WELCOME TO SHASTA ABBEY
Shasta Abbey is a Buddhist monastery in the Serene Reflection Meditation (Soto Zen) Tradition. A monastery of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives, it was founded by Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett in the name of her Teacher, the Venerable Keido Chisan Koho Zenji in 1970. Shasta Abbey is a training place for female and male Buddhist monks and is a place of practice for lay people. We offer the Dharma – the Buddha’s Teaching – to all who wish to learn. Please see our Visiting page.
The monastery, located near the town of Mount Shasta in Northern California, offers retreats, ceremonies, teaching and spiritual counseling, as well as the opportunity to train within a monastic schedule. This website offers Dharma Talks; scriptures and religious writings and information on the life of the community of Buddhist practitioners (the Sangha) throughout these pages. We welcome your interest, comments, and feedback.
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Monday, March 17, 2025 UPDATES
Dear Friends,
We welcome you to join us on Sundays, when we offer a brief tour and introduction to the Abbey grounds and practice. Depending on the date, there will be a Meditation Sunday or Festival Ceremony, followed by a Dharma talk. To see what is happening this Sunday, check our monthly calendar. If this will be your first visit, please call or email the Guestmaster in advance, and we will meet you at Gate 4 on Sunday morning at 9:45 (or 9:30 on a Meditation Sunday).
Phone: 530-926-4208, ext 305 email guestmaster@shastaabbey.org
Currently we do not offer drop-in tours at other times or other days.
For those who would like an in-depth introduction to our practice while staying in the monastery, the first step is to apply for one of our Introductory Retreats by filling out and submitting an application form. The dates for Introductory Retreats as well as other retreats are available on our 2025 Annual Calendar.
Those who have already attended an Introductory Retreat at the Abbey or are familiar with Soto Zen practice are welcome to apply for Continuing Practice and additional retreats.
Other offerings for those new to our monastery and Soto Zen practice include a video series of online introductory classes: Introduction to Serene Reflection Buddhist Practice and Introduction to the Buddhist Precepts.
Please see O.B.C. Announcement.
With very best wishes from the Shasta Abbey monastic community.
SHASTA ABBEY ETHICS REFUGE
Please click here for the Shasta Abbey Ethics Refuge brochure.