From October 9-13, 2024, The Silent Thunder Order will hold its annual Fall retreat. This year's theme celebrates a unique and significant feature of our Order: our Guiding Teacher, Taiun Michael Elliston Roshi, has received transmission from two teachers of two different lineages: Soyu Matsuoka Roshi and Shohaku Okumura Roshi.
During this retreat, we will explore ancestry and lineage, focusing on celebrating the legacy of the Kodo Sawaki, Kosho Uchiyama, and Shohaku Okumura lineage. You may go here to register---- https://storder.org/2024-aszc-sto-fall-retreat/
These three teachers span the entirety of the twentieth century:
Our ancestors refer to all those who have taken vows and shared the Dharma since Mahakasyapa from Shakyamuni Buddha 2,500 years ago. Our lineage includes those ancestors through whom we trace direct transmission from one to another. Join us as we explore one side of our blended family tree.
In 2020, I spent seven days in retreat inscribing the names of men and women ancestors recognized through my teacher. I have read books about the Matsuoka lineage and other writings and talks by Elliston Roshi about his teacher over the last twenty-five years. About five years ago, Roshi asked that our Order recognize its broader heritage. Two years ago, we discussed and read works from Daikaku Kongo Richard Langlois, Dharma brother of Elliston Roshi: Kongo Roshi bio.
This year, our family tree adds new leaves, branches, roots, and xylem (marrow). In 2025, we will celebrate the eighty-fifth anniversary of our root teacher, Soyu Matsuoka Roshi, coming to the United States to include a documentary about his life. This celebration will honor his life and also the role of his student and our teacher, Taiun Elliston Roshi, and his nearly sixty years of sharing the Dharma.
We often refer to Zazen as sitting with the ancestors. This means addressing the profound question, “Great is the meaning of life and death,” for all of us who follow the Way today are ancestors in waiting. Tuesday night October 1, 2024, we’ll talk about how the Falmouth Soto Zen Sangha fits into the wonder of this all.
Join us in person at our zendo in the First Congregational Church of Falmouth or via Zoom: Zoom link (Password: FSZS). The service begins at 7:00 PM EDT.
108 Bows,
Sangaku
Unshin Sangaku Dan Joslyn-sensei
Founder and Guiding Teacher
Falmouth Soto Zen Sangha
404-702-7646
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