Touching the Earth
Buddhist Festival in the Park 2009

Saturday, June 13, 2009
11 am to 4:30 pm

Colonel Summers Park
SE 17th and Taylor
Portland, Oregon

Children's Pavilion
spiritual science projects
cooperative contests
stories and drama
community craft project
meditative activities
drinks and snacks

Workshops

chanting

living zen, living green

establishing a daily practice

Teaching Pavilion
keynote speaker
panel discussion

volunteers needed at 8:30 am and throughout the day until 5:30 pm

Schedule

Teaching Pavilion

• 11 am: Tabling by participating groups, food vendors, Buddhist goods vendors: available through the day
  
• 12 noon: Opening Ceremony
• 12:15 pm: Keynote speaker: Michael Conklin, Kagyu Changchub Chuling
  
• 1 pm: Workshops: Establing a Daily Practice, Jeanna Annen Moyer; Living Zen, Living Green, Genko Rainwater; Chanting for daily practice
  
• 2 pm: Singing of Dharma School songs
  
• 2:45 pm: Panel Discussion: Jim Blumenthal, Maitripa Institute; David Kakumyo Lowe, Dharma Rain Zen Center; Brenda Sexton Fugate, Oregon Buddhist Temple; Jason Litts, Nichiren Shu Temple
• 3:45 pm: Raffle drawing
• 4 pm: Yasuko Fields, Koto Player, and friends
• 4:20 pm: Closing Dedication
  

Children's Pavilion

• 12:15 pm to 4:30 pm: Ongoing activities: story times; coloring; community art project
  
• 12 noon: Opening Ceremony
• 12:30 pm: Spiritual Experiments
• 1:00 pm: Dharma-thon
• 1:30 pm: Creating your own spiritual space, meditation instruction
• 2:00 pm: Singing of Dharma School Songs
• 2:45 pm: Relay Races
• 3:15 pm: Jataka Tales: Puppet shows and flannel board story
• 3:45 pm: Raffle drawing
  
• 4:00 pm: Yasuko Fields, Koto Player, and friends
  

Participating Groups:

(most of these groups will have tables at the festival)
Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Portland (main sponsor)
Portland Yeshe Nyingpo
Oregon Buddhist Temple
Maitripa Institute
Dharma Rain Zen Center
Mercy and Wisdom Healing Center
Zen Center of Portland
Portland Insight Meditation Community
Kagyu Changchub Chuling
Nichiren Buddhist Temple of Portland
SGI-USA
Diamond Way, Portland
NW Portland Ministries
NW Vipassana Association as taught by S.N. Goenka
Zen Community of Oregon
In Defense of Animals
Touching Earth Sangha
Portland Community of Mindful Living

Vendors

Tibet A Gift: assortment, Tibetan prayer flags, imports
BPF Portland: assortment, festival keepsake metal water bottles, personalized Ensos by Enji; tickets for raffle prizes
Nakayama Butsudans: Butsudan products such as Prayer Beads, Candles, Kyo Tables, Japanese Bells, Buddhist Gongs, Omamori Cases and much more


Food Vendors

Vegi Dog: all vegan hot dogs and sausages made by Turtle Island Foods (Hood River) with local and organic fixin's
Todbott's Triangles: Rice Balls, vegan and salmon
Sol Pops (find Sol Pops on Facebook)
Nichiren Buddhist Temple: yakisoba noodles




About the Theme: Touching the Earth

The green movement and Buddhist teachings go very well together. It is said when Shakyamuni sat under the Bodhi Tree, and Mara, the great distracter, questioned his right to be there and to find enlightenment, that Shakyamuni touched the earth, and the earth was his witness. For centuries, Buddhist monastics have vowed to live simply on what is given them. Buddhism teaches that we are all connected, and as interconnected beings we wish to take good care of our connection with the earth, water, and sky.

The Greening of Buddhism

The image of the Buddha touching the Earth was created for the festival by Jason Litts, artist and graphic designer, and member of the Nichiren-Shu Temple.

Special thanks go to Oregon Buddhist Temple for hosting our planning meetings, and for having the most, and most consistent, members participating in the planning.