As a student of Sun Mountain Zen, you are invited to become a financial member of Sun Mountain Zen Inc. Sun Mountain Zen began in 2003 and incorporated as Sun Mountain Zen Inc., as a nonprofit organization, on the 13th April 2006. According to our constitution, Sun Mountain Zen aims to facilitate Zen meditation practice by:
- The provision of teachers: Gôen-An, Cecilie Lander and Gôun- Ken, Mervyn Lander, Sue Wolter, Richard Herps, Richard Warner & their Dharma Successors
- The provision of volunteer assistants.
- The provision of appropriate teaching resources and methods.
- The establishment of a supportive community, the Sun Mountain Zen Sangha.
A committee of elected members carry out various responsibilities to ensure a harmonious and efficient organisation manages Sun Mountain Zen Inc. They are guided by the teachers of Sun Mountain Zen.
Sun Mountain Zen is affiliated with the Sanbo – Zen lineage. This is a relatively young Zen school in Japan, which has drawn freely on both Soto and Rinzai traditions. Members of Sun Mountain Zen can view the Sanbo-Zen Website and learn more about the origin and history of our lineage. www.sanbo-zen.org
Sun Mountain Zen has three classes of memberships:
- Ordinary Member, defined as being a recognised student of a Sun Mountain Zen Teacher and also being a financial member of Sun Mountain Zen.
- Life Member, defined as being a recognised Teacher with Sun Mountain Zen.
- Honorary, defined as a person who has been voted in as an honorary member by the majority of the committee and endorsed by the teachers of Sun Mountain Zen.
Members of Sun Mountain Zen may vote.
The committee of Sun Mountain Zen holds regular committee meetings to comply with the Incorporated Associations Act. The Annual General Meeting is held in the first quarter of the year. All members of Sun Mountain Zen are invited to attend and to nominate for the next year’s committee positions.
Members responsibilities.
What unites us at Sun Mountain Zen is our commitment to realising and personalising our “true self” in our daily life through the practice of zazen and koan study with our teachers. We do this practice within a supportive community of ‘sitters’ – the Sangha.
As members of Sun Mountain Zen, we take this work seriously. We participate as much as we can in the Sangha weekly meditation practice, either in Aspley, East Brisbane or Kenilworth. We participate as much as we can in the monthly Zenkai (one day sitting), Intensives (weekend sittings) and Mini-Sesshin (a long weekend) and we make every effort to attend the annual 5 or 7 day Sesshin.
Members are also asked if able, to participate in the running of the Sangha and Zendo. This is done by assisting in various responsibilities such as setting up and cleaning up the Zendo before and after the sittings or coordinating Sangha events.
Later on, as participants become well experienced in the practice, they may be asked by the teachers to take on other responsibilities such as Jikido (the time keeper), Ino (the chant conductor), Jisha (teachers assistant during retreats and coordinator of the dokusan line). The position of Tanto (Zendo leader) is used at the longer Intensives and Sesshin and is appointed by the teachers for each event.
Please take your responsibilities seriously.