Shasta Abbey

Rev. Margaret Clyde gives a Dharma talk at the end of an introductory retreat and poses the question to the audience, "what did you come here for?". Rev. Margaret shares her own experience in trying to answer that question for herself and how she eventually encountered the first teaching of Zen which is to 'set your slippers straight'. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday November 16, 2025.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/9OsaLAVJOmE

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Enya Sapp talks about the Three Refuges and how they act as a foundation for us in our practice to open ourselves up to the Buddha's Teaching. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday November 9, 2025.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/b17mT2fLJ3Q

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Ando Mueller, on the occasion of Rev. Master Jiyu's yearly memorial, speaks on some of Rev. Master Jiyu's teachings. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on November 2, 2025.  

YouTube: N/A

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Amanda Robertson shares the parable of the Spider's Silver Thread. The story which emphasizes sharing whatever merit we encounter with others. This story was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 26, 2025.     

YouTube: https://youtu.be/b31qRkc-BJ4

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about living and dying and how we engage with the two through the grounded lens of our Buddhist practice. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 19, 2025.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/NNCc-0B24B4

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Oswin Hollenbeck begins a new lecture series about Prajnaparamita who is the personification of the Scripture of Great Wisdom. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 12, 2025. 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/xXxDGtvqRTE

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about the importance of impermanence and how it helps us to 'see' clearly. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 5th, 2025.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/5UiV7sli11g

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Astor Douglas shares some personal stories that highlight how we must endeavor to move forward in our practice even when we can't see the path. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday September 28, 2025.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/5Tge9F2A5g0

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Allard Kieres encourages us to find peace in our lives through finding and knowing deeply for ourselves what our True Refuge is. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday September 21, 2025.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/DdvfWa8qe50

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Valeria Allison explores a line from Great Master Dogen that reads, "Will is the secret of life and words are its key". This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday September 14, 2025.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/5CHkwVKZyzI

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, explores an old Buddhist saying, "All acceptance is the key that unlocks the gateless gate". This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday September 7, 2025.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/3ud6pN4Rbi4

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Ando Mueller gives a Dharma talk after a monthly memorial honoring Rev. Master Jiyu. She draws on some of Rev. Master Jiyu's teachings that encourage us to have faith and be still within the current conditions of the world that many find difficult and troubling. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday August 31, 2025.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/GhBAH0H9b7I

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Oswin Hollenbeck introduces a new lecture series where he will be exploring the Scripture of Great Wisdom and what it means to us in our practice. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday August 17, 2025. 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/QiLWIqNHqog

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about transferring merit. She encourages us to offer merit universally to all beings starting with ourselves, our loved ones and friends, and certainly our enemies and those we do not like. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday August 10, 2025,

YouTube: https://youtu.be/jLEuS7ArrMc

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Oswin Hollenbeck gave this talk during a Continuing Practice Retreat at Shasta Abbey in July 2025.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/XA0UeQ2VIY8

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Enya Sapp leads a retreat on the Lankavatara Sutra in August 2025. This sutra is one of the most important Zen texts and also one of the most obscure. Legend has it that Bodhidharma handed this text to his disciples saying, "this is all you need". However its profound teaching is often abandoned for other texts which feel more accessible to practitioners. Rev. Enya seeks to help us persevere and find success with the Lankavatara. She encourages us to accept the 'cup of tea' that is the Lankavatara Sutra, and most importantly, to DRINK the tea.

YouTube...

Rev. Enya Sapp leads a retreat on the Lankavatara Sutra in August 2025. This sutra is one of the most important Zen texts and also one of the most obscure. Legend has it that Bodhidharma handed this text to his disciples saying, "this is all you need". However its profound teaching is often abandoned for other texts which feel more accessible to practitioners. Rev. Enya seeks to help us persevere and find success with the Lankavatara. She encourages us to accept the 'cup of tea' that is the Lankavatara Sutra, and most importantly, to DRINK the tea.

YouTube...

Rev. Enya Sapp leads a retreat on the Lankavatara Sutra in August 2025. This sutra is one of the most important Zen texts and also one of the most obscure. Legend has it that Bodhidharma handed this text to his disciples saying, "this is all you need". However its profound teaching is often abandoned for other texts which feel more accessible to practitioners. Rev. Enya seeks to help us persevere and find success with the Lankavatara. She encourages us to accept the 'cup of tea' that is the Lankavatara Sutra, and most importantly, to DRINK the tea.

YouTube...

Rev. Enya Sapp leads a retreat on the Lankavatara Sutra in August 2025. This sutra is one of the most important Zen texts and also one of the most obscure. Legend has it that Bodhidharma handed this text to his disciples saying, "this is all you need". However its profound teaching is often abandoned for other texts which feel more accessible to practitioners. Rev. Enya seeks to help us persevere and find success with the Lankavatara. She encourages us to accept the 'cup of tea' that is the Lankavatara Sutra, and most importantly, to DRINK the tea.

YouTube...

Rev. Enya Sapp leads a retreat on the Lankavatara Sutra in August 2025. This sutra is one of the most important Zen texts and also one of the most obscure. Legend has it that Bodhidharma handed this text to his disciples saying, "this is all you need". However its profound teaching is often abandoned for other texts which feel more accessible to practitioners. Rev. Enya seeks to help us persevere and find success with the Lankavatara. She encourages us to accept the 'cup of tea' that is the Lankavatara Sutra, and most importantly, to DRINK the tea.

YouTube...

Rev. Enya Sapp leads a retreat on the Lankavatara Sutra in August 2025. This sutra is one of the most important Zen texts and also one of the most obscure. Legend has it that Bodhidharma handed this text to his disciples saying, "this is all you need". However its profound teaching is often abandoned for other texts which feel more accessible to practitioners. Rev. Enya seeks to help us persevere and find success with the Lankavatara. She encourages us to accept the 'cup of tea' that is the Lankavatara Sutra, and most importantly, to DRINK the tea.

YouTube...

Rev. Enya Sapp leads a retreat on the Lankavatara Sutra in August 2025. This sutra is one of the most important Zen texts and also one of the most obscure. Legend has it that Bodhidharma handed this text to his disciples saying, "this is all you need". However its profound teaching is often abandoned for other texts which feel more accessible to practitioners. Rev. Enya seeks to help us persevere and find success with the Lankavatara. She encourages us to accept the 'cup of tea' that is the Lankavatara Sutra, and most importantly, to DRINK the tea.

YouTube...

Rev. Margaret Clyde continues with her analysis of Great Master Dogen's chapter "Hachi Dainingaku" or "On the Eight Realizations of a Great One" (Chapter 96 in the Shasta Abbey translation of the Shobogenzo). 

Shasta Abbey Shobogenzo translation: https://www.shastaabbey.org/pdf/shoboAll.pdf

YouTube: https://youtu.be/4AjpfZhSXI4

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey 

Rev. Valora Midtdal addresses the common cultural fear of death in society and how our Buddhist practice can help us find peace within an unpredictable universe. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday July 27, 2025. 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/HuGQkxnvHq0

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey 

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, speaks about letting go in our practice. She emphasizes the word 'relinquishment' in contrast to 'renunciation' and explains the two words and what kind of attitude of mind we should encourage in exploring this teaching. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday July 20, 2025.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/u7NnKqdnkX8

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey 

Rev. Enya Sapp talks about the Noble Eightfold Path and takes up 'Right Speech' specifically. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday July 13, 2025

YouTube: N/A

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Daishin Yalon talks about Rev. Master Jiyu and her teachings after a memorial festival honoring her. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday July 6, 2025. 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/TYjk1wzHoUU

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Amanda Robertson shares a story about the Buddha's mother Mahaprajapati who offers her son, after his enlightenment, a golden robe. The Buddha uses skillful means in order to help his mother learn an important lesson about practice. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on June 22, 2025.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/UHwp4fHuNg0

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Ando Mueller explains how, through practice, we heal ourselves in order to help heal the world. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on June 15, 2025.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/x7t50G4LK28

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, leads a week long retreat on Great Master Kanshi Sosan's poem "That Which is Engraved Upon the Heart That Trusts to the Eternal". 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/gmUEpDkhhzY

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, leads a week long retreat on Great Master Kanshi Sosan's poem "That Which is Engraved Upon the Heart That Trusts to the Eternal". 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/plh_E1ynMlc

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, leads a week long retreat on Great Master Kanshi Sosan's poem "That Which is Engraved Upon the Heart That Trusts to the Eternal". 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/eSI54Ql_-oc

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, leads a week long retreat on Great Master Kanshi Sosan's poem "That Which is Engraved Upon the Heart That Trusts to the Eternal". 

Poem found on page 213: https://shastaabbey.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Buddhist-Writings-scan.pdf

YouTube: https://youtu.be/wjKyfoVLnjk

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, leads a week long retreat on Great Master Kanshi Sosan's poem "That Which is Engraved Upon the Heart That Trusts to the Eternal". 

Poem found on page 213: https://shastaabbey.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Buddhist-Writings-scan.pdf

YouTube: https://youtu.be/wjKyfoVLnjk

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, leads a week long retreat on Great Master Kanshi Sosan's poem "That Which is Engraved Upon the Heart That Trusts to the Eternal". 

Poem found on page 213: https://shastaabbey.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Buddhist-Writings-scan.pdf

YouTube: https://youtu.be/wjKyfoVLnjk

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, leads a week long retreat on Great Master Kanshi Sosan's poem "That Which is Engraved Upon the Heart That Trusts to the Eternal". 

Poem found on page 213: https://shastaabbey.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Buddhist-Writings-scan.pdf

YouTube: https://youtu.be/wjKyfoVLnjk

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Astor Douglas talks about taking Buddhism from the intellectual to the real world of everyday practice.

YouTube: N/A

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Allard Kieres gives advice to a visiting youth group (and all) about helpful qualities to cultivate in life as we grow up and navigate its complex spectrum of conditions. 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/G7NiEdD4BAA

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey   

Rev. Margaret Clyde gives us advice from Great Master Dogen's Shobogenzo chapter discussing the 'True Adult'. She chooses the aspect of 'how much is enough?' as the question we all need to ask ourselves to approach this ideal.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/5GC7f57IUGU

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Daishin Yalon gives an inspiring Dharma talk on the celebration day of Wesak which is the annual festival honoring Shakyamuni Buddha's birth, enlightenment, teaching, and death. 

YouTube: N/A

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about training with the 'Eight Winds' which are the major opposites we encounter in daily life: gain and loss, fame and disgrace, praise and blame, elation and sorrow.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/VVjraEfhSOo

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Scholastica Hicks shares some personal stories of training with Rev. Master Jiyu and how it shaped her practice. 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/IyrYIimIUHU

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Enya Sapp talks about an important Japanese Zen Ancestor: Great Master Keizan Jokin. 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/-MFwaYiBvlM

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Oswin Hollenbeck concludes his lecture series on gratitude and the teachings of Great Master Dogen. 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/sjE9lOKbfiQ

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, gives a Dharma talk on the annual festival day for Manjusri Bodhisattva. She talks about Manjusri's vow to realize enlightenment and help all sentient beings, and how we can draw inspiration from his excellent example.

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

YouTube: https://youtu.be/mX2joSSFMks

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: @shastaabbey

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 answers at the end. This talk was given in 1979. 

YouTube: N/A
Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

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, logistical, and financial barriers to practice. We foster connections through which practitioners can cultivate compassion, resilience, and clarity to meet the unique challenges of our times." -Dharma Gates mission statement on their website: https://www.dharma-gates.org/

This interview took...

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 highlight the thread of faith, practice, and enlightenment that has woven its way down through the ages to this very day. 

YouTube: N/A
Twitter/X: @shastaabbey 

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 talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 27, 2024.

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey
YouTube: https://youtu.be/OASETXN_xCQ

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

Rev. Valora Midtdal offers words of encouragement to us in our practice to persevere and never give up. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 13th, 2024.

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey
YouTube: https://youtu.be/p2qBzFXiUl4

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about Bodhidharma who is an important ancestor in the Zen lineage. Specifically, Bodhidharma is known for his writing on the 'Four Practices' for trainees.

This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 6, 2024.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/IcaCItkf62k
Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Shiko Rom talks about the challenges of training with jealousy using stories from her own life and readings from Rev. Koten Benson's 2004 retreat on the Buddha Mother's Mandala. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday September 29, 2024.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/7zlfdKBclbo
Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Astor Douglas uses stories from her own life as examples of how 'small' acts of kindness express the whole of Buddhist practice, and she encourages us in our own practice of kindness in our daily lives. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday September 22, 2024. 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/3fXQBp9cfQI
Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Master Meian Elbert uses a section from the Scripture of the Buddha's Last Teaching as a springboard for talking about 'contentment'. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday September 15, 2024.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/rCRFo1Sa6Dc
Twitter/X: @shastaabbey 

Rev. Margaret Clyde shares some stories about her own life to illuminate how we can engage with our 'problems' in a healthy Buddhist way. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday September 8, 2024.

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey
YouTube: https://youtu.be/wAnsq5IdX9E

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, uses the image of a lava lamp to talk about karma and the 'unreality of self'. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday September 1, 2024. 

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey
YouTube: https://youtu.be/LawpNrQXhkw

Rev. Serena Seidner led a retreat in 2019 on 'The Mind That Seeks the Way'. This is one of the talks from that retreat that addresses: "The self is the very mind that seeks the Way. But what is this mind that seeks the Way?" This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on August 19th, 2019.

YouTube: N/A
Twitter: @shastaabbey 

Rev. Leon Kackman gives his sixth and final meditation talk of the retreat. He continues exploring the vows of Samantabhadra focusing on how we can be grateful to the Buddhas for this practice. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Saturday August 24, 2024.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/M3pYtYQ3iSU
Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Leon Kackman gives his fifth meditation talk of the retreat. He continues exploring the vows of Samantabhadra focusing on how we can actively study WITH the Buddhas here and now: today. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Friday August 23, 2024.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Xx7Tf2M5a7I
Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Leon Kackman gives his fourth meditation talk of the retreat. He continues exploring the vows of Samantabhadra focusing on the vow to 'make offerings to the Buddhas'. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Thursday August 22, 2024.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/ilhXsR_ayQI
Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Leon Kackman gives his third meditation talk of the retreat. He invites us to explore Samantabhadra's direct vows and how we can work with them in our own lives. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Wednesday August 21, 2024.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/eD3GIbcsScs
Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Leon Kackman gives his second meditation talk during his retreat on Samantabhadra talking about the practice of vows for which this particular Bodhisattva is well known. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Tuesday August 20, 2024.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/f2GbUFjZkBQ
Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Leon Kackman delivers his first meditation talk of the retreat describing the merits and practices of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. Rev. Leon says, "Samantabhadra is the one who patiently continues, just working for the benefit of beings and working to perfect his ten great vows". Rev. Leon encourages us to find the reality of Samantabhadra in our own daily practice. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Monday August 19, 2024.

Intorductory/Orientation talk: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2046795/episodes/15611563-activity-in-stillness-stillness-in-activity-retreat-introduction-orient-yourself-to-practice

YouTube: https://youtu.be/-8eP4awqCwI
Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Leon Kackman, Prior of the Portland Buddhist Priory, a temple of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives, leads a retreat at Shasta Abbey during the week of August 18, 2024. The focus of the retreat is the teaching and emphasis of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra. This introductory talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday August 18, 2024.

YouTube: N/A
Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Rev. Amanda Robertson discusses themes of spiritual friendship and training together. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on June 23, 2024.

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey
YouTube: https://youtu.be/b6ErKISa6Dw

Rev. Ando Mueller quotes a piece of writing by Rev. Master Jiyu from the book 'Zen is Eternal Life' where Rev. Master Jiyu uses the traditional Buddhist image of a lotus flower to talk about spiritual practice. The lotus is a traditional symbolic image in Buddhism because of its specific qualities of growing in and being nourished by pond mud and then rising above the water in order to bloom. As Rev. Ando points out, we do not disparage the mud, which is all the conditions of our daily life, but make use of it with gratitude for helping...

Rev. Enya Sapp quotes a famous line of Buddhist Scripture where Ananda, the Buddha's cousin and attendant monk, asks about 'spiritual friendship'. Rev. Enya points out an often forgotten part of the quote that points us back to our ultimate spiritual friend: the Buddha, our own True Heart. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday June 9, 2024.

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Rev. Allard Kieres uses the movie 'The Iron Giant' to talk about themes of training with karma. He explains how we come into this world 'preprogrammed' from past actions and that it is up to us to convert our past unskillful habits into wholesome habits through the power of our free will to make choices. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday June, 2 2024.

Iron Giant Deleted Scene, Giant's Dream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsL0GbswF3I

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This is the sixth and last meditation talk given by Rev. Koten during his retreat: To View the Morning Star. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Saturday June 29, 2024.

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This is the fifth meditation talk given by Rev. Koten during his retreat: To View the Morning Star. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Friday June 28, 2024.

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This is the fourth meditation talk given by Rev. Koten during his retreat: To View the Morning Star. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Thursday June 27, 2024.

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This is the third meditation talk given by Rev. Koten during his retreat: To View the Morning Star. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Wednesday June 26, 2024.

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This is the second meditation talk given by Rev. Koten during his retreat: To View the Morning Star. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Tuesday June 25, 2024.

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This is the first meditation talk given by Rev. Koten during his retreat: To View the Morning Star. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Monday June 24, 2024.

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Rev. Koten Benson, visiting Prior from Lion's Gate Buddhist Priory in Lytton B.C. Canada, leads a week long retreat at Shasta Abbey during the week of June 23, 2024. His focus is on the founder of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives and Shasta Abbey, Rev. Master Jiyu Kennett. Rev. Koten shares stories about Rev. Master Jiyu's life in Japan, her training as a Zen priest, and her establishing of practice in the West. He especially draws attention to how Rev. Master Jiyu went against the grain of the Zen culture of the 1970's and how her teaching and emphasis was...

Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about compassion as foremost in our daily life practice. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday May 19, 2024.

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Rev. Margaret Clyde shares some stories from her own life, both as a monk and before, where she had to notice and sit still with the complaining mind. She talks about how she began to notice this habit of mind and realized she needed to convert it.
This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday May 26, 2024.

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Rev. Astor Douglas takes up the topic of simplicity. She leads us into looking at how we get drawn into the busy-ness of life and what we can do to stop and find our still center. 
This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday May 12, 2024.

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Rev. Valora Midtdal suggests that taking responsibility for our suffering is, "ceasing to blame others for our difficult mind states...and looking clearly at how our own actions of body, speech, and mind contribute to our own distress."
This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday April 21, 2024.

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