Posts

Posted on

From Roshi’s New Years Teisho

Our Buddha Nature is absolutely mu, that mu has no form, no shape, never was born, never will die and is called MU only for wanting of something better to call it.

The Buddha sees everything as Buddha Nature, our  body and the universe are one and the same but that is so hard to grasp.

We so easily get caught in greed, anger and delusion that we have a hard time comprehending, what  should we do then?? 

We need to see clearly and objectively that the person who is a deluded person can also be a Buddha Nature.

The Buddha was called the one of Great Alignment. He gave short phrases to his disciples to repeat over and over, continually, all day long. He taught them if they did this ongoingly, they would be able to enter the same state of mind as the Buddha

These phrases we repeat become our bones and our flesh, and then we realize that wide open state of mind that is equal in each and every person,

We can do this if we sit and repeat these phrases until they come  spontaneously. We will then enter this state of mind where we are  not thinking about anything at all. 

Then truly that wisdom with which each of us is endowed from birth gives us a radiance which can illuminate all  others from within ourselves. Equally, from ourself to others.

This is the same state of mind as the Buddha and we see that all beings are in this state of mind, and that we must become this state of mind and know the deep way of living that is held equally by all beings.

From there we can liberate  people from their delusions, awaken them to their Buddha Nature. and awaken their minds.

Posted on

77 Trees, a birthday present to Roshi

This year Roshi celebrated his 77th. birthday. We offered him a gift of 77 trees for Tahoma. Roshi’s thanks and remarks are here.

We began planting new trees and caring for trees we’ve added in the past this fall and we’ll hold a Garden retreat in March to continue the work. Details are here

Over the next 77 weeks we’ll continue to transform the grounds, more posts are coming.

Together, we’ve raised over $8,000! If you’d like to donate to the project please use this form

Posted on

Upcoming Spring Sesshin

www.tahomazenmonastery.com/sesshin/sesshin-application

 The cost of kosesshin is $50/day. APPLY HERE:
www.tahomazenmonastery.com/sesshin/sesshin-application 
May 2018 :
May 5 Kokuho, May 6-12, 7 days Samu Sesshin
May 13 Calligraphy Show Bayview Hall Whidbey Island
May 14-19 Kosesshin w Harada Roshi
May 21-26 Sesshin w Daichi Zenni
May 28 day Sesshin w Daichi Zenni at Water Moon Dojo
Payment can be by paypal, or please send checks to:
Rozan Lenny Gerson
2552 NE 46th Ave
Portland, OR 97213
(occasionally payments may be made in person upon arrival)
Schedules, guidelines for conduct, and directions to the monastery can be found here,
www.tahomazenmonastery.com/sesshin-guidelines/Attending
Temple housing is limited and we appreciate your flexibility.  Any help with set up before or clean up following sesshin is greatly appreciated.
Rozan Lenny Gerson
lenogerson@gmail.com
MONASTERY ADDRESS
Tahoma One Drop Zen Monastery
6499 Wahl Road
Freeland, WA 98249
Email:   tahoma@whidbey.com
Phone:  360.331.4142
Posted on

Wisdom Lecure with Victor Sogen Hori Nov 10 & 12

Wisdom Lecure with Victor Sogen Hori

Victor Sōgen Hori is a Canadian-born scholar of Asian religion, culture, and Buddhist philosophy, a retired professor from the Faculty of Religious Studies at McGill University. Sōgen Hori graduated from Stanford University with a PhD degree in philosophy before ordaining as a Rinzai monk in 1976 at Daitoku-ji in Kyoto (Rinzai headquarters in Japan). He spent the following 13 years in Zen training. In 1990 Sogen returned to his home country of Canada and began his work in academia. In 1993 he joined the staff at the Faculty of Religious Studies at McGill University. Sōgen was a member of the McGill Centre for East Asian Research and the McGill Centre for Medicine Ethics and Law. He was on the Advisory Council of Enpuku-ji Montreal and presently serves on the ODZA board of directors. He is author, editor or translator of several books:

Zen Sand: The Book of Capping Phrases for Kōan Practice (University of Hawai‘i Press, 2003)
Ten Oxherding Pictures: Lectures by Yamada Mumon Roshi (University of Hawai‘i Press, 2002)
Wild Geese: Buddhism in Canada (with John Harding and Alex Soucy, McGill-Queens, 2010)
Flowers on the Rocks: Global & Local Buddhisms in Canada (with John Harding and Alex Soucy, McGill-Queens, 2014)
Teaching Buddhism in the West: From the Wheel to the Web (with Richard Hayes and Mark Shields, Curzon 2002)
The Kyoto School: Neglected Themes and Hidden Variations (with Melissa Curley, Nanzan 2002).

Victor Sogen Hori will speak
Sunday, November 12th  ~  1:00 – 2:30 p.m
at Tahoma Zen Monastery, 6499 Wahl Road, Freeland.

Cost is $10 at the door, cash or check.
There will be books for sale. This will be the last Wisdom Lecture of 2017 series.

Dairyo
Tahoma One Drop Zen Monastery
(360) 331-4142
Posted on

February ‘18 sesshin dates

The February 2018 dates are as follows

Nov 29 Announcements will be sent out including link to application on this site

Dec 29 Applications will be due (around this time)

February 12: Kokuho
February 13 -19: Osesshin

Their are no kosesshin scheduled  for February.

The Roshi and Chisan depart for Mexico immediately following Osesshin.

Posted on

Zen Lecture by Harada Roshi Sept 10 2017 Bayview Hall

Zen Lecture by Harada Roshi

Rinzai Zen Master Shōdō HARADA Rōshi

Founding Abbot of
Tahoma Zen Monastery

Will Give a Public Talk on: “Zen In Our Time”

Sunday, September 10th  ~  2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Bayview Community Hall
5642 Bayview Rd, Langley, WA 98260

Please plan to stay afterwards to greet Roshi in a special event.

(It’s a surprise!)

 In 1989 Harada Roshi began coming to the Seattle area to give
talks and Zen retreats to all interested students.

Cost for the event: $ 10 at the door.
One Drop Zendo Association

WISDOM LECTURE SERIES: 2017 www.tahomazenmonastery.org

Tahoma Zen Monastery
5642 Bayview Rd.
(360) 331-4142
Posted on

77 Trees

A project to enhance and cultivate the woodlands around the Columbarium and the path to the new Zendo.

As part of managing the aging Alder forest we will transform the woods with selective logging and the planting of fruit and nut trees and shrubs.

Lots of details on the 77Trees page. Lots of ways to support the effort.

Posted on

Caregiver Retreats at Tahoma Monastery

2017 Caregiver Retreats at Tahoma Monastery

Saturday, March 18
Saturday, April 15
Saturday, July 15
Saturday, October 21

For the past fifteen years, the Tahoma Zen Buddhist Monastery on South Whidbey Island has been offering day-long retreats for professional and non-professional caregivers in our community designed to address the issues of burn-out and renewal. Enso House, an end of life care home on land adjacent to the monastery, is also integrally involved. Our goal is to reduce isolation and build community among caregivers by offering a relaxing and nourishing day so that we may remain fully involved with those for whom we care.

The retreats are held on a Saturday from ~9: 30 AM to 3:30 PM. In an effort to foster a sense of intimacy and trust, our retreats are kept small – generally 10 – 15 participants. They are co-facilitated by a professional caregiver and a Buddhist monk. We do incorporate some Buddhist practice concepts into these retreats (breathing meditation, silence and mindfulness) but we have specifically designed this day to be accessible and supportive to anyone interested in participating.

The mornings are structured in a way to encourage busy caregivers to slow down, relax, and experience the quiet available at the monastery as well as in themselves. Activities include sitting meditation, gentle exercise, and weather permitting, a silent walk through the sixty acre wooded site. In the middle of the day, the group is served a delicious vegetarian lunch.

The afternoon activities may be more focused on group interaction, and change with each retreat. Some of the activities that have been offered include: exploring music as a tool for relaxation, varied forms of creative expression for play and self care, Reiki, storytelling and sharing in the face of care giving challenges. An afternoon nap has often been the most appreciated part of the day.

The retreats are offered free of charge. Participants are invited to consider a donation to help cover the cost of the retreats and enable us to continue offering this service to the community with no prohibitive fee. The retreats are limited to 15 participants and are cancelled if there are less than three who register.

Contact Information:
For more information, or to register for any of the retreats, please contact Ann Cutcher at (360) 331-4699 or caregiver_ retreat @hotmail.com. An email registration reminder will be sent about one month prior to each retreat to everyone on the email tree. Please check your junk mail folder and allow future messages to be sent directly to your inbox.

Tahoma One Drop Monastery is located on South Whidbey Island at 6499 Wahl Road, Freeland, Wa. 98249
Tel: 360-331-4142

Directions:
From Seattle, take the ferry from Mukilteo to Clinton. Ferries run every 30 minutes on the hour and half hour.
Drive west on Highway SR 525 about 8 miles, past the stoplight at Bayview, and turn left onto Useless Bay Road.
Useless Bay Road turns into Millman Road. Stay on Millman and pass through the intersection with Double Bluff Road. At this point, Millman Road is renamed Lancaster Road. About 2 miles beyond the Double Bluff/Lancaster intersection, turn left onto Wahl Road.
Enso House is on your left about ¾ mile down the road.
The Tahoma One Drop Monastery entrance is about ¼ mile further on the left.

Posted on

June 2017 Tahoma Monastery Messages Newsletter

Tahoma -San Sogenji Zen Monastery

For information about visiting
or special events at Tahoma Zen Monastery
please contact Tony Dairyō Fairbank at
phone: 360.331.4142
email:   tahoma@whidbey.com
website: www.tahomazenmonastery.com
or
http://onedropzen.org/community/usa/tahoma_sogenji

 Roshi offering incense May 14 for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Tahoma Columbarium in the woods between the garden and the hermitage. A columbarium is a resting place for ashes of the deceased.  The term comes from the Latin columba (dove) and originally referred to compartmentalized housing for doves and pigeons called a dovecote. Columbaria are similar in form to traditional Buddhist temples, which from ancient times have housed cremated ashes. In Buddhism, ashes of the deceased may be placed in a columbarium -in Chinese, a naguta (“bone-receiving pagoda”); in Japanese, a nokotsudo (“bone-receiving hall”)- which can be either attached to or a part of a Buddhist temple or cemetery. This practice allows for the family of the deceased to visit the temple for the conduct of traditional memorials and ancestor rites. The ashes of Mitsuyu Koji, Jundo Koji, Hyakurei Osho, and Dainin Koji, currently on the Tahoma altar, will eventually be moved to the columbarium when completed. Harada Roshi tell us his ashes will eventually be housed there as well.

June 2017 Events

2017 Dharma Wisdom Talks: Present Day Reflections on Buddhism

JUNE 

June 16 Friday & 18 Sunday
Hozan Alan Senauke, Soto Zen priest, folk musician, and writer who resides at the Berkeley Zen Center in Berkeley, California, where he currently serves as Vice Abbot.
June 16. Watermoon Dojo. 7 – 8:30 pm
June 18. Whidbey Island.Tahoma Zen Monastery.
1-2:30/ 3 pm
More information about Alan Senauke (here)

The Wisdom Lecture Series is being presented in 2017 with new topics.

Talks will be held in Seattle at Nalanda West, the Watermoon Dojo in Fremont, and on Whidbey Island at Tahoma Zen Monastery. 

In Seattle, talks will be Friday or Saturday nights, 7 – 8:30 pm, at Nalanda West, 3902 Woodland Park Ave North
or at Water Moon Dōjō: 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 Meyer.

On Whidbey, talks will be Sundays from 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 or 3:00 p.m., at the Tahoma Zen Monastery, 6499 Wahl Rd., Freeland (Sunday talks end around 2:30 or 3:00 pm, depending on the speaker). 

2017 Lecture dates:

JUNE see above
JULY 16 SUNDAY
Michael Lerner
AUGUST 19 SATURDAY
(please note exception: On a SATURDAY, NOT a Friday night)
& AUG 20 SUNDAY
Thomas Yuho Kirchner
SEPTEMBER 10 SUNDAY
Shodo Harada Roshi
Whidbey Island, Tahoma Zen Monastery.
OCTOBER 20 FRIDAY & 22 SUNDAY
Jan Chozen Bays
NOVEMBER 10 & 12
Victor Sogen Hori
Individual events are available at the door for $20 per lecture in Seattle at and $10 at Tahoma One Drop Zen Monastery.  Please bring cash or check.  Fees go to cover the expenses of the Series, which include travel expenses to bring our lecturers here. Books, calendars, and other materials will be available for purchase, as well as some materials from presenters.

Thank you for attending, and thank you for supporting Harada Roshi’s efforts and the dedication and wisdom these speakers bring to this series. 

Help with promotion, spreading the word, set up and clean up for this inspired project of Harada Roshi is encouraged and welcomed.  Fliers made by Dairyo are available for each speaker, and we can send a copy for you to distribute in your area. Tahoma@whidbey.com

More details, lecturer bios, locations, etc.,: here: 

SUNDAY ZAZENKAI: Happening every week of the year without interruption.

Roshi said Sunday Zazenkai meditation happens every Sunday at Tahoma Zen Monastery regardless of sesshin schedule or other events at Tahoma monastery. Sundays from 8 am- 9 am, followed by tea. Occasionally tea with Roshi will be occur Sunday mornings  in Feb., May, and Sept. instead. Roshi said Sunday Zazenkai is happening at Tahoma year round; he said that people should not have to wonder if it is happening or not. Due to sesshin schedules there may not always be time for tea and conversation afterwards; however, meditation will always be offered.

Sundays in the Zendo at 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Zazenkai means “Za (Sitting) Zen (Awareness) Kai (Group)”, and includes sutra chanting, two short periods of zazen, a short Qigong exercise, and a brief reading from spiritual texts.  Generally followed by tea and sweets if time permits, there is an opportunity for questions, discussion, and community conversation. Beginners are always welcome and may ask for assistance in sitting posture and zen mediation. 

Walking Kinhin meditation between Zendo sitting periods, Photo by Kiki Shuho Giet

JULY SESSHIN with DAICHI ROSHI July 13-17
Daichi Roshi will come to Tahoma for a Kosesshin July 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Kokuho will be evening of July 12. Attendance is open to all, part time or full time, no formal registration required. People can attend morning or evening sitting. Please do RSVP by calling Dairyo at the monastery (360) 331-4142 or writing your dates of coming and going at Tahoma@whidbey.com
Daichi Roshi will visit Watermoon Dojo July 18 evening before departing for Japan. 

Donations of fresh flowers, fragrant teas, mid morning work snacks, evening tea snacks both savory and sweet, and fresh vegetables are always welcome at the monastery, If you have extra alarm clocks, those are appreciated. The monastery exists entirely on donations. Any donations from the group in the form of time, food, work around the grounds, money, or material objects are appreciated. Many thanks.

*If you are organizing your travel plans to and from the monastery, please plan to spend the day before and after Sesshin helping with set up and clean up. Please organize your own travel to and from the monastery, Taxis are available to the monastery property. Directions to the monastery here. *
What to bring – sesshin guidelines- here.

Daichi Roshi will lead a 7 day Sesshin in late September – approximate dates are Sept 20-27, 2017. September Training dates will be formally announced in July. For future planning, approximate dates known at this time are: Kosesshin Kokuho Sept 5, 4 day Kosesshin Sept 6,7,8,9. Public talk by Harada Roshi Sept 10 1-3 pm. Sept Osesshin Sept 12-18. Sesshin with Daichi Roshi Sept 20-27. Watermoon Talk evening of Sept 28. Applications will be available when Receptionist Rozan sends out a formal announcement in the beginning of July. Watch for it.

Taigan, Daichi Roshi, Soon, and Sokei at Tahoma

DAILY ZAZEN SCHEDULE at TAHOMA *

*when Sesshin is not in sessionChoka (morning chanting
and zazen)                     5:00 – 6:00 a.m.
Morning Zazen              605 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.
Evening Zazen              6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Zazen (sitting meditation) periods are 25 minutes with a few minutes break in between.  Please be in the Zendo and on a cushion ten minutes before zazen begins.  If you arrive after a period has started, please wait in the entrance area on a cushion until the period ends before coming into the Zendo.
Chairs and kneeling benches are freely available.

Residents of the Monastery follow this schedule; however, non-residents are welcome to drop in anytime for one or more periods without previous announcement.

Tending Clouds, Yurt, and Buji An By Diane Jhueck

May Training Period completed!
A 4 day Kosesshin was followed by a public talk, a 7 day Samu Sesshin, and a 7 day Sesshin with Daichi Roshi. 33 attended the 4 day, 37 attended the 7 day, and 32 attended Daichi Roshi’s sesshin, with 15 core participants living at Tahoma the whole month.

Dairyo. Stefan, Jikishin, Kevin, Jusen, Steven Dee, Ash, Shokei, Gensho, Allie, Taliesein, Shogan
Dairyo, Stefan, Jikishin, Kevin, Jusen, Steven D, Sokei, Shokei, Gensho, Allie, Taliesin, Seiwa

Tenzo Magic with Jiyu and Shuho

Rozan and Bruce

Wild Irises by Tahoma Pond

Chi Kung exercises during Daichi Roshi’s sesshin taught by Dairyo

Meitoku Breakfast Tenzo chanting daily Itaten before breakfast

Tahoma Office…

JUKAI
May 15 Harada Roshi gave Jukai to Josephine Harris, Cynthia Trowbridge, and Nick Sayko. Roshi said from now on we are to say the Juaki recipient’s family name in the Eko to recognize their ancestral lineage. Josephine, a longtime friend of One Drop who helped create Tahoma, is now Jisho, Radiant Compassion of Avolokiteshvara. Cynthia, founder of Enso House and longtime zazen participant, is now Myokan, Bright and Honest Reflecting Mirror. Nick, ardent local shugyo, is now Fukuo, Face of Fortune.

Jukai in Zendo with Jisho, Myokan, Fukuo


Fukuo

Jisho greeting sesshin shugyosha on the path

“May we always live in a way that makes us worthy to receive your offerings.”     

****Adopt a Lawn! ***** Adopt a section of Tahoma grounds and come mow ‘your section’ when you can every week or 10 days. Help with mowing is especially appreciated during the growing season. Until we fix the riding mower, the hand guided gas push mower still works well.

WISH LIST:
-Working lawn mowers
-Weed Whackers
-Clipping and weeding tools
-Alarm Clocks
-Working coffee makers
-Clean livable sleeping trailer for parking lot to house visiting monks and guests
-masking tape, writing pens, paper, spare office supplies
-printer ink
– Japanese hot water dispensers

Visit the Tahoma Lake and Yaza platform made by Leah. Photo by Sokei
Come enjoy the summertime lake and Yaza deck made by Leah. Photo by Sokei

Question: “For those of us trying to practice the Dharma, what is the most important thing to remember?”
Harada Roshi Answer: “Right Here, Right Now.”

CONTACTS

Head Monk:
Tony Dairyō Fairbank

ADDRESS:
Tahoma One Drop Zen Monastery
6499 Wahl Road
Freeland, WA 98249
Directions to the monastery here.
Email:   tahoma@whidbey.com
Phone:  360.331.4142

ONE DROP SEATTLE WATERMOON DOJO:
http://onedropzen.org/community/usa/odz_seattle

Posted on

Sōtō Zen Priest Hōzan Alan Senauke Public Talk: “The Bodhisattva’s Embrace”

Photo credit: Cira Cowell

Sōtō Zen Priest Hōzan Alan Senauke
Vice-Abbot of Berkeley Zen Center

Will Give a Public Talk on 

“The Bodhisattva’s Embrace”

~ How 13th Century Zen Master Dōgen points the way to continuous practice in the world. 
Friday, June 16, 7- 8:30 pm 

Water Moon Dojo 

4231 6th Ave NW, Seattle WA 

—– 

Sunday, June 18, 1;00-3:00 pm 

Tahoma Zen Monastery 

6499 Wahl Rd., Freeland, WA 

(on Whidbey Island) 

Hōzan Alan Senauke is a Zen priest, folk musician and writer who resides at the Berkeley Zen Center in Berkeley, California, where he currently serves as Vice Abbot. 

Cost for the event: $ 10.00 at the door, or by series subscription 

(please see our website for more information).

Volunteer efforts of all sangha and shugyosha (people of training) requested. Thank you for your efforts spreading the word, helping with set up and clean up, and attending these lectures. If you can help with set up and clean up, please show up 30 minutes early and stay 30 minutes afterwards. 

One Drop Zendo Association 

WISDOM LECTURE SERIES: 2017 https://www.tahomazenmonastery.com/2017/01/31/wisdom-lecture-series-2017-announced/

Upcoming Talks: 

Other 2017 Lecture dates:
JULY 16 SUNDAY Michael Lerner- Tahoma only 1-3 pm
AUGUST 19 SATURDAY Seattle at Nalanda West 7-8:30 pm (please note exception: On a SATURDAY, NOT a Friday night)
& AUG 20 SUNDAY Tahoma 1-3 pm Thomas Yuho Kirchner
SEPTEMBER 10 SUNDAY
Shodo Harada Roshi – Tahoma only 1-3 pm
Whidbey Island, Tahoma Zen Monastery.
OCTOBER 20 FRIDAY Seattle Nalanda West 7-8:30 pm & 22 SUNDAY Tahoma 1-3 pm Jan Chozen Bays
NOVEMBER 10 Friday Seattle Nalanda West 7-8:30 pm
& Sunday 12 Tahoma 1-3 pm Victor Sogen Hori

Tahoma Zen Monastery
Head Monk: Dairyo
6499 Wahl Road,
Freeland WA 98249
(360) 331-4142
Great gratitude for the assistance and enthusiastic support of everyone at Watermoon Dojo