This year we will hold our annual Sejiki Ceremony outdoors, due to COVID.

Please REGISTER ahead of time so we know how many people are coming, as well as to submit names of departed ancestors, make a donation, and/or to volunteer for set-up, clean-up, and instrument playing.

Sejiki has an unusual chant, which the entire assembly participates in. We recommend that participants familiarize themselves with the chant prior to the actual ceremony, held on the eve of Wednesday, October 27th at 6:45pm. See below for the transcript and recording of the chant. The Obon Sejiki-e is a ceremony to comfort the ancestral spirits, and is an important ceremony in the Sōtō Zen School. This ceremony is performed as a way of making offerings to the family ancestors, to one’s parents, relatives, and spirits of other people we are connected with, as well as for spirits that are no longer connected to any living person.

Due to the pandemic, please wear a mask if unable to socially distance as we will all be chanting together.