Our next newcomer orientation is Tuesday, October 6th from 5-6PM. Do you – or your friends – have questions about meditation? Are you wondering what the BDC is all about? We know it can be intimidating to walk in the door! This monthly, free orientation is a simple way to ask questions, and see for yourself who we are, and what you might discover here. No registration necessary.

We are excited to bring Anam Thubten back to Bozeman from November 13-15. His offerings of the Nyingma teachings of Tibetan Buddhism provide profound methods for experiencing the self liberation of mind in the realm of now. This retreat will draw on teachings from his new book, Releasing the Knot of the Mind: Instructions on Resting in Stillness and Awareness, available from Shambhala Publications. Register here.

From November 12 through 15, The Bozeman Zen Group welcomes Nomon Tim Burnett back to Bozeman to lead a multi-day sesshin! 

The sesshin offers inspiring practice with zendo forms in place – right at the Bozeman Dharma Center. Enjoy zazen, service, dharma talks, and oryōki (formal eating) practice. Hours are 7:00 am – 5:00 pm Thursday – Saturday, with a half day on Sunday. Although participation can be flexible, priority for attendance will be given to those who sign up for all four days. Persons planning to attend on Sunday should have attended at least one other day of the sesshin. There is no Sunday-only option. Register here.

On Saturday, October 10, Elaine Huang will join us for a daylong retreat exploring the distinction between relative, human happiness, which naturally fluctuates with mood and circumstance, and the deeper happiness that endures beneath our changing conditions. This retreat will begin at 9:30AM, and last until 5PM. Elaine will also offer an introductory talk the evening prior, Friday, October 9th from 6:30-8PM. It is possible to register for both, or only one, of these events.

Through guided meditation, contemplative inquiry, and embodied practices, we’ll explore ways of recognizing true nature and the gradual transformation that allows this enduring well-being to be lived more often in everyday life. This event will be in person and online. Register here.

We know there are many talented people in our community and we would love to feature your art in a calendar for the BDC community! This can be an original drawing or painting, or photograph. Either scan or take a photo of your creation, and send in .jpg or .png format to info@bozemandharmacenter.org by October 1st for consideration. You are welcome to submit multiple pieces. 

On Saturday, October 3rd, the Bozeman Zen Group will host guest teacher Heather Iarusso for a hybrid, half-day zen retreat. This event offers sitting and walking meditation and a dharma talk on the question of “who am I.” Receive a discount when registering before September 20. Register here.

Who am I? These three little words have been contemplated for millennia by prominent philosophers and psychologists, spiritual teachers, as well as us ordinary folk. It’s a perennial question with innumerable responses. Siddartha’s quest to investigate and end suffering resulted in his awakening to the profoundly liberating experience of “not-self.” Or as Suzuki Roshi poetically said: “What we call ‘I’ is just a swinging door which moves when we inhale and exhale. It just moves, that is all.” 

Heather Shōren Iarusso lives San Francisco and is the Branching Streams director, providing guidance and support for San Francisco Zen Center affiliate sanghas. Before this role, Heather spent nine years living at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. She completed 17 cloistered, 90-day practice periods and 10 summers of work practice. Heather has held numerous roles at Tassajara, including being the supervisor of the meditation hall (ino), the head cook (tenzo), the director, and the tanto (head of Zen practice).

Heather first received the precepts in January 2003 and was ordained as a Zen priest in October 2014. She received Dharma transmission in 2022. Heather holds master’s degrees in communications, creative writing, and English literature. She writes and podcasts on her Spark Zen Substack.

On the last Friday of every month, we gather at Fork and Spoon, Bozeman’s first and only pay-what-you-can restaurant, for dinner. Our next monthly gathering is coming up on Friday, September 25, from 6-7pm. This is a great way to meet others who practice at the BDC, while supporting the broader community of Gallatin Valley. Please RSVP so we can reserve a table that allows our group to sit together!

On Saturday, September 26, from 12 to 1 PM we will come together for a silent contemplation for compassion and peace. Sit on the lawn or a picnic bench; bring camp chairs and cushions for sitting; or enjoy silent walking meditation. This free event is open to the public, and no prior experience with meditation is required. Drop in, no registration or RSVP needed.