Monastic Visitors: Rev. Master Koten continued his visit until 16th March, when he had to return to Canada (Rev. Master Aurelian and John Hruska drove down to pick him up). He spent a week at Berkeley Buddhist Priory, and Rev. Master Kinrei brought him back and spent two nights with us. While with us, Rev. Master Koten offered a number of Dharma talks and spent time with individual monks. We were also glad to welcome back in residence Rev. Master Haryo, who returned on 12th March from England and a family visit.

Corona Virus: We offer merit and sympathy to all those affected by the coronavirus pandemic. In keeping with local health department regulations, the monastery closed to visitors on 14^th March and cancelled our annual Jukai retreat. In order to make good use of a quieter schedule, we added a 4:00 afternoon sitting. We are grateful to all who have offered their support and assistance in many ways.

Because of the closure, we began making use of online video conferencing programs for talks and discussions. Our first attempt was with the local book group, who are studying this term Master Hsing Yun’s commentary on the Diamond Sutra, Describing the Indescribable. The Saturday afternoon class was our next effort, and has proved popular, sometimes as many as 40 viewers and many from some distance. On 3^rd April Rev. Master Meian hosted a meeting of all those who had registered for the Jukai retreat. Many people have expressed gratitude for these new teaching venues, and we anticipate continuing to use them in some manner. We wish to thank Friends of Shasta Abbey for a kind gift of a new computer that can be dedicated to this purpose.

The closure of the monastery also motivated us to begin video-ing our Sunday Dharma talks and posting them online as You Tube videos. Rev. Master Meian did the first one on 15^th March. In recent months the monastery has also been posting recorded Dharma talks from our online archive. All these talks may be found on You Tube under shastaabbeydharmatalks.

Ceremonies: A lay resident, Mike Foster, who was already here at the time of closure, received the Precepts from Rev. Master Meian on 24^th March. Mike had come for a several month stay leading up to Jukai.

We continued our schedule of annual ceremonies, including the festival memorial for Great Master Keizan (see photo) on 19^th April, as well as Wesak on 17^th May. We also offered several transfer of merit ceremonies, from which merit was dedicated to all affected by the corona virus.

Great Master Keizan

We also held two funerals, one for Rosemary Dyke, a long-time Mount Shasta lay minister well-known for her love of rescue animals and feeding of feral cats, on 9^th May. Then on 22^nd May we celebrated a funeral for Rev. Master Teigan Stevens, who spent many years in residence at the monastery. We plan public memorials for both once the virus restrictions have been lifted.

Rev. Master Teigan

Rosemary Dyke

Postulant Re-entry: Mike Summers of Portland, Oregon, who had been a postulant here for some months last year, re-entered the postulancy on Tuesday, 12^th May. Rev. Master Leon, who will be ordaining Mike, wishes him to undergo some of his training with our community.

Hermitage Improvements. We have made some improvements at our Compassionate Friend Hermitage, finishing the renovation of the original cabin, which provides two additional bedrooms and toilet facilities.