March Monastery Messages

TAHOMA-SAN SOGENJI ZEN MONASTERY

TAHOMA MONASTERY MESSAGES

For information about visiting or special events at
Tahoma Zen Monastery,
please contact the Monastery at
360.331.4142
email:   tahoma@whidbey.com
Website:
https://www.tahomazenmonastery.com


March 10-16
Whitman College Students
will be here for their 19th annual visit

Please come and experience this enthusiastic group of young college students who sit Zazen at Whitman College in Eastern Washington.  Since Doyu began visiting the college in 1999, students from Whitman College have spent their spring break experiencing a monastic retreat.  Many Tahoma and Sogenji practitioners have come from Whitman!  We offer them a week of monastic experience with meditation instruction, readings of Roshi’s commentary on ancient texts, along with  exercises and chi practices.  Seiwa, Genso, Karusia, Jiyu, and Sokei will be overseeing this event and we would love your support and participation!  If you want to help with cooking, samu, cleaning, or wish to offer flowers or just be with this great group of students, please do come and join in!
March 10-16. Overlapping with Spring Gardening Retreat: 


SPRING GARDENING RETREAT:
March 11 – March 21, 2018

Enzu, 園頭, The monastery vegetable garden, or the gardener.
A retreat this Spring. All invited. Part time participation welcome!

The March Enzu Retreat is scheduled from the 11th. to the 21st., with people coming and going as their schedule allows.

The daily schedule will be the same as kosesshin with choka and zazen before breakfast, samu in the morning, time for study, and qigong in the afternoon, and zazen in the evening. Samu will focus on preparing the vegetable garden; planting and pruning in the orchard; pruning and caring for other trees we’ve planted on the grounds; and planting new trees in the woods. There is work for all levels of skill and experience and lots to learn and contribute. Help will be needed cooking as well as outdoors. More details on the retreat are, here.  There is no fee for this retreat, however donations are greatly appreciated.  
www.tahomazenmonastery.com/sesshin/sesshin-application

This retreat is the first retreat in our 77 Trees birthday present to Roshi. There is more information on 77 Trees here.  If you can’t join us and would like to contribute to the project, the donation page is here


KOSESSHIN with Daichi Roshi: March 23 – March 28, 2018
Kokuho is Friday evening, March 23. Kosesshin, led by Daichi Roshi, concludes the evening of Wednesday, March 28. Open for part time attendance.  Daily sanzen. 

www.tahomazenmonastery.com/sesshin/sesshin-application

Daichi Roshi will lead an event at Water Moon Dojo in Seattle on the evening of March 29.

Schedules, guidelines for conduct, and directions to the monastery can be found here,  
www.tahomazenmonastery.com/sesshin-guidelines/

Staying at Tahoma for the period between sesshins is possible. The expectation is to follow the sitting and work schedule. 


 

Japanese scroll mounting for Harada Roshi’s calligraphy now available,

please contact Dairin (Rin-San) at dairinlarrick@gmail.com for details.

Dairin Zenji will be here May 13 for the Shodo Harada Calligraphy Show on Whidbey Island. We will be offering several mounted scrolls for sale. 

Here are Dairin’s two latest scrolls, made with Roshi’s vintage calligraphies from the vaults.

Clear Water Has No Obstructions


Everyday Mind, That is the Path

Available for Purchase from Dairin (write him above). Money will benefit Tahoma.

 


May Osesshin dates will be confirmed soon.
Tentatively, Kokuho is May 5, Osesshin is May 6-12, with a Harada Roshi Calligraphy Show at Bayview Hall on Whidbey May 13. Details about the rest of May to follow. 


Many many people have contributed so many unseen and seen efforts with love over the years to make Tahoma shine.  And now we look forward to the next phase of growth with the 10,000 year view. In this period where were are between resident head monks, and Tahoma is entering a new phase, Chisan and Roshi have both stated that rather than rely on one head monk, a model which has not always been successful at Tahoma, that instead collaboration is needed, and they both said that the flavor of Tahoma is one of cooperation and collaboration. In that spirit Chisan says that all people who have received Jukai, whether you have asked for it or Roshi has offered, Jukai people with lay ordination are in a relationship to this place of training, and should give back as much as they receive, by taking responsibility that this place function and thrive. If you have skills in any area please step forward to take initiative and keep Tahoma functioning. Chisan and Roshi are in Japan and need to sangha to step forward, as many already do. If you have skills in accounting, office organization, carpentry, maintenance, electrical, forestry, cooking, retail and promotional outreach knowledge, skill at social media, please offer your expertise! Consider making time between sesshin to dive into the work that needs doing so the monastery is able to be used for retreats. 


TAHOMA DAILY ZAZEN MEDITATION SCHEDULE
Sutra chanting 5:00 a.m. – 5:40 a.m.
Morning Zazen Meditation 5:40 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.
Evening Zazen Meditation 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Join us for sutra chanting and zazen (seated meditation) in the mornings and zazen in the evenings. Chairs and kneeling benches are available as needed.
Zazen periods last twenty-five minutes at a time with a short break between periods. Kinhin (walking meditation) follows fifty minutes of zazen.  Please be seated in the Zendo ten minutes before zazen begins.  If you arrive after a period has started, please wait in the entrance area until the period ends before coming into the Zendo.

Monastery residents follow the schedule outlined above; however, non-residents are welcome to drop in anytime for one or more periods without previous announcement.
No Zazen schedule Mondays.


ZAZENKAI
Every Sunday, sitting from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m.
Followed by tea 9:00 a.m. until about 9:45 a.m.

Join us for Sunday Zazenkai every Sunday of the month.  Zazenkai includes sutra chanting, zazen meditation, and a short exercise period. Afterwards, tea and sweets are served, and there is an opportunity for questions, discussion, and conversation.
Beginners to Zen are always welcome.


THANK YOU

All people who have received Jukai especially and everyone else are asked to do your utmost to support Tahoma at this time. There are many many ways to help. Offering time and services is much appreciated in this time with no permanent resident Head Monk. Thank you to all who are continually contributing effort, time, resources, care and goodwill to Tahoma-san Zen Monastery.  We are very grateful for your gifts of substance and service. May we always live in a way that makes us worthy to receive your offerings. 

Tahoma Zen Monastery
6499 Wahl Road
Freeland, WA 98249
e-mail:   tahoma@whidbey.com
telephone:  360.331.4142

DONATIONS AND PLEDGES:
Tahoma Monastery exists entirely on donations; there are no fees for participating in activities or meditation.  Donations may be made in cash at Tahoma, online: https://www.tahomazenmonastery.com
      or checks to:
One Drop Zendo Association 
(abbreviated as ODZA)  
6499 Wahl Rd Freeland WA 98236
 ONE DROP SEATTLE WATER MOON DOJO:
4231 6th Ave. NW., Seattle, WA, 98107.
It is the dark green house across from Hale’s Ales on Leary Way. Parking is available on the street, or across Leary Way by the Fred Meyers.*

Water Moon Zazen Sitting Meditation
Monday nights from 7 – 8:30 pm, Tuesday mornings from  6:30 – 8:30 am, Thursday mornings from 6:30 – 7:30 am, and Saturday morning from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

Contact: https://www.tahomazenmonastery.com/category/watermoon/