I found a notice in my email forwarded from Zen Mountain Monastery in New York. It is a significant marker in our larger contemporary Western Zen community and so I’m sharing the gist of it.
This past Sunday (John Daido Loori) Roshi met with the Zen Mountain Monastery Board of Directors to let them know he feels it is time for him step down as Abbot General of the Order and to pass his responsibilities on to the next generation.
He asked that Shugen Sensei step into the position of Abbot General, and that this go into effect immediately. He reiterated his previously stated wishes that Shugen Sensei assume the role of Abbot of the Zen Center of New York City and Ryushin Sensei assume the abbot’s position of Zen Mountain Monastery.
There will be a private ceremony where the roshi will “Descend the Mountain.” I previously announced a time and date. However they are concerned about space, and so if you were not directly invited, please forgo planning on attending.
Words to the abbots-elect and to the old roshi, however, through letter or email, are more than appropriate…
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