Winter Solstice 2025

 At this time of the longest night, we gathered together to acknowledge the time of Winter Solstice.  With chanting, darkness and candlelight, we joined together in blessing in this time of transition - the longest night of the year and the returning of the light.

Shao Shan Temple offered two Winter Solstice Ceremonies - both an earlier in-person ceremony and later an online one - sharing the light and resting in a nourishing dark.

Rohatsu Sesshin 2025

 The Rohatsu Sesshin is a meditation retreat the first week in December.  This is a time of concentrated practice to commemorate Shakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment upon seeing the morning star.  Temples around the world join in this practice.

The sesshin consisted primarily of sitting and walking meditation and also included oryoki breakfasts, lunch with food offering walks, an opening ceremony (Ryakufusatsu), brief dharma talks, and a celebratory closing ceremony.  

Japan Trip Sharing & Eye-Opening Ceremony

On November 22nd we had a special family-friendly Japan Trip Sharing after the usual Saturday morning program.  Those who went on the recent Sangha Japan Trip shared photos, stories and interesting food items from Japan.

We also had an "Eye-opening Ceremony" to welcome a new Kanzeon statue brought back from Japan (a gift from Rev. Eitoku).

Gathering in the sangha hall and sampling the Japanese snacks

 

Slideshow of photos from the Japan trip

Offering incense during the "Eye-Opening Ceremony"

Green tea mochi, rice crackers and other treats!

Japan Sangha Trip

Kenzan together with a group of Shao Shan Temple participants travelled to practice at two Temples in Japan - Ryuunji and Ryugonji.  This trip was an important time of solidifying our sangha connection with other Temples in our lineage and a wonderful experience for all who participated.

We gathered in Hiroshima where Shinjo-Roshi met us and brought us several hours northwest to Ryuunji Temple.

RYUUNJI TEMPLE 

Meal time at Ryuunji Temple

Ryuunji's main Buddha Hall - "Ryuunji" means "Dragon Cloud Temple"

Ryuunji's abbot - Shinjo Nohara Roshi

We then travelled for a day by car, north along the western coast of Japan to Ryugonji Temple in Kyototango.

RYUGONJI TEMPLE

Ryugonji - meditation & oryoki meals in the new Zendo

Ryugonji - large wooden fish struck for meals

Ryugonji's Abbot: Eitoku Kato Roshi

Deep gratitude to 

Rev. Shinjo & Rev. Eitoku for so generously hosting us, 

to all the participants on the trip and 

to all the sangha for supporting ongoing programs at Shao Shan during the trip.

Annual Remembrance Ceremony 2025

 

This year the Annual Remembrance Ceremony took place Sunday evening, October 5th.  The beautiful evening ceremony was surrounded by candles and took place both in front of the Temple and in the cemetery. 

The Annual Remembrance Ceremony is a time to honor deceased loved ones, our spiritual lineage and those who are interred in the Shao Shan Temple Cemetery.

This ceremony also includes elements of the Japanese Obon Ceremony - a time to honor the ancestors and to invite them to be with us for a celebration.

A new cemetery gate was completed just in time for the Remembrance Ceremony.

Garden Work Day/Closing /Harvest Potluck 2025

 

 

On a October 4th, we gathered to for a garden work day, season-closing ceremony and a harvest potluck.  We filled buckets with the harvest of carrots,and beets and more.  Work time was followed by a Garden-Closing Ceremony - expressing gratitude for all that had made the garden possible and apologies to all beings harmed in the gardening process. This was followed by a delicious Harvest Potluck.

25th Anniversary Ceremony/Celebration

 

On Sunday, September 14, 2025, we celebrated Shao Shan Temple's 25th Anniversary.  This momentous occasion combined ceremony and celebration with the full afternoon program having several phases: 

Meditation - the Temple was open for sitting meditation, 

Honoring the Temple Founder, Taihaku Nishiren Daiosho - we chanted the Heart Sutra and the Dharma Lineage and offered incense

Honoring the first Sangha Elder - Honoring Kinsho Max Schlueter as Shao Shan Temple's first Sangha Elder.

Dedicating the new Bell Pavilion - the construction of the new bell pavilion was completed just a few days before the ceremony.  The bell sent to Shao Shan from Ryuunji Temple in Japan is housed in a stunning small pavilion that matches the unique Shao Shan Temple style.

Vows/Intentions - a primary part of our annual Anniversary Ceremony, we then tied ribbons onto the Temple gold pole with our highest aspiration.

Taiko drumming - we were honored to have the Burlington Taiko Drummers perform.  They were also part of the original Temple Opening Ceremony! (9/13/2000)

And closing with refreshments & social time & fiddle playing!

Nature Spirits Pilgrimage 2025

On a perfect-weather late-summer day, we gathered at Shao Shan Temple to acknowledge and pay respect to the greater nature that supports our practice.  This included a modified version of a ceremony done in Japan for blessings in gratitude to the protecting Spirits of the Land.

 Beginning with fog covered hills and dewy spider webs, and continuing into bright sun all of nature joined in our ceremony.  We offered flowers, incense and chanting at multiple sites on the Temple land acknowledging the myriad ways - known and unknown that they support our practice.  We sat in outside meditation on top of White Jewel Mountain and in front of the Temple.

The program was followed by a light lunch including vegetables fresh from the Temple Leafye Garden.

Maintenance Weekend 2025

 This year's Maintenance Weekend was August 14-17, 2025.  This year was primarily minor upkeep rather than major projects.  Work included: weeding, harvesting vegetables, processing vegetables for storage, sewing, machine maintenence, setting up the Mountain Retreat tent, installing a cemetery steps railing.

Deep gratitude to everyone who joined together as the life and breath of Shao Shan Temple!

Zen Summer Camp For All Ages! 2025

 

We had another successful Zen Summer Camp for All Ages in August of 2025. We began each day with a gathering of children and adults in the zendo, where the children set up the altar and we all listened to the sound of the big bell and sang our morning song. From there the children's program departed for their morning activity, while the adults meditated, had discussions about living mindfully, and participated in their own activities. We all then joined together again for lunch, a food offering walk, and a closing circle and song by the fire pit.  We were honored to be joined again by Rev. Jisho Siebert and Rev. Daishin McCabe and family from Zen Fields in Ames, Iowa.

Each day the children's program would first gather and share our names and something we had been noticing about the natural world. We reviewed our primary intentions in Zen Summer Camp, which were to pay attention, take care, and have fun! On the first day the children trekked over to the Leafye Garden, where we made sun prints using materials collected from the garden and beyond, harvested vegetables to snack on and share for lunch, and helped the adults with weeding and garden care. Periodically someone would ring a bell in the garden, everyone would pause and pay attention to our experiences of the present moment for a few breaths, and then resume our activities. 

On the second day Susan Stitely shared a demonstration of kyudo, the art form of Japanese archery, with both the children and adults. Susan explained some of the history of kyudo, the various types of bows, arrows and equipment involved, and showed us a short-range shooting technique. The children were then able to spend time with Susan Calza, who painted their faces with designs inspired by nature and their personal interests. We explored various forms of nature art, including nature sculptures inspired by several Andy Goldsworthy books, as well as nature mandalas.

For the final day the children hiked up to the tent platform on top of White Jewel Mountain, gathering wild edibles and noticing other interesting aspects of the natural world, including various critters, stone walls, mushrooms, plants and trees. We spent some time in the cemetery, where we walked around the stupa and visited Taihaku's resting place. At the tent platform we ate snacks and made "tree tea" with the hemlock, balsam fir, white pine and yellow birch we had gathered, along with a dash of maple syrup!  The adults had the opportunity to practice Zen Calligraphy with instruction from Rev. Daishin.

Thank you to everyone who supported and participated in Zen Summer Camp this year!