After 6 months of study with Rev. Ryuei Michael McCormick, I took the precepts of Nichiren Shu in the jukai ceremony. The ceremony was held at Faithful Fools in San Francisco on Sunday afternoon.
Yvette, Sunnie, Kris, and I became new members of Nichiren Shu. Yvette lives in Marin County and Sunnie lives in Oakland. My husband and I flew up from Palmdale in Southern California. Kris came the longest way, coming all the way from Alaska for the ceremony. (In the photo, Sunnie is the first person on the left in the back row and Yvette is behind Rev. Ryuei on the right. I'm in red holding the lotus flower and Kris is to my right.)
Other Nichiren Shu members and friends were in attendance to show their support, including my husband Richard, who drummed on a hand drum as we chanted Odaimoku. Rocky, who was there to support, gave each of us a long-stemmed silk lotus flower.
First, we did Shodaigyo meditation, then chanted Odaimoku, then meditated again, feeling the daimoku within. We also recited chapters of the sutra in Shindoku and English.
Each of us taking jukai received a wakesa, a sash worn over our left shoulders, representing the robe of the Buddha. As lay members in Nichiren Shu, our wakesas are a deep, rich purple color. We each received a mandala Gohonzon.
Richard and I had a plane to catch afterwards, so I carried the Gohonzon very carefully, keeping it with me, not putting it in the overhead luggage bin or in checked baggage. As soon as we arrived home, the first thing we did was enshrine it, and chant some more Odaimoku.
On Sunday morning, along with Rev. McCormick, Sunnie, Kris, Richard, and I also attended the morning service at Myokakuji Betsuin temple in San Jose. In celebration of Proclamation Day, commemorating when Nichiren chanted on the mountaintop over the ocean at dawn before giving his first sermon, we chanted Namu Myoho Renge Kyo for an hour and kept rhythm with hand drums. Even though I am rhythmically challenged, I started to get the hang of it. I found that while drumming I could fully concentrate on the daimoku. (Photo - Rev. Matsuda, Sunnie, Rev. Ryuei, Richard)
It was a wonderful experience and we met people we hope to see again soon and get to know better in the coming months and years.
Hurray! We did it! Michele - this is Byrd with my new access to your blog, writing in to say how fabulous your photos are, and how thrilled I am that the weekend went as well as you had hoped.
Keep it up!
Best to Sarge, Byrd
Okay, here I am, trying again.
Good luck to you, Sarge, Sunnie, and Kris in your bright new path! Hurray for you!
Best, Byrd in LA