Chapter 13: Zen Training Fr. Seraphim Rose Orthodoxy And The Religion Of The Future

In Northern California near Mount Shasta lies Shasta Abbey, the first successful American Zen Buddhist monastery established in 1970 by Zen Master Jiyu Kennett. The monastery offers a strict five-year training program for male and female "priests" emphasizing intense meditation and Buddhist ceremonies. Despite being a reformed Soto Zen sect, Shasta Abbey conducts traditions in the Japanese Zen style. The Abbess, a Western woman with extensive Buddhist training, has attracted many young followers through her authentic transmission of Zen teachings. The Abbey's focus is on spiritual growth, compassion, and the banishment of illusions about oneself and spiritual life. Embracing a Buddhism filled with love and compassion, Shasta Abbey emphasizes hard work, rigorous training, and a rejection of traditional Japanese customs and mystical practices. The Abbey has expanded rapidly and holds a condescending attitude towards Christianity, advocating that the highest religious ideal can be achieved without Christ.