Shasta Abbey

Rev. Allard Kieres talks about 'silence' in our practice as Buddhist trainees. How does silence, both external and internal silence, help inform and deepen our daily practice and insight into the Dharma. YouTube: https://youtu.be/C3Eu5fHn5d0 Twitter/X: @shastaabbey 

Rev. Amanda Robertson encourages Western Buddhists not to so easily disregard the Law of Karma. She encourages us to prove it true for ourselves and offers stories and insights from her own life and other Dharma writings to help try and illuminate this important teaching of the Buddha.  YouTube: https://youtu.be/bqlBI_ieIoM Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Astor Douglas is inspired from reading Rev. Master Jiyu's teaching on the Four Wisdoms, which are Charity, Tenderness, Benevolence, Sympathy, and takes up the Wisdom of Benevolence.  YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ngl0Q6vw7X4 Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, shares her thoughts on fear and how we can sit still with it in our daily life and practice.  YouTube: https://youtu.be/XBYlpeoE-_Y Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Daishin Yalon offers a teaching on practice and encountering grief. As Buddhists who practice 'letting go' and 'all acceptance', are we allowed to feel sad? Are we practicing incorrectly if we grieve the loss of friends, family, or even changing conditions? This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday February 23, 2025. YouTube: https://youtu.be/UEMVjR9k1Io  Twitter/X: @s...

Rev. Ando Mueller talks about the merits and importance of 'All Acceptance' in our practice as Buddhists. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday February 16, 2025.  Twitter/X: @shastaabbey YouTube: https://youtu.be/6yC_9OQqbrE

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, quotes Julian of Norwich as she talks about current world events and how we can sit still with them. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday February 9, 2025.  YouTube: https://youtu.be/foO86D_AfUc Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett continues her lecture series by briefly talking about the third kensho or third 'stage of enlightenment' and its relationship to the precepts. She then continues to study and commentate on the Shushogi. There are questions and answers at the end. This talk is part of a lecture series given in 1979. YouTube: N/A Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett works directly with the Shushogi, a short compilation of Great Master Dogen's writings, and gives an in  depth analysis of the precepts. There are assorted questions and answers at the end. This talk was part of a winder lecture series given in 1979.  YouTube: N/A Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Daishin Yalon gives an inspirational talk encouraging us in our practice. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey in 2022. YouTube: N/A Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Valeria Allison shares some thoughts on how to constructively engage with our karma in our efforts to train with and convert it. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday February 2, 2025.  YouTube: https://youtu.be/3dPrDbnEnPo Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett continues her lecture series on aspects of meditation within the context of our Soto (Serene Reflection) Zen lineage. In this talk she talks about the traditional four stages of Enlightenment; moving from the stream entrant to the arahant. She uses drawings from her book 'How to Grow a Lotus Blossom' to try and explain this process. There are questions and answer...

The late Rev. Jisho Perry lead a retreat on the Surangama Sutra in 2011. This is the first talk in that retreat series.  YouTube: N/A Twitter: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, delivers a Dharma talk on the festival day of Maitreya: the Buddha that is to come. She talks about who Maitreya is and how we can gain strength and encouragement from his message for our own daily life. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Wednesday January 1, 2025.  YouTube: https://youtu.be/HJzam2oQbGg Twitter/X: @shastaabbey 

   Rev. Margaret Clyde talks about making vows and her relationship with this idea. This leads to an emphasis on 'letting go'.  This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday December 29, 2024. YouTube: https://youtu.be/X_3sd-1uajg Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

   Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about the story of the Buddha's Enlightenment. She emphasizes how important it was that even the Buddha kept training after realization. No matter where we are along the path, training never ends.   This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday December 22, 2024. YouTube: https://youtu.be/BZaPboXv4Nw Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

    Nicky Antonellis, a founder of Dharma Gates (see mission statement below), interviews Rev. Allard Kieres about life as a monk at Shasta Abbey.     "Dharma Gates is a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to opening pathways into formal meditation practice for young adults. We connect young practitioners to a variety of Buddhist teachers and practice centers, working to eliminate conceptual, logi...

Rev. Daishin Yalon shares thoughts about the common nature of winter time religious festivals. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday December 15, 2024. YouTube: https://youtu.be/g75273bun6A Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Amanda Robertson uses the Vimalakirti Scripture as a springboard for talking about not criticizing others. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday November 24,2024.  YouTube: https://youtu.be/Fpk3oDccfnI Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Allard Kieres shares some personal stories and reflections about how fear is the genesis of suffering. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday November 17, 2024. YouTube:  https://youtu.be/97TK2RMHQGI Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Ando Mueller gives a Dharma talk on the Festival of Remembrance on Veteran's Day. She talks about a story from the life of the Buddha where a famous general came and asked the Buddha about war. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday November 10, 2024. Twitter/X: @shastaabbey YouTube: N/A 

This is a reading of chapter 2 of Great Master Keizan's 'Denkoroku: The Record of the Transmission of the Light'. It is the Rev. Hubert Nearman translation. The Denkoroku records the stories of the masters in our lineage starting with Shakyamuni Buddha and going through the generations up to Koun Ejo who was Great Master Dogen's disciple and grand master to Keizan. The stories...

Rev. Scholastica Hicks gives a Dharma talk on the yearly memorial festival honoring Rev. Master Jiyu. Rev. Scholastica shares personal stories and lessons from her time working closely with Rev. Master Jiyu as her personal nurse. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday November 3, 2024. Twitter/X: @shastaabbey YouTube: https://youtu.be/x1aaGZ_W36U

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, gives a Dharma talk on Founder's Day. The founder of Shasta Abbey is Keido Chisan Koho, Rev. Master Jiyu's master in Japan, and Rev. Master Meian explains about this Zen tradition of naming your teacher as the founder of your temple and shares stories about Koho Zenji's (Zenji meaning Zen Master in Japanese) life and teaching. This t...

Rev. Oswin Hollenbeck continues his 'Attitude of Gratitude' series. He explains why making offerings bears such incredible merit and gives us advice on how to cultivate a proper attitude of mind when making offerings. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 20, 2024. Twitter/X: @shastaabbey YouTube: https://youtu.be/QqKIcscniAY