We are very happy to welcome back Zengetsu Myōkyō, Oshō and Sōgen Charles Billingsley to lead this year’s Rohatsu Sesshin. The Sesshin will begin on Tuesday December 6th at 3pm and conclude at 10am Sunday, December 11th PDT. Myōkyō and Sōgen will be giving daily talks and Myōkyō will be offering individual practice meetings. Off-line time will be built into the schedule to allow for meals, work practice at your home, and kinhin. Please register here or from the rinzaiji.org website, and you will be sent the Zoom links, the schedule, and instructions for a practice meeting with Myōkyō. Those practitioners who are in the Los Angeles area may attend in person at Rinzai-ji. To attend in person, you must be vaccinated or show proof of negative COVID test within 48 hours of arrival to Rinzai-ji.

Although we encourage full time participation, you may join for as much as you can. The cost to attend is $250 full time or $60 per day (in person attendance) – $125 full time or $30 per day (online attendance). We know that some people are struggling financially, and we want to make these offerings available to everyone, regardless of ability to pay. If you can afford more, please consider giving at a higher level to help others. If you need financial assistance, reduced fees are available to those who would otherwise be unable to attend. Please email offfice@rinzai-ji with your plans for full-time or part-time participation, in-person or online. We look forward to practicing with you soon!

Myōkyō began her training with Kyozan Jōshu Roshi in 1980 and moved to Mt. Baldy in 1985. She was ordained as a Zen monk in 1986 at Mt. Baldy Zen Center.  Myōkyō practiced at Mt. Baldy and Rinzai–ji Zen Centers in California and Bodhi Manda and Albuquerque Zen Centers in New Mexico before returning to Canada in 1995.  She was ordained as an Osho in 1999, receiving the religious name of Zengetsu, and continued to study with Jōshū Roshi until his death in July, 2014.  In Montreal, Myōkyō has been involved with the larger Buddhist community and in interreligious dialogue, and served as Associate Buddhist Chaplain at Concordia University and at McGill University for a number of years.  The Zen Centre that Myōkyō established in 1995, Enpuku-ji Zen Centre, is celebrating its 27th anniversary this year.

Sōgen Charles Billingsley began Zen practice in 2007 and soon became a student of Joshu Sasaki Roshi and Sokai Osho. In June of 2014 he was ordained by Sokai, who conducted the ceremony in place of Joshu Roshi due to Roshi’s failing health. Sokai, who was also gravely ill at the time, passed away four days later. Joshu Roshi died a few weeks after Sokai. Sogen became a devoted student of Shunan Noritake Roshi and ordained as his disciple at Reiun-in Temple in Kyoto, Japan in May 2017.