Explore every episode of the podcast Shasta Abbey
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prajnaparamita and Scripture of Great Wisdom Iconography 2A | 09 Nov 2025 | 00:58:20 | |
Rev. Oswin Hollenbeck begins a new lecture series about Prajnaparamita who is the personification of the Scripture of Great Wisdom. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 12, 2025. YouTube: https://youtu.be/xXxDGtvqRTE Twitter/X: @shastaabbey | |||
| Changing Seasons | 02 Nov 2025 | 00:21:57 | |
Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about the importance of impermanence and how it helps us to 'see' clearly. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 5th, 2025. YouTube: https://youtu.be/5UiV7sli11g Twitter/X: @shastaabbey | |||
| Lankavatara Sutra Retreat Talk 7 | 02 Sep 2025 | 00:22:52 | |
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. | |||
| The Real Perfection | 14 Apr 2024 | 00:18:41 | |
RM Daishin talks about daily practice and the goal of 'Nirvana'. He encourages us to see that Nirvana is not an end goal but an ever ongoing flow of practice: now. | |||
| Keeping the Connection | 07 Apr 2024 | 00:32:15 | |
Rev. Kodo Kay talks about the practice of transferring Merit and how our practice has a deep impact upon the world. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey in 2018. | |||
| Continue Training No Matter What | 31 Mar 2024 | 00:50:30 | |
The late Rev. Chosei Swann talks about general themes of practice and religious conviction in our lives. He encourages us to not give up and to make practice the foundation of our lives. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey in 2015. | |||
| Faith | 25 Mar 2024 | 00:16:18 | |
Rev. Shiko Rom gives a talk about faith and how we must start by having faith in ourselves. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday March 24, 2024. | |||
| All is Perfectly Resolved Within the Unborn | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:27:09 | |
Rev. Amanda Robertson talks about her life over the past six months and the difficulty she has had after sustaining injuries from a bad fall. She encourages us to see through the difficulties that life presents us with in order to realize that, fundamentally, we have everything we need. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday March 17, 2024. | |||
| Some Thoughts After 50 Years | 10 Mar 2024 | 00:28:15 | |
Rev. Daishin Yalon shares some reflections and advice from his fifty years as a Buddhist monastic. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday March 10, 2024. | |||
| Selfless Activity | 04 Mar 2024 | 00:26:11 | |
Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, quotes a line from Great Master Dogen's 'Shushogi' that states, "our daily life should be spent constantly in selfless activity with no waste of time whatsoever". She discusses how we should understand this statement and make it a reality in our life and practice. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday March 3, 2024. | |||
| The Place Where We Both Depart From and Return To | 27 Feb 2024 | 00:31:56 | |
Rev. Enya Sapp encourages us to explore through our practice that place which is beyond the opposites. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday February 25, 2024. | |||
| The Bigger Picture | 21 Feb 2024 | 00:19:49 | |
Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about Buddhism with a 'big B' (in contrast to buddhism with a little b). This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday February 18, 2024 | |||
| There Is No Secret Ingredient | 12 Feb 2024 | 00:36:31 | |
Rev. Allard Kieres talks about how we are all already Buddhas. He uses the movie Kung Fu Panda and other Zen stories to portray this idea and try to help us see that we already have everything we need. And although the journey to realizing this for ourselves is necessary, we paradoxically begin right back where we started: Buddha. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday February 11, 2024. | |||
| Lankavatara Sutra Retreat Talk 6 | 31 Aug 2025 | 00:33:57 | |
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. | |||
| Impermanence Is Buddha Nature | 05 Feb 2024 | 00:21:25 | |
Rev. Master Meian Elbert talks about Great Master Dogen's quote, "Impermanence is Buddha Nature" and what this means for our practice in daily life. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday February 4, 2024. | |||
| READ: The Denkōroku Chapter 1 | 24 Jan 2024 | 00:11:28 | |
This is a reading of chapter 1 of Great Master Keizan's 'Denkoroku: The Record of the Transmission of the Light'. It is the Rev. Hubert Nearman translation. The Denkoroku records the stories of the masters in our lineage starting with Shakyamuni Buddha and going through the generations up to Koun Ejo who was Great Master Dogen's disciple and grand master to Keizan. The stories highlight the thread of faith, practice, and enlightenment that has woven its way down through the ages to this very day. | |||
| Impermanence | 21 Jan 2024 | 00:35:49 | |
Rev. Hubert Nearman was a monk at Shasta Abbey who died in 2016 when in his eighties. He was a disciple of Rev. Master Jiyu and a translator for the O.B.C. (Order of Buddhist Contemplatives). His translations are vast, including the complete translation of Great Master Dogen's Shobogenzo. | |||
| To View the Morning Star | 14 Jan 2024 | 00:47:29 | |
Rev. Master Koten Benson, Prior of Lions Gate Buddhist Priory in Lytton, B.C. Canada, talks about Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey in March of 2016. | |||
| A Bird in a Cage | 09 Jan 2024 | 00:49:51 | |
Rev. Master Haryo Young, Head of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives, offers a metaphor for training. He explains that we a like a bird trapped in a golden cage and that our natural tendency to find freedom is to fly up and out: but we encounter the bars and remain imprisoned. The solution is actually so simple we often don't realize it. | |||
| Maitreya | 02 Jan 2024 | 00:24:19 | |
Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about Maitreya: the Buddha that is to come. January 1st is when Shasta Abbey celebrates the Maitreya Festival at the end of the New Year's Retreat. It is an opportunity for us all to reflect on the fact that WE are Maitreya Buddha, and that we must make this a reality in our everyday lives. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Monday January 1st, 2024. | |||
| Sitting Still in Confidence on Buddha’s Enlightenment Day | 26 Dec 2023 | 00:27:54 | |
Rev. Ando Mueller describes the iconography, and it's meaning for training, of a picture of the Buddha sitting beneath the Bodhi Tree when he realized enlightenment. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday December 24, 2023. | |||
| Avalokiteshwara’s Example | 18 Dec 2023 | 00:25:35 | |
Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about the Scripture of Avalokiteshwara and how we must make compassion a reality in our own lives for ourselves and those around us. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday December 17, 2023. | |||
| The Entire Body of the Tathagata | 10 Dec 2023 | 00:41:00 | |
Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett talks about chapter 53 from Great Master Dogen's Shobogenzo entitled Hossho (On the True Nature of All Things). You can access a PDF of the Shobogenzo here: https://www.shastaabbey.org/pdf/shoboAll.pdf. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey sometime in the year 1981. | |||
| Allowing Space | 03 Dec 2023 | 00:20:10 | |
Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about not rushing to fill every moment with 'stuff'. But how this moment is deeply sufficient just as it is; and to allow the space and stillness for us to rest content within this. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday November 26, 2023. | |||
| Lankavatara Sutra Retreat Talk 5 | 29 Aug 2025 | 00:22:13 | |
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. | |||
| Letting Go of Views and Opinions | 28 Nov 2023 | 00:23:18 | |
Rev. Margaret Clyde shares some thoughts on Great Master Dogen's Rules for Meditation , specifically the line that reads, "Think of neither good nor evil. Consider neither right nor wrong." This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday November 19, 2023. | |||
| The Mind and the Heart | 19 Nov 2023 | 00:17:11 | |
Rev. Daishin Yalon talks about the distinction between the 'mind' and the 'Heart' and what we mean in Buddhism when we talk about the two. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday November 12, 2023. | |||
| Labels Are For Jars, Not For People | 15 Nov 2023 | 00:32:55 | |
Rev. Allard Kieres talks about the error of placing labels on people (and all beings), and extends this caution further to how we place labels on reality at large. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday November 5, 2023 | |||
| Attitude of Gratitude Part 4: Scriptures | 13 Nov 2023 | 00:41:19 | |
Rev. Oswin Hollenbeck continues with his series on Gratitude. He looks at Samantabhadra's second vow 'praising Tathagatas' and ties that to the reading of scriptures; both literal scriptures and then the 'scripture of everyday life'. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 15, 2023. | |||
| The Wave | 10 Nov 2023 | 00:14:51 | |
Rev. Master Haryo Young, head of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives (our Order), uses an analogy to talk about impermanence. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on September 27, 2012. | |||
| What is Sufficient | 05 Nov 2023 | 00:17:14 | |
Rev. Astor Douglas talks about how life is fundamentally sufficient just as it is. Through practice, we learn to root ourselves in this fundamental sufficiency and to question ourselves when we think we need 'more'. | |||
| Training with Dukkha | 01 Nov 2023 | 00:25:44 | |
Rev. Margaret Clyde shares an insight about training with Dukkha or 'Stress'. Quoting the late Ajhan Cha, a Thai forest monk, "Dukkha is Noble Truth". | |||
| Attitude of Gratitude Part 3: Bowing Continued | 25 Oct 2023 | 00:34:44 | |
Rev. Oswin Hollenbeck continues talking about the first three of Samantabhadra's vows in part three of his 'Attitude of Gratitude' series. Rev. Oswin encourages us to bow with all the conditions of daily life. It is this very bowing which is the Heart of Buddha. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 8, 2023. | |||
| Practice in Our Daily Life | 22 Oct 2023 | 00:29:27 | |
Rev. Scholastica Hicks shares more insights from her experience recovering from a broken leg. She talks about hard questions she has learned to ask herself about her own daily attitude of mind and encourages us to do the same. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday October 1, 2023. | |||
| Faith and Perseverence | 18 Oct 2023 | 00:17:49 | |
Rev. Shiko Rom celebrated her 50th ordination birthday on September 21, 2023. In this talk she shares her experience of 50 years as a monk and encourages us all to never give up on our training. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday September 23, 2023. | |||
| Lankavatara Sutra Retreat Talk 4 | 27 Aug 2025 | 00:24:29 | |
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. | |||
| Seeking is Suffering | 15 Oct 2023 | 00:27:28 | |
Rev. Enya Sapp talks about the fundamental delusion that we are all training ourselves to transcend. It is this very mind of 'seeking' which is the source of our suffering. We are the creators of our own suffering. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday September 17, 2023. | |||
| Inspired by Dogen’s Compassion and Wisdom | 11 Oct 2023 | 00:31:13 | |
Rev. Ando Mueller gives a Dharma talk on the annual festival memorial for Great Master Eihei Dogen. She shares some stories about Master Dogen's life, who he was, how he came to training, and what he passed on to those who follow in his footsteps. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday September 10, 2023. | |||
| A Few Antidotes for Despair | 08 Oct 2023 | 00:27:45 | |
Rev. Valora Midtdal talks about her own experience training with despair and offers advice for others on how to sit still and convert this tendency. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on September 3, 2023. | |||
| Dogen's Lesson From the Chief Cook | 01 Oct 2023 | 00:35:46 | |
Rev. Allard Kieres talks about the 'Tenzokyokun' or 'Instructions to the Chief Cook', written by Great Master Eihei Dogen who was the founder of Serene Reflection Meditation (Soto Zen) in Japan. Master Dogen went to China in order to clarify his doubts about Buddhist practice. Rev. Allard tells about the encounters Dogen had and the important lesson he learned. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on August 20, 2023. | |||
| Opening to the Dharma | 27 Sep 2023 | 00:21:43 | |
Rev. Astor Douglas talks about the importance of keeping an open heart in practice and how we should not try to bring the Buddha's teachings 'down' to us, but to step 'up' to the teachings. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on August 13, 2023. | |||
| Attitude of Gratitude Part 2: Shobogenzo: Bowing | 24 Sep 2023 | 00:35:32 | |
Rev. Oswin Hollenbeck continues his theme with gratitude as he talks about a chapter from Great Master Dogen's Shobogenzo on bowing. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on August 6, 2023. | |||
| Lessons in Letting Go | 17 Sep 2023 | 00:39:41 | |
Rev. Scholastica Hicks recounts stories from her recent time in a rehab facility after breaking her leg, and how there were numerous opportunities to practice patience and letting go. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on July 23, 2023. | |||
| Developing Deep Friendships with Bodhisattvas | 10 Sep 2023 | 00:27:40 | |
Rev. Amanda Robertson explains who the primary Bodhisattvas are in Mahayana Buddhism, and how we can make use of 'their' help in our daily practice. She encourages us to hold our Hearts open to the seen and the unseen, and have the courage to look and see what IS. Blind faith is not required in Buddhism, and, the faith to remain open to things we don't understand or have not yet experienced for ourselves is essential. Nothing in Buddhism is taken on faith forever, this practice is about proving the Buddha's teachings true for ourselves. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on July 16, 2023. | |||
| The Way of the Bodhisattva: Talk #6 | 08 Sep 2023 | 00:23:41 | |
Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, leads a retreat during the week of August 20, 2023. The retreat is focused on a discourse delivered by the 8th century monk named Shantideva called 'Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra' or in English, 'The Way of the Bodhisattva'. This is talk 6 of 6 (not including the introduction). | |||
| The Way of the Bodhisattva: Talk #5 | 06 Sep 2023 | 00:27:55 | |
Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, leads a retreat during the week of August 20, 2023. The retreat is focused on a discourse delivered by the 8th century monk named Shantideva called 'Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra' or in English, 'The Way of the Bodhisattva'. This is talk 5 of 6 (not including the introduction). | |||
| Lankavatara Sutra Retreat Talk 3 | 25 Aug 2025 | 00:24:32 | |
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. | |||
| The Way of the Bodhisattva: Talk #4 | 03 Sep 2023 | 00:25:32 | |
Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, leads a retreat during the week of August 20, 2023. The retreat is focused on a discourse delivered by the 8th century monk named Shantideva called 'Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra' or in English, 'The Way of the Bodhisattva'. This is talk 4 of 6 (not including the introduction). | |||
| The Way of the Bodhisattva: Talk #3 | 03 Sep 2023 | 00:19:47 | |
Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, leads a retreat during the week of August 20, 2023. The retreat is focused on a discourse delivered by the 8th century monk named Shantideva called 'Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra' or in English, 'The Way of the Bodhisattva'. This is talk 3 of 6 (not including the introduction). | |||
| The Way of the Bodhisattva: Talk #2 | 30 Aug 2023 | 00:20:17 | |
Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, leads a retreat during the week of August 20, 2023. The retreat is focused on a discourse delivered by the 8th century monk named Shantideva called 'Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra' or in English, 'The Way of the Bodhisattva'. This is talk 2 of 6 (not including the introduction). | |||