newcomers' faq
What should I expect if I visit Uto-an on a Sunday morning?
When you enter, some people will probably already be sitting, facing the wall. Please take your shoes off quietly, arrange them neatly in the closet, and choose a place to sit - anyplace is OK. After 25 minutes of zazen, youfll hear two bells - this is the signal to slowly rise and do kinhin (walking meditation). Kinhin is performed extremely slowly, so slowly that you may move just a few feet in ten minutes. Three more bells will signal the return to zazen.
After the second period of zazen, you'll hear one bell, and people around you will begin to chant a robe verse three times. The words of this verse are the first we speak in the day, and they establish our intention to work for the good of all.
The ceremony that follows involves a little bowing at the beginning and end. If you come from another spiritual tradition, please do not be alarmed - though we bow in the direction of the Buddha, we do not view him as a god or supernatural being. We bow as one would to a great teacher; we bow to empty ourselves of our preconceptions and limitations. We chant three sutras in the morning: the first is a recognition of the first teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha; the second is in remembrance of all the teachers in the 2500 years since who have maintained this practice for us today; and the third is for all beings, particularly for those in distress and those who have recently passed away. If you have questions after the ceremony, please feel free to ask.
A short public talk usually follows the ceremony - topics vary from week to week. Following the talk, those with announcements for the community share them, and we go home. Those who have time often meet for coffee at a nearby coffee shop and enjoy each other's company for a while longer.