This Saturday, rather than observing the normal Saturday schedule, Treetop Zen Center will be host to a special one day workshop on Zen Wisdom in Poetry, led by Peter Joryu Harris, Treetop’s head student and a professor of English at nearby Colby College.

Here’s what Peter has to say about the workshop:
“Zen pervades everything from the cosmic to the mundane — from Buddha to your left foot, from expressions of grief to tiny details, like the pause between “hip-hip” and “hooray.” And yet, this omnipresence is hard, if not impossible, to put into words. This is where poetry comes in. Buddhists of all stripes have always turned to poetry as a way of expressing the inexpressible. In this workshop we’ll read and discuss a sampling of poetry in the Zen spirit — from Li Po and Basho, to Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman, to Rilke and Gary Snyder.”

The program will run from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., and include writing, meditation, and discussion. The cost to attend is $30 – $15 for students – and includes a vegetarian lunch. No experience with Zen, poetry, or meditation is necessary.

Visit Treetop’s Web site for directions to the zendo.

To register, or for more information, email muisensei@earthlink.net.