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Annotated Calendar of Retreat Dates

click for more information on retreats during:July August October December

July 26-29 Young Adults Retreat

This retreat is open to those thirty years of age and under. The retreat addresses spiritual concerns and interests of young people living in today's complex world. In addition to sitting meditation, daily ceremonies and working meditation, the retreat schedule includes Dharma talks, private religious counseling, and Dharma discussions. We invite young people who have been to the Abbey before, as well as those coming for the first time, to attend this retreat. (Introductory instruction will be provided.)

August 5-12 "The Song That Attests to the Way" Retreat

We welcome all invite those who have been to a retreat at Shasta Abbey before to this seven-day retreat led by Rev. Master Meian Elbert. We will be studying "The Song that Attests to the Way," a well-known poem by the great Chinese Master Yungchia. Meditation, Dharma talks and discussions, and private formal spiritual counseling will be offered during the retreat.

The whereabouts of the Mani-pearl is beyond the ken of ordinary people
But you can find It for yourself within the Tathagata's Treasure House
which is within your own being.

October 27–November 1, 2007 Feeding of the Hungry Ghosts Retreat

This retreat centers on the teaching of the Festival of the Feeding of the Hungry Ghosts, which includes looking at how to convert craving within ourselves. During the ceremony we offer the food of the Dharma to those who have died under painful or difficult circumstances. We prepare an altar with many kinds of food, representing our offering of unconditional love, kindness, and merit.
We end the retreat with the Festival of our Founder, celebrating the life and teaching of the Very Reverend Keido Chisan Koho who, as the Transmission Master of Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett, is honored as the Founder of Shasta Abbey.

December 28, 2007--January 1, 2008 New Year Celebratory Retreat

We invite you to join us for this retreat of meditation, ceremonies and celebration. This retreat is more relaxed than our usual meditation retreats, with a later rising time and with monks and lay trainees spending more time together. On New Year ’s Eve we hold a Vigil for Maitreya, the Buddha Who is to Come, as well as the midnight New Year’s Ceremony, followed by ringing in the New Year with the great bell. During this retreat we reflect on and offer gratitude to the Buddhas and Ancestors for their teaching and help in the past year and we ask for their continued help in the year to come. The retreat ends on January 1 and you are welcome to stay overnight until January 2.

 
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A monastery in the Serene Reflection (Soto Zen) Meditation Tradition, and a temple in the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives, Shasta Abbey offers opportunities for Zen Buddhist meditation, spiritual training, and mindfulness practice for monastic and lay retreats, residencies, meditation instruction, Dharma talks, Zen Buddhist religious services.