New Years Eve Gathering
31/12/2024
A festive musical evening was had by all, at the end of the New Year’s Sesshin – pirates included!
Tutti Cantano
18/12/2024
Zen River welcomed Tutti Cantano Choir from Zuidwolde, which performed its annual Christmas concert and its end-of-season gathering here. Myoho Roshi, Doin Sensei – and Izzy Esho when she lived at Zen River – have been choir members for the last seven years. This year, Edwin Velvis took over from Pieter Bosma as choir conductor. It was the first time several new choir members performed for the Zen River Tutti Cantano concert. Myoho Roshi and the Zen River team prepared a meal for everyone for the festivities. What a lovely evening!
Arriving Soon
19/12/2024
“ShoSaiMyo: Vol. 1,” which was initially uploaded to Bandcamp in June, will be available on streaming platforms within the next week or two under Myoho Roshis artist name, Myōra. She photographed the small Kanzeon statue in the hatto, or main service hall, for the album cover. “ShoSaiMyo: Vol. 1” is expected to reach Spotify, Apple Music etc. in
the New Year, if not sooner. To support Zen River, download the tracks from Bandcamp to your devices.
Continued Window Works & Vents
09/12/2024
The new windows installed in December in the reception, Hojo and library, were first rendered on the inside by Taikan-san, then painted by our trusted painter, Steffen Buikema. Meanwhile, Jansen – the electrical company – installed a new vent system for the shower to prevent mould and for the office against printing fumes. The reception window also has new blinds to match the new frame!
Winter Ango, Shuso Kangen
23/11/2024
We are happy to announce that Niels Kangen van Henten is shuso (head monk) for the Winter Ango 2024-25.
Newsletter & Fundraiser
Fall Winter 2024
18/11/2024
Autumn Garden Works
04/11/2024
Falling leaves, apples and trees. Walnuts and ladders, gutters and branches. All in an autumn day’s garden work at Zen River.
The Art Part
01/11/2024
As you may know, Zen River focuses more on Art and Music as an element of our training. In line with this new element, we are pleased to announce the release of Tammy Myoho Roshi’s new acoustic album with sutras and dharanis. It has been expertly produced by Painted Sky Studios using a Fleetwood Mac-inspired soundscape! Proceeds from downloads will go towards the Zen River monastic scholarship fund.
Visit Larry Fuho Sensei
01/11/2024
Zen River was happy to welcome Larry Fuho Trussell Sensei. Fuho Sensei is a lay dharma successor of Jan Chozen Bays Rohi, Great Vow monastery in Oregon, US. While here, he gave an inspiring talk about his life and training practice.
Window Replacement Continues
25/10/2024
The ongoing years-long project to replace all the windows with double-glazed windows continues.
The construction company de Boer replaced almost all windows in living areas. Still to go are the windows in the corridors and the window extension in the reception roof. The reception window weighed over 300 kg and needed some helping hands to move it into place!
Zen River Movie Reel
30/09/2024
Willy Bunan Combe, from the Zen River Lima group led by Ryusho Sensei, made this reel while at Zen River. Enjoy!
Sacred Mischief Workshop
30/09/2024
Zen River was happy to welcome professional clown Moshe Coen for a Sacred Mischief workshop. There was lots of bodywork, lightness and playfulness.
Jukai Ceremony for Zen River Lima group
26/09/2024
The Jukai Ceremony at Zen River for members of the Zen River Lima (Peru) group. Congratulations!Maria Belen Genjin 元仁 Mejia (Benevolence), Miguel Gennai 玄内 Le Goff (Inner Mystery), Mar Aigo 愛語 Hernandez (Loving Speech), Willy Bunan 不難 Combe (No Difficulties). They came with Ryusho Sensei, flying in from different countries including Bolivia, Colombia, Lima, and Barcelona. Seven Zen Y Vida group members from Madrid, led by Juancho Calvo, also joined. It was a colourful week!
Window Repair and Renovation
25/09/2024
Double glazing and window renovations in windows and glass doors continue at Zen River. Even with so many windows already replaced, there is still a long way to go. Bouwbedrijf de Boer are busy working to get things done!
Lay Head Monk – Hossenshiki 2024
26/08/2024
For the Summer Month long sesshin this year, Tenkei Roshi requested Rian Chân Không van Erp to take on the position of Lay Shuso this time. She is a senior student of Meindert Musho van den Heuvel Roshi who teaches at ‘Zen in de Roos’ in Amsterdam. Congratulations!
Summer Month Long 2024
12/08/2024
The summer month-long was a full house this year. There were also Zoom talks given by Prof Layne Little from UC Davis California, Roshis Jikyo Miller from San Diego, and Tenshin Fletcher from Yokoji, California, plus an in-person talk by Dr. Han de Wit, a student of Trungpa Rinpoche and a well-known Dutch author.
Young Minds Seminar 2024
11/07/2024
Teaching of the Great Mountain
Now available on all Amazon storefronts. A reprinted hardcover version from the original Teaching of the Great Mountain, by Taizan Maezumi Roshi. It was first published by Tuttle in 2001. The text was transcribed, compiled and formatted by Tenkei Coppens from talks given by Maezumi Roshi in the UK in the 80’s.
ShoSaiMyo
June 24 2024
On June 24 2024, after a year of production, a new album of sutras created by Tammy Myoho Gabrysch and produced by Brad Stock at Painted Sky Studios is now available on Bandcamp. And on September 6, a teaser for the forthcoming Unplugged album was released, see below. Enjoy listening! Proceeds will support the Zen River scholarship fund.
White Plum Meeting, June 20-23, 2024
During the White Plum meeting in five different temples across Europe, the UK, and the USA, Zen River was invited to officiate the Memorial Service for Maezumi Roshi, with music and slideshows.
Visit Zen River Madrid
Zazenkais at Zen River Madrid, Manzanares el Real; Villa Milagros, & Zen Y Vida Madrid
15/06/2024
Spring Summer Newsletter 2024
newsletter-05-24.03
Jukai Ceremony
01/05/2024
At the end of the Sakura Spring Sesshin, Alessandro Shindō 深堂 (Profound/deep Temple) Tesolin, and Juancho Kozan 古山 (Ancient Mountain) Calvo both received Jukai from Tenkei Roshi. Congratulations!
Dharma Ancestor Service
01/05/2024
An evening service for our Dharma ancestors, Maezumi Roshi and Hojosan was held in the Buddha Grove.
Wat Buddhavihara Temple in Purmerend
20/04/2024
Last year, the new temple of Wat Buddhavihara was inaugurated in Purmerend, The Netherlands. On April 20th, the B.U.N. (Buddhist Union Netherlands) was invited there – for a workshop on the theme othe f diversity of Buddhism in the Netherlands – and again celebrate this auspicious occasion for the Thai community. As an active member of the B.U.N. Tenkei Roshi was invited to give one of several short introductory speeches. The afternoon was followed by a General Members Meeting.
Spring arrives at Zen River
19/04/2024
Shusohossenshiki Ceremony
February 24, 2024
24/02/2024
On Saturday, February 24th, Marloes Myokan Harkema finished her term as Shuso for the Winter Ango with Shusohossenshiki. The ceremony was well attended by many members, family and friends. Zen River was happy to welcome Rev. Soho Kakita, the new European Sokan, as Jokeshi – the official witness from the Soto School. Congratulations!
Lecture by Rev. Soho Kakita, the new European Sokan.
24/02/2024
Rev. Soho Kakita gave an interesting lecture on the Shuryo-shingi written by Dogen Zenji with his translation. It is a list of instructions on how to behave in the Shuryo (“lecture hall”) in Japanese training temples.
Jukai Ceremony
10/02/2024
Congratulations to Cor Mukan 無 関 (No Barrier) Buisman and Guido Chonen 超 然 (going beyond all distinctions) Klerk upon receiving Jukai from Tenkei Roshi. The ceremony took place at the beginning of the February Gyoji week.
Young Minds Weekend Seminar
05/02/2024
This year’s Young Minds Seminar included guided zazen with Tenkei Roshi using the four modes of meditation, a Right Speech class with Shuso Myokan, exercises to help with zazen posture with Doin Sensei and a question and answer session with Taikan. This time we held an enthusiastic singing workshop led by Pieter Fumon Bosma! Mornings began early at 5:00 am with zazen, formal oryoki meals in the zendo, and work practice in the garden, kitchen, and indoor cleaning.
Shiho Ceremony for Shosan Zen’etsu Klopman
23/01/2024
Zen River is happy to announce that on January 20, 2024, Tenkei Roshi gave Shiho/Denbo (Dharma Transmission) to Gert Shosan Zen’etsu Klopman at Zen River temple. It was a wonderful day. Michel Genko Dubois Roshi came from Paris to attend the Denkai evening ceremony as Kyojushi, and Gakudo Roshi travelled from Keiryuji, Spain to join the celebrations. Congratulations!
Also, Ranka Sensei led a sewing crew of members at the Zen Boat to secretly stitch the mokoran-coloured Okesa for the transmission, and Taikan carved a beautiful kotsu (teaching stick) from the cherry wood trees that used to line the driveway.
Wintery Winter Ango & Gyōji Week
16/01/2024
A Wintery Winter Ango! The second Gyōji week of the Winter Ango suddenly felt a frosty bite in the air after days of rain. This week, eighteen Zen River members and residents are practising together. They come from The Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Slovakia, Italy, the USA, and Germany. Quite an international group!
Gyōji week is where we welcome both familiar members and newcomers. And if you are a member of Zen River, you can register anytime there is practice ongoing outside of sesshins.
| December 27 – Jan.1, 2024 | New Year Sesshin Part 1 |
| January 3–6, 2024 | New Year Sesshin Part 2 |
| January 13-18 | Gyōji Week |
| January 26-28 | Bodhidharma Weekend Sesshin |
| February 3-4 | Young Minds Seminar |
| February 17-24 | Ango Closing Sesshin |
| February 25-March 8 | No scheduled activities |
| SPRING INTERIM 2024 | |
| March 16-17 | Rakusu Sewing Sesshin |
| March 29-31 | Easter Weekend Sesshin |
| April 13-18 | Gyōji Week |
| April 27-May 2 | Sakura Spring Sesshin |
| May 11-16 | Gyōji Week |
| SUMMER ANGO | |
| May 25-30 | Falling Flowers Sesshin |
| June 8-13 | Gyoji Week |
| June 21-23 | Weekend Sesshin |
| July 6-11 | Young Minds Seminar |
| Summer Monthlong Sesshin | July 27-August 24 |
| week 1 | July 27-August 1 (5-day) |
| week 2 | August 3-8 (5-day) |
| week 3 | August 10-15 (5-day) |
| week 4 | August 17-24 (7-day) |
| August 25 – September 6 | No scheduled activities |
| September 13–15 | Weekend Sesshin – Lima group |
| September 27–29 | Sacred Mischief, Equanimity and the Worldy Winds w/ Moshe Cohen |
| October 26–31 | Falling Leaves Sesshin |
| November 8–10 | Rakusu Sewing Sesshin |
| November 9-14 | Gyōji Week |
| November 23–30 | Rohatsu Sesshin |
| December 14–19 | Gyōji Week |
| December 18, 20:00 | Tutti Cantano Choir concert at Zen River |
| December 27-Jan.1, 2025 | New Years Sesshin part 1 |