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

Episodes 26

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  • 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

  • May 31 · 18 min

    The Honest Question

    Rev. Valeria Allison explores the aspect of practice in which we must be willing to ask of our teachers and ourselves, 'The Honest Question', and how we find this for ourselves. This talk was given at Shasta Abbey on Sunday May 10, 2026. YouTube: https://youtu.be/dtILL-GtoPA Twitter/X: @shastaabbey

Showing 21–26 of 26 episodes