A grateful and reverent heart may be developed in

ceremonial, and then transferred to every aspect of

our lives. All our actions become the work of Buddha

and all places the Buddha's Pure Land.

The Serene Reflection tradition includes ceremonial, much of which can seem unfamiliar to people in the West.

Ceremonial can be as simple as lighting incense and reading the scripture

or as elaborate as following the order of ceremony in the liturgy book.

The important thing is to do whatever you do mindfully, with respect and gratitude.

Bowing is particularly helpful, and a statue or home altar can serve as a focus for your ceremony.

Ceremonial provides a bridge to the practice of mindfulness in everyday life.

It is a practice of mindfulness to apply the stillness of seated meditation to the simple activities of

a ceremony: bowing, making gassho, listening, chanting, walking, offering incense, and so on.

The mind reads and understands the teaching, the body expresses it.

Ceremonial is a primary way of learning Scriptures, the Dharma. Although practitioners of our tradition endeavor

to develop a deep and thorough undertanding of Buddhist teaching, little time is given to scholastic study.

Often for daily practice we learn selections from essential Scriptures and then use them frequently in ceremonies.

The musical chants help commit them to memory.

This helps establish the Dharma's place in heart and mind so that it will be there when the need arises.

Several Scriptures may serve as starting points in learning this element of our practice.

One is The Scripture of Great Wisdom, also known as the Heart Sutra,
which teaches that all things are devoid of a substantive existence (a "self") and are inherently pure;
our true selves are Buddha Nature. This Scripture is recited or chanted after morning meditation and
often at other times of day as well.

Another helpful Scripture is The Litany of the Great Compassionate One, an invocation for awakening compassion within oneself. Many trainees chant it after evening meditation.

A third Scripture is The Scripture of Avalokiteshwara (Kanzeon) Bodhisattva, a chapter from the Lotus Sutra which details the many ways and circumstances in which the compassion aspect of the Unborn appears in order to help us.

Dogen's Rules for Meditation, guidelines written by Great Master Dogen, a founder of Soto Zen in Japan, recited in temples as "Mid-day (or Evening) Service."

Ceremonial is a celebration of the opportunity to train right

now, an active expression of gratitude, developing the respectful

and reverent heart engendered by meditation practice; giving

thanks for the teachings to those who have practiced in the past

and made our training possible.

Ceremonial is a paradigm (a way of looking at and experiencing things) for daily life.