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Shasta Abbey

Shasta Abbey

Teachings about Buddhist practice in the Serene Reflection Meditation (Soto Zen) tradition from the monks at Shasta Abbey Buddhist Monastery.Learn more at: shastaabbey.orgVideo recordings of talks are uploaded to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ShastaAbbeyDharmaTalksfind us on twitter: @shastaabbeyfacebook & instagram

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  • 21 episodes
  • a few times a week
  • Avg 25 min
  • English

Episodes 21

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  • Thursday · 20 min

    The Scripture of the Buddha’s Last Teachings Retreat, Talk 3, Governing our minds well

    Rev. Ando Mueller leads a retreat during the week of August 16, 2026 on the Scripture of the Buddha's Last Teaching. As the Buddha lay upon his death bed, he gave one final sermon to encourage his disciples, both monastic and lay, to persevere in their training and find the Truth for themselves. His very final words, "quickly seek your liberation, be a lamp unto yourself, always seek to get back on the path," remains a rallying cry to this day. YouTube: https://youtu.be/4ICIs42UR5k?list=PLefIv_SMkaxM7znyIQ1Rl2W6HfwL8d2YE Twitter/X: @shastaabbey contact: podcast@shastaabbey.org

  • August 23 · 19 min

    The Scripture of the Buddha’s Last Teachings Retreat, Talk 2 on the Precepts

    Rev. Ando Mueller leads a retreat during the week of August 16, 2026 on the Scripture of the Buddha's Last Teaching. As the Buddha lay upon his death bed, he gave one final sermon to encourage his disciples, both monastic and lay, to persevere in their training and find the Truth for themselves. His very final words, "quickly seek your liberation, be a lamp unto yourself, always seek to get back on the path," remains a rallying cry to this day. YouTube: https://youtu.be/ACLLHdhKcI0 Twitter/X: @shastaabbey contact: podcast@shastaabbey.org

  • August 19 · 21 min

    Introduction to the Scripture of the Buddha’s Last Teachings Retreat, Talk 1

    Rev. Ando Mueller leads a retreat during the week of August 16, 2026 on the Scripture of the Buddha's Last Teaching. As the Buddha lay upon his death bed, he gave one final sermon to encourage his disciples, both monastic and lay, to persevere in their training and find the Truth for themselves. His very final words, "quickly seek your liberation, be a lamp unto yourself, always seek to get back on the path," remains a rallying cry to this day. YouTube: N/A Twitter/X: @shastaabbey contact: podcast@shastaabbey.org

  • August 16 · 21 min

    Stillness in Daily Life

    Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, talks about how we get caught on the treadmill of busyness, distractions, and endless lists. She explores why we feel compelled to constantly fill our lives with activity—from social media to overworking—and how it quietly drives our stress and suffering (dukkha). This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday July 12, 2026. YouTube: https://youtu.be/8srPUrFP_FU Twitter/X: @shastaabbey contact: podcast@shastaabbey.org

  • August 9 · 17 min

    Non Action–Non Seeking

    Rev. Sanshin Alexander is a visiting monk from the community of Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey in Northumberland UK, and a disciple of Rev. Master Daishin Morgan. In this talk he explores Dogen's phrase 'This is the merit of non-action and non seeking. The awakening to True Wisdom." and how this applies to us in our daily practice. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday July 5, 2026. YouTube: https://youtu.be/e9vdbBchqTI Twitter/X: @shastaabbey email: podcast@shastaabbey.org

  • August 5 · 19 min

    Interview with Rev. Master Oswin Hollenbeck

    Rev. Allard interviews Rev. Master Oswin, asking questions about monastic life and his advice for training. This interview took place on July 8, 2026. YouTube: N/A Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

  • August 2 · 34 min

    How to Cultivate Trust in the Buddha’s Teaching: Part 2

    Rev. Enya Sapp continues with the theme of cultivating faith and trust in the Buddha's teaching. The Practice frees us from the obstacles of our suffering, but we must have the trust to be willing to put the teachings into practice. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday June 21, 2026. YouTube: https://youtu.be/Iubb5gX4zUk Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

  • July 29 · 2 min

    Podcast Programming Update

    Rev. Allard introduces a new programming idea for the Shasta Abbey Podcast. New podcast email: podcast@shastaabbey.org

  • July 26 · 20 min

    Vigor–Joyful effort

    Rev. Daishin Yalon talks about the Buddhist virtue of joyful effort or Virya in Sanskrit. He encourages us to cultivate a stillness within the activity of our every day lives that is bright and energetic. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday, June 14, 2026. YouTube: https://youtu.be/W_lQt1OdkLI Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

  • July 19 · 31 min

    Law of Karma Retreat: Talk 6, Karma and Past Lives

    Rev. Amanda Robertson led a week long retreat at Shasta Abbey, June 21-28 2026, looking at the Buddha's teaching of Karma. Her talks guide us toward how we can work with Karma in our own practice, and understand it for ourselves. YouTube: https://youtu.be/muTgIGzuczU Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

  • July 15 · 29 min

    Law of Karma Retreat: Talk 5, Rebirth and Karma

    Rev. Amanda Robertson led a week long retreat at Shasta Abbey, June 21-28 2026, looking at the Buddha's teaching of Karma. Her talks guide us toward how we can work with Karma in our own practice, and understand it for ourselves. YouTube: https://youtu.be/S4ey4fSCt0A Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

  • July 12 · 28 min

    Law of Karma Retreat: Talk 4, Cleansing Karma

    Rev. Amanda Robertson led a week long retreat at Shasta Abbey, June 21-28 2026, looking at the Buddha's teaching of Karma. Her talks guide us toward how we can work with Karma in our own practice, and understand it for ourselves. YouTube: https://youtu.be/0dsoPX6Ol9A Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

  • July 8 · 26 min

    Law of Karma Retreat: Talk 3, Precepts and Karma

    Rev. Amanda Robertson led a week long retreat at Shasta Abbey, June 21-28 2026, looking at the Buddha's teaching of Karma. Her talks guide us toward how we can work with Karma in our own practice, and understand it for ourselves. YouTube: https://youtu.be/sQ0B43rUg6A Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

  • July 5 · 35 min

    Law of Karma Retreat: Talk 2, Overview of the Law of Karma

    Rev. Amanda Robertson led a week long retreat at Shasta Abbey, June 21-28 2026, looking at the Buddha's teaching of Karma. Her talks guide us toward how we can work with Karma in our own practice, and understand it for ourselves. YouTube: https://youtu.be/fwn37lVcBFc Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

  • July 1 · 26 min

    Law of Karma Retreat: Talk 1, Introduction to Retreat

    Rev. Amanda Robertson led a week long retreat at Shasta Abbey, June 21-28 2026, looking at the Buddha's teaching of Karma. Her talks guide us toward how we can work with Karma in our own practice, and understand it for ourselves. YouTube: https://youtu.be/Q1pn_yntRDc Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

  • June 28 · 23 min

    Buddha Nature

    Rev. Sanshin Alexander is a visiting monk from the community of Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey in Northumberland UK, and a disciple of Rev. Master Daishin Morgan. In this talk he explores the term 'Buddha Nature', using the ideas and teachings of Great Master Dogen and his work the Shobogenzo, to help us understand it and how we can know it for ourselves. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday June 7, 2026. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv-KlxzVBAg Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

  • June 21 · 34 min

    Faith & Compassion

    Rev. Allard Kieres explores the vital relationship between faith, doubt, and compassion within Zen practice, contrasting rigid "absolute faith" with the open, flexible "perfect faith" described by Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett. He redefines doubt not as the enemy of faith, but as a tool that sharpens it, describing faith as the willingness to take the next step in the dark even when the path is obscured by delusion or pain. Through personal stories—including a transformative encounter with a statue of Maitreya in college and a profound, comforting experience of Avalokiteshwara (Kanzeon) during a period of intense lay training—Rev. Allard illustrates how the universe compassionately waits for us without judgment or agenda. Ultimately, he argues that the conditions of daily life are not obstacles but friends meant for our spiritual good, and that the simple, quiet act of sitting in Zazen (meditation) is itself a profound expression of "great faith" that allows practitioners to harmonize with reality exactly as it is. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday May 31, 2026. YouTube: https://youtu.be/MpkT91OY0b8 Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

  • June 14 · 42 min

    Prajnaparamita And Great Wisdom–Part 3: 8,000 Lines–Divine Mother

    Rev. Oswin Hollenbeck explores Prajnaparamita as the "Perfection of Wisdom", specifically focusing on the 8,000-Line Prajnaparamita Sutra and her personification as the "Great Mother." Rev. Oswin discusses how this foundational Mahayana Buddhist teaching emphasizes transcendent wisdom, emptiness, and the nurturing, compassionate nature of enlightenment. Ultimately, the lecture serves as a guide on how practitioners can understand and embody this profound wisdom in their daily spiritual practice. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday May 24, 2026. YouTube: https://youtu.be/woR7EWel1Gk Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

  • June 7 · 28 min

    The Kindness of the Buddha!

    Rev. Master Meian Elbert, Abbess of Shasta Abbey, gives a talk after the annual celebration of Wesak which celebrates the Buddha's life and teaching. She emphasizes that above all else, for her, it is the Buddha's kindness that shines forth as the supreme example of his life. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday May 17, 2026. YouTube: https://youtu.be/Pt908DbVCwQ Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

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