Community Calendar

We are a Zen practice community in the Diamond Sangha lineage founded by Robert Aitken Rōshi. We provide zazen(meditation) instruction, weekly zazen, practice talks, Dharma discussions and more.

Thursdays 6:00 - 7:00 pm
In-person and via Zoom
Calm Abiding Meditation
This meditation is common to many traditions of Buddhism. In this practice, we rest our attention on a simple meditative support, such as the breath. Instead of following thoughts and emotions as we usually do, we release them and maintain our connection to the support.

“From this practice, we can experience a stable and calm mind. We learn to maintain and return to a sense of stillness, no matter what our outer circumstances. The mind is relaxed, alert and aware. The results of this practice are serenity, freedom in the face of circumstances, and ultimately Buddhahood.”

From Meditation for Beginners, by Bokar Rinpoche.

To attend Calm Abiding Meditation via Zoom, email the office at OFFICE@KSCASHLAND.ORG to join the mailing list.

This is Coos SWCDs third workshop focused on homesteading.
"Living the small farm dream"
the topics covered will be...
- Current trends in small-scale agriculture,
- Risks and rewards of farming
- Assessing physical resources of the farm
- Types of farming enterprises
- Markets, market research, and marketing
- Goals, vision, and values – and how these can shape what you do with your farm.
Presented by Cassie Bouska of OSU.
If you are interested in attending please send me an email to RSVP, or visit our website.
https://www.coosswcd.org/

State Representative Pam Marsh and State Senator Jeff Golden will join Southern Oregon Climate Action Now as guest speakers for their 2025 'Sips for Sustainability' fundraiser from 6:00 to 9:00 pm on Thursday November 13th at the Elks Lodge, 255 E. Main Street in Ashland.
SOCAN Executive Director Daniel Scotton encouraged Southern Oregonians to join SOCAN for a fun evening of conversation with climate concerned soul mates. Scotton outlined an evening filled with "fine wine from local wineries, non-alcoholic beverages, snacks from Itty Bitty Farms, and a silent auction featuring a wide array of items.". Musical entertainment will be provided by Mountaintop Sound. For more information and tickets visit www.socan.eco/sips-for-sustainability."
Sips organizing team chair Dale Engle added: “Whether a seasoned climate advocate or newly curious, Sips for Sustainability offers all a welcoming space to learn, connect, and contribute. Every ticket purchased and donation made directly supports SOCAN’s climate literacy programs and policy initiatives across Southern Oregon.”

The psychedelic buddy-comedy film The Lemurian Candidate is coming to the Varsity Theater in Ashland from as part of its sold-out West Coast screening tour.

The film features Ashland-based actor Barret O’Brien, a veteran of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and star of Gary Lundgren's films "Above the Trees" and the Duplass Brothers TV series "The Long Long Night." Shot entirely on and around nearby Mt. Shasta, "The Lemurian Candidate" has already become a regional sensation, selling out three consecutive weeks of screenings at Mt. Shasta Cinemas.

To finish our 2025 season, SMP will present Ashlands own, pianist Alexander Tutunov and New York based violinist Kinga Augustyn in performance at the Grizzly Peak Winery Performance Space on Thursday, November 13 at 7 p.m. New York based and Juilliard trained, Kinga is one of the beloved guest violinists in the state of Jefferson. She has soloed with the Rogue Valley Symphony and has joined forces with Alexander Tutunov on several occasions in Northern California and as a part of the Tutunov Piano Series. For this performance they plan to offer a program that is on a lighter side of the classical spectrum that will include works by Robert and Clara Schumann, among others.

Thursday November 13th 7:00 to 8:00 pm

Jim Falkenstein is a local trail maniac who has scoured Jackson County for every day-hike he can find. From 2 mile interpretive strolls to an 18 mile mountain bike ride around Applegate Lake, Jim is always looking for variety. Don’t worry, he is not an ex navy seal training to be a ninja warrior. He is 61 years old dad that could lose 20 lbs. All of these trails are “normal people friendly.” (wife’s note – change ‘All’ to ‘Most’)

In his book AshlandTrails.com: The Book: Jackson County Edition there are over 100 local trails from Union Creek to Grants Pass to Applegate and, of course, Ashland. In addition to maps and directions and trail descriptions there are QR codes for each trail. These QR codes connect your smart phone to the website www.AshlandTrails.com.

That’s right, a book that connects to a website! And a website that has… Trail Videos. Jim declares that he is the originator of the Trail Video. Every trail in his book and on his website has a Trail Video with the driving, parking, and hiking directions. Imagine that if instead of an algorithm, AllTrails had a soul.

This presentation at Bloomsbury Books on November 13th from 7:00pm to 8:00pm covers 18 trails in the Applegate Valley area. From the Sterling Mine trails over to the French Gulch area and the Bigfoot Trap. Then to the Thompson Creek area for Greyback Mountain and up to the Enchanted Forest. There will be slides and maps and stories and… a free raffle!

Maybe you’ve seen Jim On The Trail on SOPBS or stumbled across his YouTube videos @AshlandJim or his facebook page Ashland Trails. Whether you already know his work or have never heard of him before, this hour at Bloomsbury Books will be a fun, high-energy hour with plenty of very useful trail information specifically for the Applegate Valley and… from a real, local, human being.

Looking forward to meeting you.

Nominations are open for the Civic Contribution Award, which will be presented at State of the Community Luncheon this spring. This prestigious award honors a group or individual that has provided exceptional community service or made an important contribution to the Humboldt County community. Nomination DEADLINE is Dec. 5, 2025. Nomination form on League's website: my.lwv.org/california/humboldt-county
For more information contact Maggie Fleming at maggiefleming2018@gmail.com

The award-winning OSU Land Steward training helps landowners learn about their property and develop a management plan. This 11-week program covers critical topics like wildfire risk reduction, forests, soil health, wildlife habitat, pasture management, stream care, water capture and distribution, and much more.

Stanley Smith:

“I used to care but things have changed”
Come hear Stanley Smith riff on Bob Dylan’s line from Things Have Changed (2000) and talk about his own art process and work in the gallery.
Sunday, September 14 at noon
Hope to see you there!