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!