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Zazenkai April 13th, 2025

Every Sunday from 8am to around 9:30am we hold community zazen, or Zazenkai. It is a straightforward service with chanting, zazen, a short talk an opportunity at the end for casual conversation. Join us and meet the local sangha, learn the basics of Rinzai form and engage in the practice. For those unable to attend in person it is also available online via Zoom.

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85914174491?pwd=SuBha5ySwtyCZcugaVJPtRygaaQ9vB.1

For more information on online Zazenkai see this post: Virtual Zazenkai

Chanting
Please download our full chant book for our opening chants: Virtual Sutra Book
We typically chant the Heart Sutra, page 1, Hakuin Zenji’s Song of Zazen, page 11 and The Four Bodhisattva Vows., page 16.

Reading
For 2025 we will continue reading from a collection of essay’s written by Mumon Roshi on Hakuin’s zenji’s Song of Zazen. A popular text in Japan since its publication the prolific Hakuin translator Norman Waddell translated it and it was published in Japan a year ago. Now Shambhala is releasing the book worldwide in early February. Publication and purchasing information here:  Zen Master Hakuin’s Song of Zazen

Please note that we have setup a mailing list that will send out the Zoom link every week. Click to Join the Tahoma Events Mailing List

We are only able hold these events thanks your generous support.

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Buddha’s Birthday Celebration 2025

April 8th is the day where we traditionally celebrate the historical Buddha’s birthday. The legend is that there was a sweet rain of flowers when the Buddha was born. He immediately took seven steps representing the seven cardinal directions and pointing up to the sky and down toward the earth said “Above the heavens and below the earth I alone am the world honored one!” We honor this event with a ceremony where we bath a statue of the baby Buddha with sweet tea and offer incense.

In conjunction with Seattle One Drop Water Moon we will celebrate the Buddha’s birthday in a public ceremony which will also be offered online. This event will absorb our regular monthly get together between Tahoma and Water Moon which is usually solely offered online. For those joining us online we will be using the Water Moon Zoom account.

The ceremony will begin at 7:30am with a short period of zazen followed by a chant service and then the ceremonial bathing of the baby buddha and offering of incense. We will conclude with chanting of the four great Bodhisattva vows and sampai (prostrations).

You are also welcome to join us for our morning chant service and zazen for which you should be seated in the zendo by 6:20am. If you wish to come just for the ceremony please arrive around 6:20am and join in the walking meditation before we begin the service at 6am.

We will also broadcast this event online for those unable to join us in person. You will need to have a copy of the updated version of our online Sutra Book which contains all of the necessary chants.

Zoom Link: [event has passed]

Continue reading “Buddha’s Birthday Celebration 2025”
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April 2025 Daylong Retreat

April 19th, 2023, 4:50am to 9pm (PDT)

Join us for a full day of practice in the midst of the spring training period. This weekend event, centered on Saturdays full day of practice, is open for residential and drop-in attendance. If you would like to stay on campus and make the most of this weekend of practice please contact us to make arrangements. Please be aware that there is a minimum number of attendees required for us to support residential practice. We request that everyone who intends to join us beyond dropping in for a single period contact us with your plans.

Additionally we will continue to broadcast these retreats via Zoom for those unable to join us in person.  We will begin the online broadcast during regular Friday evening zazen and conclude after Sunday’s Zazenkai allowing for one to be able to extend ones practice beyond the full day. 

The Dharma talk will be on Fa-Tsang’s Brief Commentary on the Prajnaparamita-hrdaya-sutra which looks at the much beloved Heart Sutra from a Huayan perspective. Previous talks that provide a background can be found on the Drafty Mountain Hut blog:
Introduction to Huayan thought
Fa-Tsang’s Commentary on the Heart Sutra (forthcoming)

Essential Information for those joining online
• Please tune in 5-10 minutes before the scheduled start time so you can be settled.
• Download the monastery schedule: Daylong Retreat Schedule
• The sutra book we will be using can be downloaded here: Virtual Sutra book
• Read these posts:  Guidelines for Virtual Events and Orientation to Virtual Sesshin.
• To receive the links for Virtual Events by email: Tahoma Events mailing list.

Broadcast Schedule

Friday, March 14th
6:30pm to 8:00pm: Zazen 

Saturday, March 15th
5am to 7am: Choka; Zazen
11am to Noon: Zazen
2pm to 4:00pm: Dharma Talk; Zazen
6:00pm to 8:45pm: Zazen 

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85434572751?pwd=26Mh5qjhdaEhEi5hCUr1bidPIhlUf0.1

Retreat Schedule

Saturday April 19th

5:00amChoka  (sutras p.3-14); Sampai; Han
5:40amZazen (short period); Kinhin
6:00amZazen; Zazen
7:00amBreakfast; Break
8:15amSamu (work practice); break
11:00amZazen; Zazen;
11:55amLunch; Break
2:00pmDharma Talk; Kinhin
3:00pmZazen; Zazen
4:15pmPhysical/Outside practice [Self-Directed]
5:00pmDinner [Optional, Informal]; Break
6:00pmUninterrupted Zazen; Han; Kinhin;
7:00pmZazen; Zazen; Kinhin
8:00pmZazen; Zazen
8:45pmHan; Closing Sutra (p.17); Sampai
9:00pmKaichin; Yaza
All times Pacific Time. Please arrive/tune in ten minutes before scheduled events.
Events in Bold will be streamed.

 

Please email us with any questions: Contact Information

This retreat is offered without charge, however there are costs to putting it on, so please consider making a donation online or in person with this in mind.

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May 2025 OSesshin

Dear One Drop Sangha and Friends,

The May 2025 OSesshin with Harada Roshi at Tahoma Zen Monastery begins with kokuho on the evening of Thursday, May 15th and concludes the evening of Thursday, May 22nd. 

OSesshin: Thursday, May 15th – Thursday, May 22nd, 2025

  • Kokuho is Thursday evening, May 15th.
  • This sesshin will be a samu sesshin with an extended samu period in the morning and one 25-minute period of zazen before lunch. There may be additional periods of zazen in the afternoon after teisho.
  • OSesshin concludes the evening of Thursday, May 22nd.
  • The link to the OSesshin application is near the bottom of this email. 
  • The fee is $450. Donations to support financial aid are welcomed.
  • Information about our covid protocol is below.

The application deadline for OSesshin is Monday, April 7th, 2025. You will receive an email regarding your acceptance or wait list status soon after the deadline. If you are accepted, we’ll send you a link to a page where you’ll confirm your attendance and agree to the sesshin regulations. Payment information will be included in the acceptance email. Please send your sesshin fee as soon as possible.


IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THIS OSESSHIN

  • Covid protocol: Please take a covid test before you come to Tahoma and wear a mask during your trip. We’ll also require masking during chanting, so please bring a supply of N95/KN95 masks.
  • We are not requiring a covid vaccination, but you are encouraged to get one. It’s best to get it about six weeks before the sesshin, which is about when we’ll send the acceptance emails.

Covid protocols are subject to change. If you are accepted into the sesshin, please read the most current information provided on the Policies Agreement that you will receive.

  • If you would like to arrive a day or two before sesshin and/or stay a day or two after sesshin please give us your arrival and departure dates when you complete the Policies Agreement. Any help with set up before or clean up following OSesshin would be greatly appreciated. We will contact you to regarding arrangements for the extra days. 
  • If you haven’t been to Tahoma before, we expect you to come on May 14th to make sure you have time to get oriented to the monastery and to ensure that you attend the orientation on the 15th. People new to Tahoma who plan to arrive the day of kokuho sometimes miss the orientation because of traffic or ferry delays. 
  • We hope that we will be able to conduct our May 2025 OSesshin but please recognize that our plans, as well as the dates, may need to change suddenly and without notice. If you are purchasing airline tickets please be prepared to cancel your reservations.
  • There may be a wait list for this OSesshin. Those on the wait list will be contacted immediately as spaces become available.

Apply here: OSesshin Application


 Thank you,
ZenE Tami Settergren
OSesshin registrar
Tahoma Zen Monastery
tahomaapplication@gmail.com

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March 2025 Daylong Retreat

March 15th, 2023, 4:50am to 9pm (PDT)

This third weekend of March we will dive into intensive investigation of this great matter with a period set aside for extended practice.  This weekend event, centered on Saturdays full day of practice, is open for residential and drop-in attendance. If you would like to stay on campus and make the most of this weekend of practice please contact us to make arrangements. Please be aware that there is a minimum number of attendees required for us to support residential practice. We request that everyone who intends to join us beyond dropping in for a single period contact us with your plans.

Additionally we will continue to broadcast these retreats via Zoom for those unable to join us in person.  We will begin the online broadcast during regular Friday evening zazen and conclude after Sunday’s Zazenkai allowing for one to be able to extend ones practice beyond the full day. 

Essential Information for those joining online
• Please tune in 5-10 minutes before the scheduled start time so you can be settled.
• Download the monastery schedule: Daylong Retreat Schedule
• The sutra book we will be using can be downloaded here: Virtual Sutra book
• Read these posts:  Guidelines for Virtual Events and Orientation to Virtual Sesshin.
• To receive the links for Virtual Events by email: Tahoma Events mailing list.

Broadcast Schedule

Friday, March 14th
6:30pm to 8:00pm: Zazen 

Saturday, March 15th
5am to 7am: Choka; Zazen
10:30am to Noon: Zazen
2pm to 4:00pm: Dharma Talk; Zazen
6:00pm to 8:45pm: Zazen 

Zoom Link: [Event has passed]

Continue reading “March 2025 Daylong Retreat”
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Public Teisho During February OSesshin

Public Teisho During September OSesshin

February 21st through 28th, 1pm

Every day during the OSesshin there will be Teisho (dharma talk) from Shodo Harada Roshi. Talks are in Japanese with translations by Daichi Zenni. The talks begin at 1pm and it is requested that attendees arrive 10-15 minutes early to allow time to walk to the zendo and get settled. There will be staff to assist with parking and making your way to zendo. There will be chairs and cushions available for seating and staff on hand to facilitate finding your seat.

Roshi will be speaking on koans from the Blue Cliff Record, please do come for this unique opportunity to hear a living Zen Master speak on the words of our Zen ancestors. 

Directions to the Monastery can be found here:
Visiting Tahoma Zen Monastery

PLEASE NOTE
The monastery will otherwise be closed to the public during the sesshin.
Please see our calendar for the resumption of our regular schedule.

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Zazenkai Dharma Talk Jan 19th,/26th 2025

Updated with the January 26th talk, continuing the theme of forbearance.

Over on his Drafty Mountain Hut blog, Tendo has posted the talk from the January 19th, 2025 Zazenkai. In this talk from an essay in Mumon Yamada Roshi’s Hakuin Zenji’s Song of Zazen on the topic of forbearance, he take a circuitous route through samsara, through the teachings, to the necessity of practice in difficult times.

Practice in Difficult Times

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Bodhi Day Ceremony

Bodhi Day Ceremony / Zazenkai
Sunday, December 8th, 2024

Bodhi Day celebrates the awakening of the Buddha. It culminate the week long end of year Rohatsu retreat. The Bodhi Day ceremony this year is open to all, whether you took part in any of the rest of the retreat or not, and at the very reasonable hour of 8am. I would like to encourage all in the community, especially those who haven’t come to Zazenkai in while, to consider coming for this ceremony and connecting (or reconnecting) with the local sangha.
We will follow the usual Zazenkai schedule and hold the ceremony in the second half of the program.   The whole morning will be broadcast via Zoom (details below

Celebration
 We will follow the Bodhi Day ceremony with a casual celebratory gathering in the Tahoma Dining Hall. This is open to everyone, no participation in any of the week, or even days events required. We would like to celebrate with all in our community. We will provide hot and cold drinks and sweet and savory snacks. If you want to bring something to share, by all means please do, but just bringing yourself will suffice. We’ll be in the Dining Hall by 9:45am.

Sunday, December 8th Schedule

Day 8: Morning Schedule
5am; Zazen; Kinhin; Kaimei Han
5:45am: Closing Sutras (p. 3,4,7); Sampai; Closing Remarks
6:25am Breakfast

Zazenkai and Bodhi Day Ceremony Schedule
8am: Chanting (p. 1)
8:10am: Zazen
8:30: Short Break
8:35: Bodhi Day Ceremony
Han;
Chanting (p. 24, 25, 3, 7, 10, 14)
Sampai, Incense Offering, Reading, Closing Remarks

Essential Information for those joining online
• Please tune in 5-10 minutes before the scheduled start time so you can be settled.
• The sutra book we will be using can be downloaded here: Virtual Sutra book
• Read these posts:  Guidelines for Virtual Events and Orientation to Virtual Sesshin.
• To receive the links for Virtual Events by email: Tahoma Events mailing list.

Zoom Link: [event has passed]

Please email us with any questions: Contact Information