full moon

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth. --Buddha

A person getting enlightened is like the moon reflecting in the water. The moon does not get wet, the water is not disturbed. Though it is a great expanse of light, it reflects in a little bit of water; the whole moon and the whole sky reflect even in the dew on the grass; they reflect even in a single drop of water. Enlightenment not disturbing the person is like the dewdrop not obstructing the heavens. As for the length or brevity of the time [of the reflection], one ought to examine whether the water is large or small and discern whether the sky and moon are wide or narrow. --Dogen

Meditate. Live purely. Quiet the mind. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine. --Buddha

Let the waters settle and you will see the moon and the stars mirrored in your own being. --Rumi

There is a Japanese saying "For the moon there is the cloud. For the flower there is the wind." When we see the moon covered by part of a cloud covered by a tree, or a weed, we feel how round the moon is. But when we see the clear moon without anything covering it, we do not feel the roundness the same way we do when we see it through something else. --Shunryu Suzuki

Sit zazen under the full moon from 8 - 10PM. Full Moon Sits are informal affairs, much like yaza - the additional sitting that Zen students at silent retreats are encouraged to take upon themselves. While you can sit in the zendo you will probably want to gather up a zafu and zabuton (meditation cushion and the pad under it) and sit out under the stars. Importantly, there are no fixed start or stop times and no determined durations ... it's all up to you. And finally, with clappers around 9:40, you and your fellow sitters will reconvene in the zendo for sarei (informal tea and a quick snack) and a short finishing chant.

If you are serious about waking up, then you must consider including Full Moon Sits in your practice. Realize that a complete practice includes the opportunities to test your hard-earned gains from the cushion in increasingly diverse environments. And the Full Moon Sit is such an opportunity. Yes, there is the romance of the moon and the stars, the clouds and the wind and the wind chimes and the occasional thought of the many buddhas before you - those awakened ones who have shown us this exact way. But there is now a new element ... one of uncertainty. Instead of being told when to sit and when to stand and for how long for each, here there is only you and the questions of what you will do and when and who is deciding.

Expand your practice. And why would you not take advantage of every chance? Even if you are brand new to sitting, you can do this. There is no need to register in advance ... and please consider a small donation.