Sutras and Texts – Valley Streams Zen Sangha

Posted on August 14, 2023August 14, 2023 by Berry Crawford

July 31st, 2023 – Dharma Talk by Robert Rosenbaum

Dharma Talk given on Monday, July 31st, 2023 – Robert Rosenbaum (13.9 MB, 59 min).

Meikyo Robert Rosenbaum, PhD

Visiting Teacher

Meikyo Robert Rosenbaum, PhD, received lay entrustment in Soto Zen from Sojun Mel Weitsman. He is also authorized as a senior teacher of the Taoist practice of Dayan (Wild Goose) Qigong in the lineage of Yang Meijun by Master Hui Liu. In addition, he has received denkai in Ordinary Mind Zen from Karen Terzano. Bob teaches Zen and Qigong at the Meadowmind Center in Sacramento. Bob is the author of several books including Zen and the Heart of Psychotherapy, Walking the Way : 81 Zen Encounters with Tao Te Ching and most recently, That is not your Mind! Zen Reflections on the Sarangama Sutra.

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Posted on June 17, 2023June 17, 2023 by Berry Crawford

June 5th, 2023 – A Dramatic Reading of the Holy Teaching of Vimalakīrti

This performance was organized/directed by sangha member Sarah OGara.

This beloved text, unique among Buddhist Scriptures, contains the quintessence of Mahayana doctrines, taught with vivid imagery, dramatic encounters and sly humor. Members of the Thursday morning study group recently completed a study of this text and, together other cast members, presented a dramatic reading of excepts from the Vimalakīrti Sutra, slightly adapted.

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Posted on April 17, 2023April 17, 2023 by Berry Crawford

April 10th, 2023 – “The Science of Zen” – Dharma Talk by Gambō Berry Crawford

Dharma Talk given on Saturday, April 10th, 2023 – Gambō Berry Crawford (14.6 MB, 1hr).

Gambō Berry Crawford

Other Sangha Leaders

Berry Crawford first started practicing Zen meditation in 1992. He lived at the Sonoma Mountain Zen Center and practiced as a resident in the mid 1990s. There he completed the initiation ordeal known as tangaryo and completed traditional Soto Zen Practice Periods. Berry next practiced with Diane "Eshin" Rizzetto in the Ordinary Mind Zen School started by Joko Beck. Later, Berry became a student of John “Shoji” Sorenson and in 2022 was authorized to independently teach Zen. He currently engages in traditional White Plum koan study with his koan teacher Russell “Kyofu Seikyo” Mitchell and was authorized as an Assistant Koan Teacher by him in 2023. Berry is a member of the “Doan-ryo” at the Valley Streams Zen Sangha and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Sacramento Dharma Center. He is the host of the Simplicity Zen Podcast (https://simplicityzen.com/) and maintains the Science of Zen website (https://scienceofzen.org/).