Autumn 2020 – Shasta Abbey News for Journal

The summer has been cooler than usual, and somewhat unusual, given that during the Covid-19 pandemic we have shifted to online retreats rather than hosting retreats at the monastery. Rev. Master Shiko offered the first one, Many Faces of Compassion, in June. The other weeklong online retreat will be in August on The Issues of our Time: Help and Healing from the Buddha’s Teachings, offered by several senior monks. Online Zoom meditation instruction, Dharma talks, and discussions are also being offered weekly.

In July we saw the Transmission of one monk, Rev. Vera, from Rev. Master Kodo, and the ordination of a postulant, Arunima Dhar, now Rev. Dalina, by Rev. Master Daishin. We are glad to see both Rev. Vera and Rev. Dalina take these steps in training. We wish both monks and their masters success.

Rev. Dalina (left), and Rev. Vera

At the request our lay sangha, we continued the weekly local book group through the summer. They have been studying with Rev. Master Meian The Book of Joy,which offers teaching from the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu.

Extern sacristy has been busy, preparing firewood for winter, as usual, reconstructing and filling the lumber rack (see photo), and overseeing the repair and welding of the Vimalakirti Hall’s boiler water tank. We’ve also had several more trees cut down for fire prevention, all of which we burn as firewood or mill into lumber.

We are grateful for everyone’s continued support during the pandemic.