as a child and began meditating at the age of sixteen before completing an undergraduate degree in Religious Studies.