Shasta Abbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about Maitreya: the Buddha that is to come. January 1st is when Shasta Abbey celebrates the Maitreya Festival at the end of the New Year's Retreat. It is an opportunity for us all to reflect on the fact that WE are Maitreya Buddha, and that we  must make this a reality in our everyday lives. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Monday...

   Rev. Ando Mueller describes the iconography, and it's meaning for training, of a picture of the Buddha sitting beneath the Bodhi Tree when he realized enlightenment. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday December 24, 2023.    This link is to a picture that is similar to what Rev. Ando is describing in her talk. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c1/ed/56/c1ed569122146b4cae50fe846e90aa4...

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about the Scripture of Avalokiteshwara and how we must make compassion a reality in our own lives for ourselves and those around us. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday December 17, 2023. Twitter/X: @shastaabbey YouTube: https://youtu.be/PaCt_XSiF-M

Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett talks about chapter 53 from Great Master Dogen's Shobogenzo entitled  Hossho (On the True Nature of All Things).  You can access a PDF of the Shobogenzo here: https://www.shastaabbey.org/pdf/shoboAll.pdf. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey sometime in the year 1981. YouTube: N/A Twitter: @shastaabbey 

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about not rushing to fill every moment with 'stuff'. But how this moment is deeply sufficient just as it is; and to allow the space and stillness for us to rest content within this. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday November 26, 2023. YouTube: https://youtu.be/VP1j7E-XNUM Twitter: @shastaabbey

Rev. Margaret Clyde shares some thoughts on Great Master Dogen's Rules for Meditation , specifically the line that reads, "Think of neither good nor evil. Consider neither right nor wrong." This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday November 19, 2023. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBd0NQljGSc Twitter: @shastaabbey 

Rev. Daishin Yalon talks about the distinction between the 'mind' and the 'Heart' and what we mean in Buddhism when we talk about the two. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday November 12, 2023.  Twitter: @shastaabbey YouTube: N/A

Rev. Allard Kieres talks about the error of placing labels on people (and all beings), and extends this caution further to how we place labels on reality at large. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday November 5, 2023 Twitter: @shastaabbey YouTube: https://youtu.be/aG3H4I9Ppqw

Rev. Oswin Hollenbeck continues with his series on Gratitude. He looks at Samantabhadra's second vow 'praising Tathagatas' and ties that to the reading of scriptures; both literal scriptures and then the 'scripture of everyday life'. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 15, 2023. Twitter: @shastaabbey YouTube: https://youtu.be/S1AoSZcb6jo

Rev. Master Haryo Young, head of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives (our Order), uses an analogy to talk about impermanence. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on September 27, 2012.  Twitter: @shastaabbey YouTube: N/A

   Rev. Astor Douglas talks about how life is fundamentally sufficient just as it is. Through practice, we learn to root ourselves in this fundamental sufficiency and to question ourselves when we think we need 'more'.   Twitter: @shastaabbey YouTube: N/A  

Rev. Margaret Clyde shares an insight about training with Dukkha or 'Stress'. Quoting the late Ajhan Cha, a Thai forest monk, "Dukkha is Noble Truth".   Twitter: @shastaabbey YouTube: https://youtu.be/gS5QULfVxv4

   Rev. Oswin Hollenbeck continues talking about the first three of Samantabhadra's vows in part three of his 'Attitude of Gratitude' series. Rev. Oswin encourages us to bow with all the conditions of daily life. It is this very bowing which is the Heart of Buddha. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 8, 2023. YouTube: https://youtu.be/YidYpdPlhnE Twitter: @shastaab...

    Rev. Scholastica Hicks shares more insights from her experience recovering from a broken leg. She talks about hard questions she has learned to ask herself about her own daily attitude of mind and encourages us to do the same. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 1, 2023. YouTube: https://youtu.be/M9Y_r9CdgCg Twitter: @shastaabbey www.shastaabbey.org

   Rev. Shiko Rom celebrated her 50th ordination birthday on September 21, 2023. In this talk she shares her experience of 50 years as a monk and encourages us all to never give up on our training.  This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday September 23, 2023.  YouTube: https://youtu.be/YCXt2a_Jm5A Twitter: @shastaabbey www.shastaabbey.org

   Rev. Enya Sapp talks about the fundamental delusion that we are all training ourselves to transcend. It is this very mind of 'seeking' which is the source of our suffering. We are the creators of our own suffering. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday September 17, 2023. YouTube: https://youtu.be/JbTqnPhovc8 Twitter: @shastaabbey www.shastaabbey.org

Rev. Ando Mueller gives a Dharma talk on the annual festival memorial for Great Master Eihei Dogen. She shares some stories about Master Dogen's life, who he was, how he came to training, and what he passed on to those who follow in his footsteps. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday September 10, 2023. Twitter: @shastaabbey YouTube: https://youtu.be/4Ov9Hsm4fzA

Rev. Valora Midtdal talks about her own experience training with despair and offers advice for others on how to sit still and convert this tendency. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on September 3, 2023. Twitter: @shastaabbey  YouTube: https://youtu.be/-tQi3sUFp4w

Rev. Allard Kieres talks about the 'Tenzokyokun' or 'Instructions to the Chief Cook', written by Great Master Eihei Dogen who was the founder of Serene Reflection Meditation (Soto Zen) in Japan. Master Dogen went to China in order to clarify his doubts about Buddhist practice. Rev. Allard tells about the encounters Dogen had and the important lesson he learned. This talk was gi...

Rev. Astor Douglas talks about the importance of keeping an open heart in practice and how we should not try to bring the Buddha's teachings 'down' to us, but to step 'up' to the teachings. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on August 13, 2023. Twitter: @shastaabbey YouTube: https://youtu.be/W9t-YVzNJ3M

Rev. Oswin Hollenbeck continues his theme with gratitude as he talks about a chapter from Great Master Dogen's Shobogenzo on bowing. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on August 6, 2023. Twitter: @shastaabbey YouTube: https://youtu.be/HHWEhOWCBes  ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE PART 1: aired on June 7, 2023 Episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2046795/episodes/12996663 YouTube: https://youtu.be/sB52W1...

Rev. Scholastica Hicks recounts stories from her recent time in a rehab facility after breaking her leg, and how there were numerous opportunities to practice patience and letting go. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on July 23, 2023. Twitter: @shastaabbey YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ok_3g5mbv30

Rev. Amanda Robertson explains who the primary Bodhisattvas are in Mahayana Buddhism, and how we can make use of 'their' help in our daily practice. She encourages us to hold our Hearts open to the seen and the unseen, and have the courage to look and see what IS. Blind faith is not required in Buddhism, and, the faith to remain open to things we don't understand or have not yet exp...

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, leads a retreat during the week of August 20, 2023. The retreat is focused on a discourse delivered by the 8th century monk named Shantideva called 'Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra '  or in English, 'The Way of the Bodhisattva'. This is talk 6 of 6 (not including the introduction). YouTube: https://youtu.be/vgxT53bKkDo Twitter: @shastaab...

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, leads a retreat during the week of August 20, 2023. The retreat is focused on a discourse delivered by the 8th century monk named Shantideva called 'Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra '  or in English, 'The Way of the Bodhisattva'. This is talk 5 of 6 (not including the introduction). YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZEDqQ2xTO_Y Twitter: @shastaab...