Archives 2018 – Zen River Temple

Happy New Year!

31/12/2018

Strijdlustig en Vredelievend

Tutti Cantano Chamber Choir at Zen River

23/12/2018

One of our Zen River members, Pieter Fumon Bosma, is a professional music director. He conducts various ensembles, most notably the ‘Groninger Studentenorkest Mira’. A few years ago he even managed to teach a choir of Zen River residents and members Adiemus by Karl Jenkins, a beautiful piece of music that we performed twice during celebratory events.

In 2016 Pieter began working with the chamber choir Tutti Cantano in Zuidwolde, Groningen, and invited both Tammy (Myoho Roshi) and Robert (Doin Sensei) to join their ranks and for the last two and a half years they have been active members. On Wednesday December 19th, Tutti Cantano came to Zen River to share an enthusiastic performance of their latest repertoire!

Jukai Ceremony

22/12/2018

Peter Yushin Pottebaum, from the Dusseldorf Zen River group, received jukai from Tenkei Roshi. Congratulations!

Zen River Annual Fundraising Appeal, 2018

30/11/2018

This year we would like to ask your attention for a simple – but urgent – renovation….read on to help!

Fall / Winter 2018 Newsletter

06/12/2018

Gate Taking Shape

28/11/2018

The new Temple gate starting to take shape; the beams for the roof are up.

Zen River Lima

26/11/2018

Ryusho Sensei and his team organised a Zazenkai which was led by Tenkei Roshi and took place at a Tibetan centre in downtown Lima

Farewell Seishi-san!

06/11/2018

Seishi-san (centre left), who came to practice at Zen River for two months, is now on his way to Kanshoji and Ryumonji in France. After that he will return to Toshoji senmon sodo in Okayama. Thank you for joining the team and hope to see you here again one day!

Bernie Tetsugen Glassman, Roshi

January 18, 1939 – November 4, 2018

05/11/2018

Yesterday morning we did a special service at Zen River for Bernie Tetsugen Glassman Roshi, a Dharma Uncle, who passed away on Sunday, November 4th. He was Maezumi Roshi’s first dharma successor, and the co-founder of the highly influential Zen Peacemaker Order. We will keep him in our hearts and wish him a swift passage to the other shore.

Autumn Morning at Zen River

03/11/2018

Scaffolding Going Up

03/11/2018

Zen’etsu and Seishi-san prepare the scaffold for the next phase of the new temple gate!

Gate Foundation Complete

27/09/2018

Zen’etsu checking the completed foundations for the new temple gate. The wood is now being prepared for the next phase!

At Fudenji, Italy

19/09/2018

Taiten Guareschi Roshi, the abbot of Fudenji in Italy, invited Tenkei Roshi as one of the lecturers at their annual International seminar. Tenkei was accompanied by Shin’yu-san to the event.

Asayama Roshi was also one of the lecturers with a delegation from Eiheiji, Japan

Tenkei with Myoko Roshi and Taiten Roshi

Samu

15/09/2018

Taikan sanding panels that will neatly close off the attic storage in the old wing.

Inryo Windows

10/09/2018

After a few unforseen delays, the outside of the new windows of the inryo are being painted! Steffen Buikema, who also helped paint the windows of the Zendo, will be working on it this week.

Visit Rev. Koichi Isoda

10/09/2018

Tenkei Roshi and Myoho were happy to welcome Koichi Isoda from Keisho-In, Fuji City, Japan. They first met in Sojiji in 2000. Since then Koichi-san has visited Zen River many times. Besides running his home temple and performing Shamisen, he also assists Seido Suzuki Roshi at Toshoji Senmon Sodo in Okayama.

Koichi-san gave a talk on his history and connection with Zen River

Jukai Ceremony

01/09/2018

On August 29th, just after the summer month long, Julie *Konin* (illumination trust) Arends received Jukai from Tenkei Roshi. Congratulations!

Shusohossenshiki Ceremony

26/08/2018

Rev. Shuho Go was Shuso for this summer Ango period. It was the first time a Japanese monk fulfilled this position and did Hossenshiki.

Memorial Service for Koren Sensei

22/08/2018

Monthlong Memory

21/08/2018

Garden Shed Repairs

21/08/2018

Summer Monthlong Sesshin

14/08/2018

The Month-long sesshin is in full swing. The Hossenshiki for Shuho-san will be on Saturday August 25.

Gate Foundation

08/08/2018

Zen’etsu is in the process of making the structure to pour concrete for the foundations for the new gate

Film project Shumucho

07/08/2018

Rev. Taibun Terumoto from the Shumucho office in Paris and film-maker Stanislas Wang-Genh joined us for two days during the Month-long. They are working on a movie about European Soto temples and came over to film sesshin at Zen River. The movie will be posted on the Shumucho website beginning next year. We look forward to seeing it!

Guest Speaker Han de Wit

06/08 2018

Zen River was happy to welcome Han de Wit as a guest teacher during the second week of the Month-long. He gave an inspiring talk about the Shambhala tradition, and explained how Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche incorporated Japanese Zen elements into his training programme, due to his connection with masters like Maezumi Roshi. Apparently it was Genpo Roshi who, at the time, introduced Shambhala members to the practice of Oryoki!

Gate Foundation

05/08/2018

Zen’etsu started on the construction of the new gate at the head of the driveway. He found a local company to come and literally screw in some foundation pegs! Those screws are a meter and a half long each. Next step is to pour the concrete.

Young Rivers Seminar

11/07/2018

Roof Repairs

11/07/2018

The siding of the roof was damaged by wet weather and needs to be replaced. Gert and Wayne are busy with it while the seminar continues

Thistle River

Spring 2005 – July 2, 2018

02/07/2018

Thistle, the temple cat who lived in the Inryo with Tammy and Tenkei sadly passed away to the other shore after a brief illness. She was dearly loved and will be sorely missed.

Genpo Roshi Visit

28/06/2018

Genpo Roshi and his partner Charlotte were travelling in Europe and came to visit Zen River for two days

Genpo Roshi gave a moving talk and brought up many stories of the good old days with Tenkei and Tammy. He concluded with conferring Inka (final seal of approval) to Tammy, and gave her a new Dharma name *Tenshin* 天頂 (zenith)

Reciting his Inka poem: *Subtle Dharma / Surrendered / Zenith / Empowered*

After the talk, Genpo Roshi and Charlotte visited the Zen Boat in Groningen

And joined us in the city for a celebratory drink

Spring/Summer Newsletter

22-06-2018

Open House

Sunday June 17

18-06-2018

The open house on Sunday afternoon was a great success and enjoyed by everyone. Around fifty people attended from the local area and beyond.

Tenkei Roshi officiated a service during the course of the afternoon so that people could experience what happens in the Hatto. Gyosei and Julie sat zazen in the zendo all afternoon and several visitors felt compelled to join and sit too!

United Nations Day of Vesak Celebration May 25-27

27-05-2018

Tenkei Roshi was invited to the UN Vesak Celebrations 2018 in Bangkok. It was a great opportunity to meet many prominent Buddhists from all over the the world.

Zen Boat Inauguration

13-05-2018

On Sunday May 13 Tenkei Roshi officiated the inauguration of the Zen Boat in Groningen as a branch temple of Zen River. Senseis Senko and Jifu live there as resident teachers, while Doin and Ranka also conduct classes regularly.

Jukai Ceremony, May 6

07-05-2018

Tenkei Roshi gave Jukai to five recipients this weekend. Congratulations!

Marleen Monshin 聞心 (Listen Heart) Laroy, Matthijs 純道 (Pure Way) Noordzij, Jasna Zuisho 瑞祥 (Good Omen) Terihaj, Tenkei Roshi, Leo Kyokai 巨海 (Great Ocean) van Nieuwenhuijzen, and Margriet Seisen 清川 (Clear River) Broekroelofs

Many family and friends attended the ceremony

Bell Repair

01-05-2018

Shinyu’san and Taikan-san made it the roof (with a safety harness!) to detach the faulty electrical mechanism that hits the bell. It had stopped working over the winter period. The broken part has been sent to the bell company for repair and should be back soon!

Tenkei Roshi in Madrid

18-04-2018

Tenkei Roshi was invited by Zen River Madrid to lead a public talk and zazenkai. He was also asked to show some of his earlier art works which were sold to raise funds for the new gate at the head of the driveway.

Tenkei Roshi at the Art Show with two of his paintings

The Spanish sangha also invited Shuho-san to accompany Tenkei Roshi and visit the soccer stadiums – a dream come true!

Drain Pipe Dilemma

18-04-2018

A block in one of the drains forced Daishin and Zenet’su to dig up the pipe that ran under the Stone Garden.

Unbeknownst to anyone there was a large drainage hole found to be damaged by tree roots and full of mud and leaves!

Practice Weekend at Zen River

10-04-2018

Zen River was happy to welcome Wanda Sluyter and members from Zen Centrum Eindhoven for a practice weekend. The two days included a guided meditation, zazen, services, dokusan, study class, samu, and formal oryoki meals. While they were here they filmed some impressions with a short video clip

Kitchen Prep

09-04-2018

Guest speaker Pablo d’Ors from Madrid

26-03-2018

Pablo d’Ors is a Catholic priest from Madrid who includes zen meditation in his spiritual practice. He came to join our program with some of his Spanish students. Pablo has written a highly acclaimed book entitled “Biografia del Silencio”. During their stay he treated us to a very interesting talk.

Shukke Tokudo Ceremony for Tessa Gyosei Overbeek

19-03-2018

Last Saturday Tenkei Roshi gave Shukke Tokudo (monastic ordination) to Tessa Gyosei Overbeek, who has been a resident at Zen River for several years now. Congratulations!

Thursday May 17 – Tuesday May 22, 2018

5 Day Sesshin

With special guests Rev. Junyu Kuroda and Yamamoto Roshi

10-03-2018

Zen River is happy to welcome Rev. Junyu Kuroda and Yamamoto Roshi for the May Spring sesshin. Yamamoto Roshi is the last surviving successor of Koryu Roshi, one of Maezumi Roshi’s teachers. Both will be giving dharma talks during this extended weekend retreat. Yamamoto Roshi will also give talks at Zencentrum Amsterdam and in Utrecht. If you would like to attend this sesshin please contact the office for more information.

Zen Boat Groningen

10-03-2018

Monthly City Sesshins on the Zen Boat in Groningen began this year. They will be led alternately by Senseis Jifu and Senko.

Shusohossenshiki for Timo Myogaku Bieber

26-02-2018

Group photo after shusohossenshiki: Myogakus teacher, Rev. Jacob Myozen Gimiotti (front left), a successor of Nishiyama Roshi, came from Heidelberg to attend the ceremony. Rev. Yusho Sasaki, the Sokan of the European department of the Soto School in Paris was the Jokeshi for the ceremony

Lecture on Yogacara by Rev. Yusho Sasaki

26-02-2018

Yusho Sasaki Roshi gave a very interesting lecture on Yogacara on the night before Shusoshossenshiki. Here she demonstrates our differing perspectives on how the world looks like!

Saturday February 24 11:00 AM

Shusohossenshiki for Timo Myogaku Bieber

22-02-2018

Myogaku is the first Shuso in our Zen River Ango history who is from a lineage other than the White Plum. His teacher, Rev. Jakob Myosen Cimiotti, is a successor of Nishiyama Roshi, and will come over from Heidelberg to support him. Rev. Yusho Sasaki, the Sokan of the European department of the Soto School in Paris will take on the position of Jokeshi (official witness). She has also agreed to give a lecture on the evening before the ceremony.

Friday February 23 8:00 PM

Lecture by Rev. Yusho Sasaki

22-02-2018

We are happy to welcome Rev. Yusho Sasaki, the Sokan of the European department of the Soto School in Paris, as the Jokeshi (official witness) for the upcoming shusohossenshiki ceremony for Myogaku Bieber. She will be giving a lecture on Friday evening on Yogacara that everyone is welcome to attend.

31-01-2018

Young Rivers Weekend

Feb 3–4, 2018

31-01-2018

Garden Works

On account of the mud and wet weather, a new path to the garden shed and drain for the chicken run is being dug out

26-01-2018

Driveway Rescue Plan Takes Shape

The annual fundraiser is still going strong. The gardener John Kasteel (centre) and his crew work on planting the new *Cornus kousa* trees, hedges, bushes and hundreds of plants. Everyone is looking forward to seeing it in the spring!

23-01-2018

Driveway Rescue Plan

The roots are removed and new topsoil goes down.

11-01-2018

Window Replacement Phase 3

After some logistical delays, the old drafty Inryo windows on the west and south side are finally being replaced by double glazing. As the building has been extended and modified several times since it was built in the thirties, all the windows are slightly different. So it is quite a challenging job for Klaas de Boer’s construction team.

The windows are almost finished on the outside. They will be painted when the weather is warmer.

The inside window frames will be completed by the Zen River maintenance team. Rice paper will be the temporary curtain!

Autumn Morning at Zen River

03/11/2018

Scaffolding Going Up!

03/11/2018

Zen’etsu and Seishi-san prepare the scaffold for the next phase of the new temple gate!

Final sanding the gate posts

Gate Foundation Complete

27/09/2018

Zen’etsu checking the completed foundations for the new temple gate. The wood is now being prepared for the next phase!

At Fudenji, Italy

19/09/2018

Taiten Guareschi Roshi, the abbot of Fudenji in Italy, invited Tenkei Roshi as one of the lecturers at their annual International seminar. Tenkei was accompanied by Shin’yu-san to the event.

Asayama Roshi was also one of the lecturers with a delegation from Eiheiji, Japan

Tenkei with Myoko Roshi and Taiten Roshi

Samu

15/09/2018

Visit Rev. Koichi Isoda

10/09/2018

Jukai Ceremony

01/09/2018

Shusohossenshiki Ceremony

26/08/2018

Memorial Service for Koren Sensei

22/08/2018

Summer Monthlong Sesshin

14/08/2018

Film project Shumucho

07/08/2018

Guest Speaker Han de Wit

06/08 2018

Gate Foundation

09/08/2018

Young Rivers Seminar

11/07/2018

Roof Repairs

11/07/2018

Thistle River

Spring 2005 – July 2, 2018

02/07/2018

Genpo Roshi Visit

28/06/2018

Spring/Summer Newsletter

22-06-2018

Open House

Sunday June 17

18-06-2018

United Nations Day of Vesak Celebration May 25-27

27-05-2018

Zen Boat Inauguration

13-05-2018

Jukai Ceremony, May 6

07-05-2018

Bell Repair

01-05-2018

Tenkei Roshi in Madrid

18-04-2018

Drain Pipe Dilemma

18-04-2018

Unbeknownst to anyone there was a large drainage hole found to be damaged by tree roots and full of mud and leaves!

Practice Weekend at Zen River

10-04-2018

Kitchen Prep

09-04-2018

Guest speaker Pablo d’Ors from Madrid

26-03-2018

Shukke Tokudo Ceremony for Tessa Gyosei Overbeek

19-03-2018

Thursday May 17 – Tuesday May 22, 2018

5 Day Sesshin

With special guests Rev. Junyu Kuroda and Yamamoto Roshi

10-03-2018

Zen Boat Groningen

10-03-2018

Shusohossenshiki for Timo Myogaku Bieber

26-02-2018

Lecture on Yogacara by Rev. Yusho Sasaki

26-02-2018

Saturday February 24 11:00 AM

Shusohossenshiki for Timo Myogaku Bieber

22-02-2018

Friday February 23 8:00 PM

Lecture by Rev. Yusho Sasaki

22-02-2018

31-01-2018

Young Rivers Weekend

Feb 3–4, 2018

31-01-2018

Garden Works

26-01-2018

Driveway Rescue Plan Takes Shape

23-01-2018

Driveway Rescue Plan

11-01-2018

Window Replacement Phase 3

Events At Zen River Temple 2018–19

NOV. 25 2017 –FEB. 24. 2018	WINTER ANGO
Nov. 25–December 2	Rohatsu Sesshin
Dec. 27–January 1, 2018	New Year Sesshin
January 19–21	Weekend Sesshin
January 27–28	Intro Weekend
February 3-4	Young Rivers Weekend
February 17–24	Ango Closing Sesshin
February 24 11:00 AM	Shuso Hossenshiki for Myōgaku
MARCH 10–MAY 24	SPRING INTERIM
March 23-25	Weekend Sesshin
April 21–26	Sakura Spring Sesshin
May 17–22	Sesshin with Yamamoto Roshi and Kuroda Roshi as guest teachers
MAY 26 –AUGUST 25	SUMMER ANGO
June 2-3	Intro Weekend
June 17	Open House
June 22–24	Weekend Sesshin
July 7–12	Young Rivers Seminar
July 28–August 25	Summer Monthlong Sesshin
July 28–August 2	Part One
August 4–9	Part Two
August 11–16	Part Three
August 18–25	Part Four
August 25 11:00 AM	Shuso Hossenshiki
SEP. 8–NOV. 17	FALL INTERIM
September 15	Intro Weekend
September 21–23	Weekend Sesshin
October 20–25	Falling Leaf Sesshin
NOV. 24–MAR 2, 2019	WINTER ANGO
November 24–December 1	Rohatsu Sesshin
December 27–January 1 2019	New Year Sesshin

Events At Other Locations 2018

February 17	Hengelo, Zen in Twente
March 31	Hengelo, Zen in Twente
April 15	Madrid, Zazenkai led by Tenkei Roshi
May 26	Düsseldorf, Zazenkai led by Daishin Sensei
May 26	Hengelo, Zen in Twente
June 9–10	Nijmegen, Zengroep Oshida Weekend Sesshin led by Jifu Sensei
September 15	Hengelo, Zen in Twente
October 3	Düsseldorf, Zazenkai led by Daishin Sensei
November 16–18	Lima Peru, Conference and Zazenkai led by Tenkei Roshi
December 1, 8, 15	Two Arrows Zen, Three-part Telecourse with Tenkei Roshi