By Shoan Osho

Each training week, the sangha gathers in the rear of the zendo around an altar devoted to the Monastery and Temple’s guardian deity, Hakuryu-o Daizenjin, the white dragon. Hakuryu-o Daizenjin was the protector of Maezumi Roshi’s home temple in Japan, and he brought this dragon with him to America. Daido Roshi continued this tradition of honoring a dragon protector, which goes back as far as Song dynasty China (960-1279) or even earlier. In addition to dedicating the merits to the Monastery’s dharma guardians, we “especially dedicate it” to the “peace of this temple and strength and sound practice of its sangha.”

I’ve been thinking about this lately: How does a dharma guardian protect the peace of a temple? What is the strength and sound practice of the sangha? Are we in accord with these aspirations? Is there anything that needs our attention right now?

This new quarterly newsletter from the Monastery Training Office is an attempt to communicate some of the ways we are tending the Three Treasures here and now. It’s a chance to highlight some things that could easily go unnoticed, and to help make connections between our aspirations as a sangha and what is actually happening in tangible, practical ways.

So, for now, a few things to share. . .

The sangha celebrated Daiō Sekku’s full ordination. Bows to the dragon spirits!

‘We need the vision of interbeing—we belong to each other; we cannot cut reality into pieces.”
—Thich Nhat Hanh

To me, these few words on interbeing from Thich Nhat Hanh speak volumes about the Sangha Treasure, with all its wonder and challenge.

Okay, so we haven’t “undone patriarchy” yet, but this summer, A Circle of Men Affinity Group launched on Zoom. This affinity group is open to all who identify as men and are ready to examine and reflect on their conditioning as men and its effects on themselves and others. A Circle of Men is the outgrowth of a cohort of sangha men who have been meeting for the past eighteen months, doing their own work together before bringing this to the sangha at large. A Circle of Men has had three meetings this summer and will continue to meet monthly. Register here to participate. Other affinity groups, including groups for women and TGNC folks, continue the healing and undoing of patriarchy by offering spaces for healing, connection, and belonging.

The Sangha Harmony Advisory Council (SHAC) members met for some months, exploring processes for horizontal leadership and opportunities for impactful contribution to the sangha.

This Summer, SHAC offered its firstHeart-to-Heart: Meeting in a Brave Space Zoom gathering, with another one on the calendar for September 4th at 7 pm. SHAC members facilitated each group to create space for deep listening. These spaces will be offered each quarter as a way of connecting and cultivating harmony through sharing and receiving in a non-hierarchical format. SHAC is also experimenting with ways of extending the spirit of these gatherings to other types of events, like the recently-held Grief-Sharing Space.

Additionally, members of SHAC have been meeting with the Teacher’s Council to consider how to deepen and evolve our BFOD work as a sangha. We’re exploring some fresh ideas and finding new ways to collaborate.

If you have your own ideas and suggestions for what would help the sangha continue to become more diverse, inclusive, and welcoming, please make use of the Listening Form on the SHAC webpage.

I often think the MRO Board Members are unseen heroes doing their work to safeguard the financial health of the MRO and oversee its governance. The Board serves to support the MRO mission, the vision of the Abbot and teachers, and the Sangha through discussions, decision-making and oversight. They review all financials quarterly and approve a budget each year, making sure that we are generating enough revenue to cover costs, holding enough cash on reserve for a year’s expenses, and allocating funds for capital improvements or special projects.

Additionally, the Board has been working on updating our grievance process and ethical guidelines, and developing a new Right Relationship/Sexual Harassment policy. The need for updates and new policy was galvanized in large part by the Peer Support Group, an independent group of sangha members who have experienced current and past incidences of sexual misconduct and harm within the MRO. So far, this work has included consultation with the Peer Support Group; Tenku Ruff, a Soto Zen Priest with expertise in these matters; and Carol Merchasin, an attorney who specializes in sexual misconduct within spiritual communities.

The MRO Board recently welcomed two new members, Dan Chikyuu Donohue and Michele Seisan Laura. For a complete list of who’s on the Board, and how to observe a Board meeting, look here.

As of summer’s end, we’ve completed converting the Monastery main building to heat pump mini splits: the oil burner has been decommissioned and there’s no longer any oil heat at the Monastery. We’ve also removed the gas boiler at the Temple and are presently in the midst of converting the Temple to all electric heat pump mini splits, too. There is a new 15 kilowatt solar array online at the A-frame meadow to off-set power use in the main building and we’ve purchased our first electric car.

With two new postulants joining the monastic body this summer, Clyde Fusei Forth and Alex Rogetsu Rothstein bring us to lucky number thirteen for now.
At the end of July, Hojin Sensei offered Shukke Tokudo, full monastic ordination, to Simon Sekku Harrison. Sekku took lifetime vows and received the monastic name “Daiō,” meaning “Great Response.” Daiō will continue living, practicing and serving the sangha in residence at ZMM, alongside his partner, Annie Ng, a lay student and member of SHAC.

In August, Shugen Roshi officiated a Newborn Welcoming Ceremony for Ruben Nole Wrenn, whose parents are longtime sangha members Kyuko Wrenn and Jo Scari. The sangha invoked the Bodhisattva of Compassion to offer blessings and support for Ruben, his parents, and his dharma guardians, Tony Cerasi and Andrea Caruso. Ruben’s bright-eyed good cheer and apparent engagement in the unfolding brought smiles and delight to all.

Summer residency has been robust, with sincere practitioners from near and far. We are glad to welcome two new year-long residents, Meghana Bharadwaj and Ben Iven, into the fold, and delighted to share that Robert Pile will be staying on for a second year.

Shugen Roshi with new postulants Fusei & Rogetsu. Meghana and Ben: Welcome to a year of residency!Hojin Sensei & Daiō during Shukke Tokudo ceremony. Daiō and Annie. May it be a long and happy life on this mountain.Shugen Roshi welcomes baby Ruben with some dharma words: “You already know you’re okay.”New Zealand Sangha joins together for sesshin this past July. The faces may be too small to see, but the love is big! Some July residents: (from back left) Jarred, Adrian, BB, Joel, Joshin, Meghana, Nimesh, Ali & BenAugust month residents: (from left) Madhav, Daniel, Elijah, Hoodie & DestinyHojin Sensei with Julie and Stu, both now in their second year of Temple residency . . . . . . and residents Edmund (also in a second year) and Blessing. Thanks for helping make the magic happen!Teachings in the Ten DirectionsIn July Shugen Roshi traveled to New Zealand where he offered several teachings to the Kiwi sangha, held a day-long retreat, and led sesshin at the gorgeous Lake Rotoiti. He also gave Jukai to Steve Eikai Ingram and Philippa Rikisen Cosgrove. Eikai’s dharma name means “Untie the Knot/Clarify the Image” and Rikisen means “Mystic Strength/Spiritual Power.” Congratulations to Eikai and Rikisen!

Closer to home, Hogen Sensei’s July visit to the Buffalo Affiliate focused on turning one’s life toward the Dharma, and included a deep dive into teachings on karma. His presence was especially important for newer sangha members who never encountered a Zen teacher in-person. Right in our backyard, the Monastery collaborated with the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program to offer guided meditation on the shores of the Esopus as part of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

New StudentsSince May, the following practitioners sat Tangaryo and crossed the zendo threshold as formal MRO training students: Seibu Meunier, Mor Waksman, Maria José Gimenez, Amy Nguyen-Kelly, Lillian Childress, Leah Scott, Christopher Bay and Sabine Russ. In New Zealand, Richard Hewetson, Jack Huygens, Patrick Ryan and Rick Jordan entered the sangha as training students. It’s wonderful to feel their deeping commitment.

Comings and Goings Fire Lotus Temple

Current Temple residents include: Blessing Dolenz, who also serves as the Temple Operations Manager; and Edmund Langdell Green, Stu Pender, and Julies Kucks. Edmund, Stu and Julie are all entering in a second year, and in just a few days, the Temple will welcome Grace Dailey.

Zen Mountain Monastery

In June, month-residents included: Sivan Johnson (Albany, NY); Alexandra Ferri (Waterville, ME); Chris Manz (Pelham, MA); Eduardo Zayas (San Juan, Puerto Rico). Claudia Cuellar (Chicago, IL) was here through July and BB Padungpattanodom (Williamsburg, VA) has stayed on all summer.

In July, we were joined by: Christine Myoko Marie (Buffalo, NY); Nimesh Parikh (Seattle, WA); Aiden Tischer (Bethany, CT); Joel Helander (Boston, MA); Alison Boreiko (Somerville, MA); Jarred Collins (Birmingham, AL), and Lydia Moyer (Covesville, VA) began a four-month residency.

In August we welcomed: Madhav Mohammas (Naperville, IL); Destiny Spruill (Brooklyn, NY); Daniel Brottman (Rochester, NY); Hoodie Crescent (Poughkeepsie, NY); and Elijah Hawken (Dallas, TX).

Thank you for sharing your time, energy and practice with us.

Additional shout-outs to: JD Quinitchette (Greensboro, NC) who has been living and giving at the Monastery since March, and to Melissa Pfeifer (Hays, KS) and Mac Roy (Canterbury, CT) who have been holding it down in residence since last fall. Not sure where we’d be without their steady presence all these months. Seriously! The Monastery relies on the practice, hard work, and commitment of our year-long lay residents as much as we do monastics.

Speaking as a member of the Teacher’s Council, we are grateful for all the time, care, and effort that the Board Members, SHAC, Temple Advisory Committee, the Ethics Committee, Affinity Group Facilitators, lay seniors, Zen Kids & Zen Tweens leaders, Temple helpers and SO MANY others of you give to take care of this Sangha Jewel. May our activities, vows, commitments, aspiration and love continue to polish this community so our light can shine ever more brightly.

. . . and last but not least, special thanks to Keimu Adolfson for newsletter design, Joshin Del Valle for editing support, and Lydia Moyer, Dawn Tratt and Shokan McNamara for the photos.