Thanks to the generous support of the Sangha, the Jizo Project is close to being fully funded, though we do still have a little ways to go. If we do pass our target of $1.2 million, any further donations will go towards Phase II plans in our ongoing effort to make Zen Mountain Monastery more accommodating and welcoming for all who wish to practice here. Continue reading “Building Plans” »

The Jizo Project is an important sangha-supported initiative to make Zen Mountain Monastery a more accessible and accommodating refuge for practice. Here are several reflections from sangha members on what the initiative means to them. Care to contribute your voice to the conversation? Email us at jizoproject@mro.org "There is a Chinese saying that goes something like this: 'When you drink water, reflect on the source; when you eat fruit, bow to the tree.'  For me giving to the Jizo Project is a chance to express my gratitude to the monastics and for what their lives create everyday for the sangha." — Pat...

The Buddha instructed his followers in the sangha to care for each other’s needs and not just focus on their own individual realization. In this spirit the Jizo House project, for which we are fundraising, is an on-going effort to rebuild accommodations for both able-bodied and differently abled visitors, residents and monastics, and the Diamond Net has taken shape as a sangha-at-large network to give voice, visibility and actions needed for accessibility-related changes. While the Jizo House Project makes our buildings and grounds more responsive, the Diamond Net is the human hands, eyes and voices of volunteers who can respond...

On June 9, Shugen Roshi, along with the Jizo Project fundraising committee, revealed the scope of our current building plans, and asked the sangha for support. Continue reading “Watch the Jizo Project launch video” »

Hemlock trees native to the Monastery region of the northeast have been greatly threatened by an invasive insect known as HWA (Hemlock Wooly Adelgid). Sangha members in the MRO Earth Initiative's “citizen science” project have been assessing and monitoring HWA on the Monastery property this past year and offer this update on protecting our trees. Continue reading “Taking Care of Our Hemlocks” »

From the ango opening retreat Peaceful Dwelling in early March through the greening trees and blossoms of Shuso Hossen in late May, here are highlights from our ninety-days of sangha practice at the Monastery in Spring 2019: Continue reading “Manifesting Buddha, Spring Ango” »

Continue reading “The Jizo Project comes to life” »

Zen training in the Mountains and Rivers Order includes taking up creative expression—both the traditional Zen arts as well as contemporary arts—to deeply study the self through using our inherent human creativity. Hojin Sensei spoke in March after her recent art practice retreat, “Face to Face,” offering these words: This exquisite magical display we call our body, our self. What is it? Of course ‘face’ does not always mean the physical part of the body. In another way it's the surface of the mind's mirror which is also being attended to—seeing our bodies, the directness with our embodiment, as a...

An interview with Ely Seiryu Rayek by Diego Antoni Seiryu knows his way from Mexico City to Mount Tremper inside out. He doesn’t even need to spend the night in New York City anymore, as when he was less familiar with the subway and the bus to Mount Tremper. He has now been coming to ZMM from his home in Mexico City several times a year since his first trip in 2007. Continue reading “Meet the Chief Disciple” »

The Beyond Fear of Differences (BFoD) Planning Group held a public forum at the Monastery on Sunday, March 3, 2019—a moment 10 years in the making. It was a chance to welcome the whole Sangha into the development of the BFoD mission and vision process, to share the details about the process that the committee had been involved in, and to let people know how they can get involved. A similar forum was held one week later at the Zen Center of NYC. Continue reading “Perspectives: Beyond Fear of Differences” »