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: N/A

Twitter/X: @shastaabbey 

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