"Dust up" at Shasta Abbey

Subject: "Dust up" at Shasta Abbey 3/14/2012, 1:11 am

I'm so new I probably sound naive. However, I do agonize over
the long and numerous postings surrounding Eko departure from
Shasta Abbey. I noticed someone mentioned Spirit Rock in Marin County
regarding association, study or spiritual home, whereas I saw a few postings
that said 'thumbs down" for Shasta Abbey. So, I'll include Stone Creek Zen Center in Graton, CA.
I will speak only about my very positive nine year experience in Sonoma County with Joko Haselwood and Jisho Warner, Stone Creek Zen center, Graton, CA, very near Sebastopol. Like Shasta Abbey they are listed as Soto Tradition. I have not seen here any reference, so far, to Stone Creek Zen Center. Spirit Rock is Theravedan tradition. Today's headlines from San Francisco report celebrating 50 years since San Francisco Zen Center, Soto tradition, was established. They own Green Gulch Zen Center, Marin County, and Tassajara near Carmel, CA.
Wendy Johnson headed the organic gardening at Green Gulch for 25 years. Her book, "Gardening at the Dragon's Gate" is very detailed and a masterpiece of writing. SFZC also operates "The Greens", a vegetarian restaurant at Ft. Mason, S.F. which is supplied with Green Gulch produce.
In Trinity County there is Rigdzin Ling, 50 miles west of Redding, in Junction City.
They are wholly Tibetan Buddhism, if you want to go that route. I stayed there one night and participated in both 6 am and 6 pm chanting. Very fascinaing. Good food served also.
In Grants Pass, OR, where I reside, there is a new sangha forming with Thic Nat Hahn as their focus. More on that later when they locate to new address and get settled.

Subject: Re: "Dust up" at Shasta Abbey 3/14/2012, 1:40 pm

royfoto wrote:: I'm so new I probably sound naive. However, I do agonize over
the long and numerous postings surrounding Eko departure from Shasta Abbey.

royfoto,

Welcome to OBCC! Regarding the above statement, have you had contact with Shasta Abbey? Glad you hear that you've had positive experiences at Stone Creek Zen center. That's not a center I've heard of before so perhaps you can tell us more about it.

Admin Posts : 1431 Join date : 2009-11-08 Age : 50

[Admin Note: the following posts were moved from the "In Memoriam" section in order to keep topic responses together.]

by royfoto Subject: Re: In Memoriam - Roy Lambert Yesterday at 23:11

Further to my initial "Dust Up" entry, also to answer inquiry about Stone Creek Zen Center, Graton, CA.
The founder, Jisho Warner, has recorded Dharma talks. Google Stone Creek Zen Center for access to them as well as basic information of the sangha there, etc. Also, recorded Dharma talks by Joko Haselwood can be heard on Empty Bowl Sangha website. I relish them probably due to my great personal fondness for his sharing his years of study with D.T. Suzuki. I am a photographer and have views of Joko at home in his study, as well as Jisho Warner in rare ceremonial robes.
I have not yet personally visited Shasta abbey but would relish doing so. I graduated with class of 1945 from Dunsmuir High School, attending there only my junior and senior years.
WWII was in full force; I was drafted and entered military ten days after graduation.
Many fond memories of Siskiyou County when Dunsmujir was a thriving, busy railroad town.
I heard Shasta Abbey obtained the Mt. Shasta City railroad passenger station in early 1960s which is built of local quarried rock. I'm anxious to visit and verify that fact. The abbey appears to be in Lake Abrams area. I sold my car recently and have limited mobility and eyesight. I'm planning a trip in Feb. 2013 and will include visits in Mt. Shasta area.
The issues at Shasta Abbey have triggered my researching the history of celebacy within the Soto tradition, it's prevalence and and all other aspects. Wow, am I ever new to all this!
I'm reminded of a statement made by Dalai Lama to the effect that Buddhism has no quarrel or variance with valid scientific research. He further said that if there were, then Buddhism would need to change. (I need to verify that further), My work is cut out.
Much more reading and research is on the horizon, obviously.

by HowardSubject: Re: In Memoriam - Roy Lambert Today at 9:49

I remember the railway station being moved to Kannon Dell and helping out a bit there after it was installed on that sister property near Shasta Abbey but I only remember the wooden structure of the station. If part of it was built of local quarryed rock, its beyond my memory. That would have made that station' road trip to it's new site pretty challenging.

Somewhere I think there are pictures of a monk on the roof of that travelling structure with a pole lifting up electrical lines for clearance along the road.

There are folks here with far more experience that might chime in but I think a seperate thread is in order.

Subject: Re: "Dust up" at Shasta Abbey 3/21/2012, 6:08 pm

I 'm finding no reference to the new abbess joining or associating with:
http://www.americanzenteachersassciation.com/practice/cfm
http;//SZBA.org
Am I missing the mention, or is there none?

Subject: Re: "Dust up" at Shasta Abbey 3/21/2012, 8:17 pm

royfoto wrote:: I 'm finding no reference to the new abbess joining or associating with:
http://www.americanzenteachersassciation.com/practice/cfm
http;//SZBA.org
Am I missing the mention, or is there none?

To be clear the American Zen Teachers Association and the Soto Zen Buddhist Association are different organizations. You will find mention of Meian Elbert at SZBA:

http://szba.org/affiliated-teachers/

Meian is not mentioned at AZTA however other centers and teachers that are part of the OBC are listed:

http://www.americanzenteachers.org/

» Shasta Abbey for Seekers?
» Upcoming dharma discussion at Shasta Abbey _ 18 June and after
» Shasta Abbey Dharma Talk of 10 March - questions for Meian Elbert
» Another Abusive Guru Bites the Dust or is this just PR spin?
» Chocolate Cake and Abbey Kitchen