New Years’ Eve Party

31/12/2022

At the end of the New Years’ Sesshin, there was a series of performances from the participants. A very enjoyable evening was had by everyone!

Tutti Cantano

24/12/2022

Tutti Cantano, the local choir that Myoho and Doin are members of, led by Pieter Bosma the conductor – also a long-time Zen River member – completed the autumn season with an end-of-year gathering and concert at Zen River. It was a grand evening for all. Welcome!

Gas to Electric

22/12/2022

Jansen, the installation company, came to remove the gas boiler from the kitchen and connect it to the existing electric one (which is copper and in good condition), including a water boiler to replace the kettles. All to save energy in the long term!

Dharma Talk by European Sokan

25/11/2022

The European sokan for the Soto school, Shoten Minegishi Roshi, travelled from Paris to Zen River for the conclusion of Rohatsu sesshin. On the evening before the Shusohossenshiki ceremony, he gave an engaging Dharma talk for the sesshin participants. (Online members can access the talk on the membership channel.)

Shusohossenshiki Ceremony

26/11/2022

At the start of the Winter Ango, Zen River held a shusohossenshiki ceremony for Esho des Etoiles. The Jokeshi (witness) in attendance was the European sokan, Minegishi Roshi. Congratulations!

Wedding Day

13/11/2022

A very happy day for Marleen Monshin Laroy & Matthijs Jundo Noordzij who were married by Tenkei Roshi in a Buddhist ceremony at Zen River. Congratulations!

Fundraiser & Newsletter Winter 2022

13/11/2022

Insulation Matters!

24/10/2022
A recent survey of energy use at Zen River recommended all the ground floors and hot water pipes are insulated. Here are two of the brave maintenance crew – Shoyru and Kōgen – diving under the floorboards in the kaisando, along with Taikan and Zen’etsu who are out of view.

20-Year Anniversary of Zen River in Uithuizen

25/09/2022

On September 25th, Zen River celebrate the move to Uithuizen 20 years ago. It was a joyful reunion of old and new Dharma family and friends. Drizzling rain, sunshine and Champagne! (0%!)

Chanting the Makka Hannya Haramita Shingyo
Chanting the Daihishin Dharani

Jukai Ceremony

18/08/2022

During the last week of the summer month-long sesshin, Nanna Shinko Rodrigues de Miranda received Jukai from Tenkei Roshi. Congratulations!

Master Plasterer Martin van De Kruk

12/08/2022

Assisted by Taikan Gregoire, Zen River’s master plasterer, Martin van de Kruk, came by to replaster the wall in the Kodo and the Inryo. Thank you for a job well done!

Shusohossenshiki for Shoryu de Rooden

04/08/2022

On August 4th, Peter Shoryu de Rooden completed his second Hossenshiki. The first time was during Covid, so the Jokeshi (witness) could not attend. This year, the European sokan, Minegishi Roshi, was present to witness and formalize the ceremony. Congratulations!

Taiko Drum Workshop and Performance
August 13th

with Marco Lienhard

16/08/2022

Zen River was happy to welcome the taiko group #taikoza, led by Marco Lienhard, Micah Wilhelm and Mark. What a great performance and fantastic mini-workshops!

Taikoza performance at Zen River
Evening Workshop on homemade drums

Open House to Welcome the Neighbours

22/07/2022

Zen River welcomed neighbours for a Sunday afternoon visit. Neighbours could meet new neighbours, and visit the Temple for the first time. It was a lovely afternoon, and the weather was perfect.

Shukke Tokudo Ceremony for Myokan Harkema

14/07/2022
On July 13, 2022, Marloes Myokan Harkema received Shukke Tokudo from Tenkei Roshi. Congratulations!

Visit Genpo Roshi

09/07/2022

During his last European Tour, Genpo Roshi came to visit Zen River with his wife Charlotte Jigen. While he was here, he officiated an intimate ceremony to inter a relic of Maezumi Roshi under the stupa in the Buddha Grove.

Young Minds Seminar

07/07/2022
  • Young Minds Seminar Summer 2022
  • Samu
  • Young Minds Art Project

Besides Zazen, services, oryoki meals, and garden work, there were lots of creative projects and workshops!

Taiko Drum Workshop with Izzy Esho des Etoiles

Zen River Cookbook Volume 2

Available at Amazon stores worldwide

Jukai Ceremony

26/06/2022
We were happy to welcome Chad Chizo (Wisdom Container) Josewski and his wife from Salt Lake City, Utah. He received Jukai from Tenkei Roshi during his stay. Chizo met Tenkei Roshi in Salt Lake City during the 1990s at the Kanzeon Zen Center and made a strong connection with him during the outdoor retreats held in the Utah desert. Congratulations!

Zen River Spring Newsletter 2022

Newsletter-Spring-2022

Short-term Resident, Hori Aoi

07/06/2022
In March, Zen River was happy to receive Hori Aoi as a short-term resident for three months. After he returns to Japan, he plans to enter Chigenji to begin his monk’s training. Besides learning service positions, he performed his beat-box skills and practised making bread and pancakes during his time here. Good Luck Hori-san!

Teisho with Yamamoto Roshi

28/05/2022
Yamamoto Ryuko Roshi, who visited Zen River frequently a few years ago with Hojosan, now offers a series of Dharma talks on the Mumonkan via Zoom for anyone wishing to join. Zen River members participated in the most recent live stream.

West-Wall Grout

03/05/2022

After many years of wind and rain, the grouting on this west wall was falling apart and needed to be replaced. The result was wonderful.

New Front Sign

12/05/2022
Thanks to Zenétsu, the old signboard that Tenkei Roshi painted a long time ago has been replaced with a new sturdy, weather-proof placard. Here are Hori-san and Tenkei Roshi after the installation.

Jukai Ceremony

27 April 2022

28/04/2022
During the Sakura Sesshin, Thomas Hosei (Dharma Star) Veenstra received jukai from Tenkei Roshi. Congratulations!

Young Minds Seminar

22 April 2022

25/04/2022
The Young Minds Seminar was well attended and everyone had a delightful time! We hope to welcome more Young Minds in July for the next seminar.

Gyoji Weeks

May 2022

01/05/2022

Martha Ekyo Maezumi

10 April 2022

12/04/2022
We are very sad to announce that Ekyo Maezumi (pictured centre left of Hojosan), the dear widow of our founding master Maezumi Roshi, has suddenly passed away. She lived in Grass Valley, CA, where her three children Kirsten, Yoshi, and Yuri now congregate. Tenkei and Tammy have known her for a long time and kept in regular contact. They also met in Japan, and we have very happy memories of her when she and her family with partners and friends visited Zen River in 2015. They all came to attend a memorial service for Maezumi Roshi during a White Plum meeting at our temple. We will keep you informed about further ceremonial activities. Meanwhile, we pray to all Buddhas and bodhisattvas to guide Ekyo on her journey, and wish her a swift passage to the other shore.

Zoom Series of Lectures.
Saikawa Roshi, April 10, 11:30 CET

02/04/2022
This event is part of a series of Zoom lectures by Zen teachers from abroad in which everyone is invited to participate.
The next Zoom lecture is with Saikawa Roshi and takes place on Sunday, April 10, at 11:30 AM.
Tenkei Roshi first met Saikawa Roshi during his stay at ZCLA in the early eighties. Later, he met him regularly in Japan, as Saikawa Roshi often visited Kirigayaji to meet with Hojo-san and give lectures there. Saikawa Roshi lived for a long time in Sao Paulo as the head (Sokan) of the South American department of the Soto School. As the Sokan, he came to Zen River Temple a few years ago to be Jokeshi (official witness) at the Hossenshiki ceremony of Wayne Taikan Gregoire. He now lives in Japan again and has been appointed abbot of a monastic training temple in Shizuoka prefecture. Saikawa Roshi knew both Maezumi Roshi and Hojo-san for a long time, and Tenkei Roshi has asked him to particularly address his relationship with those two masters.
View Post on Instagram

Solar Panel Installation Phase 2

29/03/2022
The solar panels are almost all on the roof. The next step will be to connect them to the electricity and then away we go!

Solar Panel Installation

28/03/2022
Following last year’s fundraiser, the solar panels will be installed this week by Technisch Expert Jansen. As the skylights have been switched to the north-facing roof, there is suddenly room for a few more panels, which will be advantageous in the long run! A big thank you to everyone who helped to make this possible.

Zoom Conferences with Brazil

19/02/2022
Tenkei Roshi was invited to speak with the sangha in Brazil, led by Coen Roshi in San Paolo. Coen Rosh also gave a Zoom talk on February 21. Tenkei Roshi first met her during his stay at ZCLA in the early eighties and later in Japan, and he invited her to tell us some of her experience with Hojo-sama and Maezumi Roshi.
 
Born in Sao Paolo, Coen Roshi practised with Maezumi Roshi in the US but also trained for many years in Japan; with Aoyama Roshi in Aichi Senmon Nisodo, and with Hojo-sama in Kirgayaji and Fujidera. After completing her studies, she returned to Sao Paolo, and in 2001 founded the Zen Buddhist Community of Brazil. Fluent in Japanese, Coen Roshi aims to bridge traditional and modern approaches to Zen. She wrote many books and has become a public spokesperson for Buddhism in her country.

Skylights at Night

14/02//2022

Skylights

14/02//2022

Skylight Matters

07/02//2022
In preparation for the new solar panels, Tetsuko and Taikan were closing skylights on the south roof and preparing new skylights for the north-facing roof. The new solar panels will arrive in mid-March.

Night Owl

09/01//2022

Marloes spotted this lovely owl behind the kitchen windows one early morning.

New Years Zoom Sesshin Online
with International Guest Teachers

December 27-January 7, 2022

Part 1 December 27-January 1
Part 2 January 2-7

21/12/09/2021

Everyone is welcome to join us online for our New Year’s sesshin, December 27–Jan.1 and January 2–7. Both parts of the sesshin will start at 3:30 pm with an introduction and end on the last day with concluding remarks in the early morning.
The sesshin schedule will be as usual, except that morning zazen is 6:00 – 7:30 am (two 40 minute periods). Also, we are very happy to mention again that, in addition to the dharma talk at 11:30 am, in most evenings there will be an interactive video conference conducted by seven guest teachers:
Tuesday, Dec. 28 —— Jorge Ryusho Lopez Doriga Sensei from Peru
Wednesday, Dec. 29 —Han de Wit Acharya from The Netherlands
Thursday, Dec. 30 —- Charles Tenshin Fletcher, Roshi from the US
Monday, Jan. 3 ——- Diane Musho Hamilton Roshi from the US
Tuesday, Jan. 4 ——- Michael Mugaku Zimmerman Roshi from the US
Wednesday, Jan. 5 — Nicolee Jikyo MacMahon Roshi from the US
Thursday, Jan. 6 —— Peter Gakudo den Hollander Sensei from Spain
These video conferences will be held in the evening from 8:00-9:15 pm
Dokusan and Daisan will be offered mostly in the afternoon, 4:10-5:40 pm. Please remember that all times indicated in this email refer to local time (CET). So for those who attend from abroad, check the time difference in advance…!
If you are an ‘O-member’ already, participation is free of charge. If you are not a member of the online program, please make a transfer of €50, which will also include the membership of this month and the month of January (see bank details below).
We understand that as a zoom participant you may not make all the sessions, so please just zoom in as much as you are able to.
—
IBAN: NL72 TRIO 0212 4970 30
t.n.v.: ‘Zen River’
o.v.v.: ‘NY Sesshin’
contribution: €50

Calendar 2022

December 27, 2021 – January 1 New Year’s Sesshin part 1, 5-day

January 2–7 New Year’s Sesshin part 2, 5-day

January 15–16 Intro Weekend 

January 15–20 Gyōji Week

January 28–30 Bodhidharma Weekend Sesshin

February 5–6 Young Minds Weekend

February 19–26 Ango Closing Sesshin, 7-day

SPRING INTERIM 2022 

March 19–20 Rakusu Sewing Weekend

March 25–27 Weekend Sesshin

April 9–14 Gyōji Week

April 23–28 Sakura Spring Sesshin, 5-day

May 7–12 Gyōji Week 

SUMMER ANGO 2022
May 21–26 Falling Flowers Sesshin, 5-day

May 22 Lecture with Layne Little, Salt Lake City

May 28 Yamamoto Roshi Zoom Teisho, Japan

June 4–9 Gyōji Week

June 5 Talk with Rev. Hojun Szpunar, Japan

June 17–19 Weekend Sesshin

June 25 Yamamoto Roshi Zoom Teisho, Japan

July 2–7 Young Minds Seminar

July 9 –14 Gyōji Week

July 23–August 20 Summer Month Long

July 23–28 Sesshin Part 1, 5-day

July 30–August 4 Sesshin Part 2, 5-day

August 4 Shuso Hossenshiki

August 6–11Sesshin Part 3, 5-day

August 13 Taiko workshop with Marco Lienhard

August 13–20 Sesshin Part 4, 7-day

FALL INTERIM 2022
September 10–11 Intro Weekend

September 10–15 Gyōji Week

September 16–18 Weekend Sesshin

September 25, 20-year anniversary celebration

October 8–13 Gyōji Week

October 22–27 Falling Leaf Sesshin, 5-day

November 5–10 Gyōji Week

WINTER ANGO 2022–2023
November 19–26 Rohatsu Sesshin, 7-day

December 21, Tutti Cantano concert

December 26, Shusohossenshiki for Esho des Etoiles

December 10–15 Gyōji Week

December 27–January 1, 2023, New Year Sesshin, 5-day