Heart of the Way - TeiJin (newsletter article)

HEART OF THE WAY- TEIJIN

The path began when sensing my mom’s holiness. Her head was down, her prayers were deep and wide, her kindness blessed us all. 

In church and up high in the tree in our front yard, I kept wondering what it was all about and carried a big WHY in my heart, especially when seeing people struggle on the street. This WHY became my never ending koan. Why were people poor, why is there suffering? 

After finishing high school, my father stated there were two choices: to go to work or to the local college for free. I was quite unhappy at the time, with my brother in Vietnam and drugs swirling around. Eventually I was fortunate to meet my philosophy teacher who was a Zen Buddhist at the all-girls Catholic college I was attending in my hometown. He started a sitting group. We made our own clay teacups and had tea ceremonies after we sat. Every week we sat at the college for a year or two, and I began to take more classes from Mr. Nordstrom. Eventually I confided in him about some troubles that I was having. At the end of my senior year, he and his wife offered to go with them to Catskills for the summer to the country zendo connected with New York Zendo. I thought, “No way can I go. I just can’t go. This is my life here, you know, with all its troubles and drugs and all those things, and I just can’t leave it behind.” 

After some encouragement from a peer, the day after graduation, Mr. Nordstrom and his wife picked me up in their VW bug and we were on our way to Dai Bosatsu Zendo. I was greeted by the residents of the zendo, all with arms open. The joy I felt at finding this sangha was transforming. I’d never worked in a garden before; I had never made bread. Before I knew it, I was one of the regular bread bakers and the assistant cook. We practiced early mornings and every evening. We were building a Japanese style monastery on the property so there was a lot of promise in the air, promise of a lifelong place of practice. Our sangha was strong and full of care, and we were all committed to this path. We were a Rinzai sect which involved rigorous practice with no movement allowed. We wore only subdued colors and eventually we were banned from going to town on our day off. 

 A foundation was laid, a kernel of truth carried me as we were all split apart by the news that a leader was having multiple affairs with his students. There was deep loss at this time. I specifically remember the moment, the street I was on, when months later I realized the most important thing could not be taken. We always had our practice. No one could take this away. Ever. 

It seemed I then zig-zagged to many apartments and numerous dharma centers, always grateful I had found another place to practice zazen. 

I found Shao Shan Temple while living in Maple Corners and participating in the Tuesday evening book group in Shao Shan’s kitchen. I left when a move took me to Montpelier, commuting to Burlington, finding home at Montpelier’s Shambhala Center close by. Taihaku had given me her full blessing. I became a meditation instructor and took many programs though ultimately all I wanted was to practice. 

At the same time Covid hit, yet another teacher connected to Shambhala was found to be having multiple affairs. Where could I feel safe? 

Soon I discovered Shao Shan was doing sitting practice online. I felt connected, it worked! I returned to Shao Shan with gratitude and continued to participate regularly. The opportunities at Shao Shan have supported my practice to deepen. 

This July, I formally received the precepts in a Jukai ceremony, welcoming my true nature. 

Welcome Home Teijin!

Autumn Meditation Retreat 2026

 

October 16-18, 2026 was Shao Shan Temple's Autumn Sesshin (meditation retreat).  An intensive weekend of sitting and walking meditation, semi-formal meals, Dharma readings and Dokusan(individual meetings) with the option of full or partial participation.  

As often happens during the October Sesshin, there were the first snow flakes of the season! Auspicious!

Annual Remembrance Ceremony 2026

 

This year the Annual Remembrance Ceremony took place Saturday evening, October 3rd.  The beautiful evening ceremony was surrounded by candles and took place both in front of the Temple and in the cemetery.  A small intimate occasion amidst golden evening leaves.

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.

Garden Work Day/Closing /Harvest Potluck 2026

 On a October 3rd, we gathered to for a garden work day, season-closing ceremony and a harvest potluck.  

We began with a Garden-Closing Ceremony - expressing gratitude for all that had made the garden possible and apologies to all beings harmed in the gardening process. 

The sun shone and golden leaves drifted through the air as many hands made light work of the big jobs of weeding, harvesting and redoing the garden fence.  Thirteen(!) huge garden posts were replaced.  Children helped measure the post hole depth by standing in the holes!  We filled buckets with the harvest of carrots,and beets and more.  

The work was followed by a delicious Harvest Potluck.

26th Anniversary Celebration/Ceremony!

 On Sunday, September 13th, we commemorated Shao Shan Temple's 26th Anniversary - 26 years since the Opening Ceremony in the year 2000.  

Prior to the Ceremony itself, there was the option of a time of meditation.

An important aspect of Anniversary Ceremonies now is honoring Shao Shan Temple's founding abbot - Taihaku Nishiren Diaosho - who created, envisioned and manifested this beautiful place of practice.  There was the option of offering incense for her during the Heart Sutra chanting

The Shao Shan Anniversary has for many years included tying ribbons with our intentions onto the gold pole in front of the Temple while chanting "Namu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo" and that tradition was continued this year.  

The celebration was followed with abundant refreshments and fiddle music!

September Introduction to Shao Shan Temple

 

Saturday morning, September 5th, amidst trees heavily laden with crabapples, was an in-person "Introduction to Shao Shan Temple" program.  Fifteen new people travelled from near and far to come together to learn about Shao Shan programs.  Julie joined as a sangha representative.  The Introduction program offers an overview of the Temple, history, programs offered, a short guided meditation, the opportunity to ask questions and a brief tour of the grounds.  

Nature Spirits Pilgrimage 2026

Amidst light mist, 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.

 All of nature joined in our ceremony as we were joined by little orange newts, hopping toads and the hooting of owls.  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 meditation on top of White Jewel Mountain and in the Temple.

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

Maintenance Weekend 2026

This year's Maintenance Weekend was August 14-16, 2026.  Work included: weeding, cleaning, harvesting vegetables, processing vegetables for storage, sewing, painting, sanding and setting up the Mountain Retreat tent.

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

Wawasiki Pilgrimage 2026

 

Shao Shan Temple's founding abbot, Taihaku Roshi, began her spiritual practice at Wawasiki Ashram in the 1960s.  Wawasiki is only 15minutes from Shao Shan Temple and it was always Taihaku's wish/intention that a connection be maintained between Shao Shan and Wawasiki.

In this spirit, an intimate group of us paid homogage to Taihaku Roshi in the Temple small room 

and then pilgimaged together to Wawasiki.At Wawasiki, we met with one of the community members and then we sat meditation in that sacred space.

Zen Summer Camp for All Ages! - August 2026

 

The fifth year of Zen Summer Camp for All Ages was a blast! This year we offered a theme that extended throughout the weekend, which was the "Bodhisattva's Four Methods of Guidance." These methods are: giving, kind speech, beneficial actions, and cooperation.

Each morning the entire group gathered in the zendo for Temple Time, which included meditating to the sound of the big bell, setting up the altar, introducing ourselves, and singing a song, written and composed by Kenzan, about the Bodhisattva's Four Methods of Guidance. The children (and child-like adults) then departed for their morning activities. Each day we began the children's activities with a name game and a team-building cooperative activity, such as working together with a parachute, passing a hula hoop around the circle while all holding hands, and playing "Bodhisattva tag." We then ate snack and headed off on an adventure. 

On the first day we journeyed to the Leafye Garden, where we enjoyed munching on the bounty of the vegetable garden and then offering green beans and carrots to the community for lunch. On the second day we read the story Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran, about a group of children who created and adventured in an imaginative playscape. We then carved walking sticks, which also doubled as imaginary horses. Afterwards, some of the group created their own version of Roxaboxen in the woods near Connie's Pond, while others hiked up to the tent platform on White Jewel Mountain. For the third day we split up into four groups and Jisho facilitated a community theater extravaganza about the Bodhisattva's Four Methods of Guidance. Each group picked one method of guidance (such as giving), and created a short skit, first illustrating what happens when we do not practice the method, and then the alternative when we do practice the method. The adults joined the children in the woods as audience members for a wonderful theater performance.

On each day, while the children adventured, the adults had a 30minute guided meditation, a time of discussion and an activity.  On Friday the activity was yoga for meditation, on Saturday calligraphy and on Sunday forest bathing.

After these activities, we all reconvened for delicious lunches, followed by a food offering walk and a closing circle.

Many thanks to Jisho, Daishin and family for traveling from Zen Fields in Ames, Iowa for the fourth year in a row to support this program, as well as to the volunteers who helped make it happen. We hope to see you at Zen Summer Camp next year!

Trees! - July Family Program

 For July’s Family Program we celebrated the gifts of trees. 

We began by sharing things we had been noticing about the natural world, including the warm temperatures, foggy mist, and interesting animal encounters. We then discussed our relationship with trees, and how everything from the air we breathe to the shelters we live in, the fires that keep us warm, and the paper we use to read and write are all thanks to the trees. We practiced a dancing tree meditation, in which we observed various trees and then moved our bodies as the trees moved. We then went into the woods to get to know several different kinds of trees. We explored how knowing the names of things can help us feel more familiar with them, but also how direct observation can help us truly get to know and connect with what is right in front of us. 

Once acquainted with some of the trees in the forest, we made various kinds of leaf art, including leaf rubbings and painted leaf stamps. 

Finally, we joined the adults in the zendo for a purification ritual, bathing ourselves in incense smoke, also a gift from the trees.

Jukai - Bodhisattva Vows - 2026

 

Shao Shan Temple

Sunday, July 5, 2026

The ancient formal ceremony of Jukai was held on Sunday.  This year Felicia Messuri made the commitment to become a formal student of Shao Shan Temple.  She received the 16 precepts, a Buddhist name and has become Kenzan’s student.  

Felicia's new Dharma Name is TEI-JIN meaning "Stable Benevolence".  

This ceremony was an occasion for the families and friends of those receiving the precepts and Sangha members to join together in support of the commitment that Felicia is entering.  It was followed by light refreshments.

Thanks to all who joined in a spirit of renewal and intentions which support a life beneficial for all.