LAS VEGAS BUDDHIST SANGHA BULLETIN 4110 N. Martin Luther King Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89032 MAY 2017 www.lasvegasbuddhist.org/email: lvsangha.info@gmail.com VOLUME 17 GOTAN-E & MOTHERS DAY SERVICE Our annual Gotan-E & Mothers Day service will be held on Sunday, May 14th at 10 a.m. at the Sangha Center, 4110 N. Martin Luther King Blvd, N. Las Vegas 89032, a block south of Craig & Camino del Norte. Our visiting minister will be Rev. Michael Endo. Since it is Mothers Day, we will have a pancake breakfast at 9 a.m. for the Dharma class students to make and serve their mothers, plus anyone else that attends our service. Volunteers who want to help with food prep should show up at 8 a.m. Gotan-E is a service that is sometimes called the Wisteria Festival (Fuji Matsuri) and it celebrates the birth of Shinran Shonin, who was born near Kyoto on May 21, 1173. As the founder of our Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism, Shinran Shonin emphasized the 18th vow that taught the meaning of Nembutsu and faith. He was the first Japanese Buddhist priest 750 years ago to break the vow of celibacy, married, and raised a family. He also spread the teachings of the Buddha not only to the educated, but to all who would listen. March Service Donations Sharleen Aoki, Cathy & Delwayne Arakaki, Stanley Fuke, Sally Hanagami, Norm Hirata, Harriet & James Huber, Hedy Ito, Dale & Rosan Ito, Garrett & Jennifer Kakita, Al & Marge Kayatani, Jimi & Barbara Mitsunaga, Frances Miyasato, Cliff Moses, Bill & Nanette Muraoka, Dennis & Margaret Nakata in Memory of Dennis Nakata s Mother, Takako Ogata, Bob & Chizuyo Reynierse, Tilda Silao, Mike & Becky Suyeyasu, Roy & Caryl Suzuki, Alan & O Takemoto, Wayne & Sadie Tanaka, Masaichi Yamada in memory of June Yamada, Patty & Fred Yamano. Attendance: 36. Total Donations: $1,089 (Including: $120 Anonymous Cash and $315 PayPal Donations). April Service Donations Sharleen Aoki, Cathy & Delwayne Arakaki, Shioji Fukawa, Stan Fuke, Sally Hanagami, Harriet & James Huber, Hedy Ito, Dale & Rosan Ito, Al & Marg Kayatani, Jimi & Barb Mitsunaga, Cliff & Cathy Moses, Bill & Nanette Muraoka, Fances Miyasato, Gene Nakamura, Takako Ogata, Rodney Okano, Mary Ozaki, Bob & Chizuyo Reynierse, Wayne & Sadie Tanaka, Masaichi Yamada, Patty & Fred Yamano. Attendance: 56. Total Donations: $1,035.43 (Including: $157 Anonymous Cash and $70 PayPal Donations). 2017 Membership Dues Kenneth & Gladys Akita, Sharleen Aoki, Cathy Arakaki, Dennis & Brenda Creed, Jamie Esprecion, Frances Miyasato, Sandi Hiyane, Harriet & James Huber, Stan & Nancy Isa, Hedy Ito, Dale & Rosan Ito, Rosie Kakuuchi, Sadie Kasamoto, Tohru Katano, John Kosora, Chelsea Kurashige, Jim & Gay Kurashige, Charlie & Ulli Miyashiro, Derek Morishita, Kyle Morishita, Bill & Nanette Muraoka, Gene Nakamura, Dennis & Margaret Nakata, Mits Nakayama, Eleanor Oshiro, Bob & Chizuyo Reynierse, Brian & Melanie Segawa, Tilda Silao, Roy & Caryl Suzuki, Alan & O Takemoto, Charles & Mary Van Acker, Grace Wertz, Patty & Fred Yamano. Emergency. 911 Sangha... (702)228-3071 Center Rental Info..(619)888-5301 Dharma Education. (702)371-0947 Illness or Death.. (702)806-5520 (Info: p. 2) Sangha Crafts. (818)219-6982 Editor.. (619)888-5301 DHARMA SERVICE STARTS IN MAY!! The Sangha Board of Directors has discussed adding an activity on the 4th Sunday of each month, to supplement our regular memorial service on the 2nd Sunday of each month. The service will follow pretty much the same format as our memorial service except the Dharma message which will be replaced by a Dharma reading and discussion led by the minister assistants (Dr. David Hopper, Al Kayatani, and Michael Tanaka). All chanting and singing will be done in English. There will be lots of time for sharing life experiences and getting to know each other. And, of course, there will be FOOD! The kitchen committee will provide refreshments, and anyone can bring something to share. Our first Dharma Meeting will be on Sunday, May 28, at 10 a.m. Dr. David Hopper will say something about MINDFULNESS, the seventh part of the Eightfold Path. SAVE THE DATE! Stanton Ho Family Donates Memorial Service Flowers Bishop Umezu presided over a funeral service at the Sangha Center the night before our service, so the family was kind enough to let the Sangha display their flowers for our Hanamatsuri service. It was a perfectly timed and appropriate way to add beautiful flower arrangements to our service. Reverend Michael Endo to Preside at our May Service Reverend Endo was born and raised in Oakland, CA. He earned a B.A. at San Francisco State, and was ordained in 2007. He has served as the Executive Assistant to the Bishop and has served as Secretary, BCA Office of the Bishop since 1996. He was also our supervising minister a few years ago. His hobbies include: Japanese Chanoyu Tea Ceremony (Urasenke); Japanese Ikebana Flower Arrangement (Shofu-ryu and Ohara-ryu); Golf; Travelling; Cooking; and Photography.
DHARMA SCHOOL All Dharma students are encouraged to come around 8 a.m. to the next Sangha service on May 14 so that they can help with the Mother's Day Breakfast, which starts at 9 a.m. Kikuo and Kaoru Ogawa Memorial Scholarship Applications are now available to any member of the Sangha that would like to continue their education, whether it is for college, trade school, or any other educational purpose. The 3 requirements are that you have a high school diploma or equivalent, will use the scholarship for tuition/registration and books AND are a member of the LV Buddhist Sangha. Applications are due by June 1, 2017 and the recipient will be announced at our July Sangha Service and awarded during our Obon Festival. Please contact Wayne Tanaka for an application/information at wtanaka@cox.net. Sangha Craft Group We are still looking for anyone interested in working with the Sangha Craft Group to make items for the Obon Bazaar and Fall Crafts Fair. Please contact Patty Yamano if you are interested in helping. No sewing skills needed, just a desire to help. President s Message We had the honor of Bishop Kodo Umezu presiding over our Hanamatsuri service. The night before, the Bishop presided over a memorial service for Stanton Ho at the Sangha. Even though the Bishop did not know Stanton, he was able to present a memorable sermon from Stanton s biography. The Bishop did all this, after coming back to the States from a week in Japan, just two days prior. The Bishop is a great religious leader and a good supporter of the LVBS. Bishop Umezu deserves our respect and thanks. May Memorials May 1 Tom Wanless Husband of Sadako Wanless 1 Shig Yoshioka Husband of Shirley Yoshioka 3 James Tanimine Brother of Alice Branton 5 Mitsuji Kasamoto Father in law of Sadie Kasamoto 7 Kaz Takemoto Sister of Dennis Nakata 19 Misao Wakayawa Mother Myrtle Noguchi 24 Sadie Shintani Sister of Margaret Nakata Arlene S. Hirata Wife of Norm Hirata Nick is a Winner! Nicholas Kurashige, son of Jim and Gay Kurashige, participated in the Recreational Training Bowling League at the Gold Coast Casino. Nick and teammate Anthony won 4 th place. Nick also won trophies for high scratch series (371), and high average (141). Nick currently works at Easter Seals as a general office clerk. He was honored as Community Training Services Honorary Ambassador for Easter Seals in 2015. Meditation Corner by Dr. Dave Hopper First, I must apologize for any confusion or inconvenience the cancellation of the March meditation class may have caused. If anyone has attended or plans to attend meditation class but has not signed up with an email or contact information, please provide me with a phone or email to ensure that we can contact you in the event of any changes in the future. The information will not be shared or given out to anybody for any reason. SOUND MIND SOUND BODY You have probably heard about bridges collapsing when large groups of people march in cadence across them. This did happen with several bridges in the 1800's which prompted soldiers and marching bands to break cadence when crossing bridges. Their marching matched the natural frequency of the bridge causing a large increase in amplitude of the waves of this vibration. Sometimes we notice this effect on a smaller scale when sitting on a bridge or overpass in Las Vegas and experience ourselves swaying or bouncing. Today s construction is designed to withstand that frequency effect of traffic and other natural events such as earthquakes. Waves are basically traveling energy. When we can hear them, we refer to that as sound waves. Low frequency produces a low pitch and high frequency a high pitch sound. When we see them, we call those light waves. The colors of the rainbow comprise light waves with red as the lowest frequency and violet as the highest. There are many other forms of waves that we do not see but can affect us in a number of ways. In meditation class, we will be taking a few classes to learn how to use sound for meditation and as a healing tool in our quest to lead a mindful life and improve our health and wellness. Sound has been utilized in various cultures for thousands of years as a tool for healing. Whether through the use of mantras, crystal bowls, medicine melodies, or use of interval and frequency, these various techniques all have the same intention: to move us from a place of imbalance to a place of balance. Sound helps to facilitate shifts in our brainwave state through entrainment. Entrainment synchronizes our fluctuating brainwaves by providing a stable frequency to which the brainwave can attune. By using rhythm and frequency, we can entrain our brainwaves and it then becomes possible to regulate our brain frequencies to achieve relaxation, meditative state, sleep, healing, and focus. This same concept is utilized in meditation by regulating the breath, but with sound it's the frequency that is the agent which influences the shift. Mantra meditation involves the repeating of a mantra such as Om or short phrase with certain meanings. Chanting of spiritual sayings such as sutras can be an effective form of meditation. Mantra meditation begins with setting an intention. This provides more focus and helps you achieve deeper meditative state. Our brain and body tends to synchronize to the frequency of sounds around us. Unfortunately, there tends to be all types of sound and multiple frequencies in our environment that becomes chaotic which we call noise. When we are exposed to too much noise, we become more stressed and suffer from various health problems. By selecting a particular sound and frequency, we are able to return to a desired state of meditation and restore our mental and physical well-being. Meditation class in May will be held on Tuesday, May 9 at 7:00 PM. It is always on the second Tuesday of each month. As always, we mix some questions and answers along with discussion. Please feel free to start attending at any time. It is easy and simple to catch up with the class so do not worry about missing or starting late.
HANAMATSURI SERVICE PHOTOS Dharma Students crafted a decoration for the hanamido Bishop Umezu with Eileen Castle and Dale Ito June Maruyama escaped the hospital to attend the service June with Bishop Umezu and Sally Hanagami June Maruyama is back at Atria Seville Following her husband Hank s passing in November, June had several health issues, including a cracked pelvis, and fractured left femur. She underwent surgery for a left hip replacement in early February. On top of that, her cat, Scooter, passed away in early March. June moved to assisted living at Atria Seville, near Rampart and Lake Mead, in mid-march but had to go back into the hospital to take care of excessive swelling in her legs. After diuretic treatment and a stay at a rehabilitation facility, she finally is back in her room at Atria Seville. Jay-Son Low (Jan-Ie s brother) put her house on the market, and it sold in one day to a cash buyer. The proceeds from that sale, plus all of her IRA s and savings, are now being managed by Derek Uehara, who has done such a good job managing the Sangha s assets. The income from those assets, plus her Social Security and retirement income, will be sufficient to pay for all of her expenses for the foreseeable future. Several Sangha members were of great assistance to June when she moved, especially Paul and Alice Sakamoto, Dale Ito, Gene Nakamura, Rob Gaudet, and Wayne Tanaka. If you would like to visit June, you may call her cell phone (702-858-0924) or drop in at Atria Seville at 2000 N. Rampart, 89128, room 125, any day before 6 p.m. It s just south of the intersection of Lake Mead and Rampart. Eileen Castle is Improving Eileen spent some time in the hospital undergoing tests involving blood clots. However, she is back home and looking better than ever (see the photo above). She has to undergo more tests, and depending on the results, she may eventually have to undergo some surgery. She wants to thank all of you for your kind thoughts, gifts, considerations, and prayers. I never knew such compassion and acceptance until I met the members of the LVBS in 2005. I rejoice in the Buddha, the Dharma, and my Sangha.