It's been a busy couple of months up in the Pacific Northwest corner of the Everyday Zen world. In the past two months, Norman has been with us for a three day retreat in Vancouver, an eight day sesshin at Samish Island in Bellingham, and an overnight trip to Salt Spring Island, where we've held eight jukai (lay ordinations), four lay entrustments, four shukke tokudo (priest ordinations), and even a Vajra feast! Friends, family and Everyday Zen sangha from Mexico, Canada, and all over the U.S. have travelled thousands of miles to practice together and celebrate the dharma. This spring, we all felt the maturing of our far-flung sanghas and the flowering of the dharma seeds that Norman has been tirelessly sowing up and down the coast and around the whole world. Thank you, Norman!

We've also said goodbye to Jeanne Robinson, Buchi Eihei ("Dancing wisdom/eternal peace"), at a funeral and posthumous ordination conducted by Tenshin Reb Anderson. Jeanne, a founding member of Mountain Rain Zen Community, passed away on May 30th. Before she died, she asked Susan Elbe to read her Way-Seeking Mind talk to the sangha, which Susan did at the Samish Island sesshin. The recording is available here . Thank you, Susan and Tenshin roshi.

In the virtual world of EDZ online, we've got a new program page on this site for Honoring the Path of the Warrior , a program that assists post-deployed veterans in making a positive transition from military to civilian life. We've launched Everyday Zen Communities, where you can find and contribute information about activities in our extended sangha network. And don't forget the Everyday Zen Facebook page, with photos and videos of many of the ceremonies and retreats.

From July 30, Norman will be co-teaching The Wisdom of Anger: What the Buddhists Teach at the Omega Institute. To get a sense of the range of Norman’s teaching activities, from Zen & Jewish meditation to his workshops at Google, check out this video that recently aired on PBS’s Religion & Ethics program. And don’t miss the extended interview , in which he talks at greater length about the benefits of meditation practice, about renunciation and happiness, and about the psalms.

Whew. That's a lot! Oh, and finally, Norman has been invited to Japan to perform Zuisse ceremonies at Eiheiji and Sojiji, the two headquarter temples of our Soto Zen lineage, where he will serve as Abbot for the day. Congratulations, Norman!