Chan Teacher Dongshan Jiangjie’s Song of the Jewel Mirror Samadhi
is the theme for Hokyoji's 2023 Jewel Mirror sesshin led by
Reverends Daigaku Rummé, Reirin Alheidis Gumbel and Dokai Georgesen.
This in-person only 7-day retreat will begin
Saturday, August 19 at 4:00 pm and continue through Saturday, August 26 at noon.
The text we’ll be studying this year is Hōkyō Zanmai, Jewel Mirror Awareness, traditionally associated with the 9th-century Chinese founder of the Caodong School, Dongshan Liangjie (J. Tōzan Ryōkai). The term Hōkyō in Hōkyō Zanmai, 宝鏡三昧, is the same as that in Hokyoji's name, 宝鏡寺, Jewel Mirror Temple.
Retreat Leaders (from left to right as shown in the photo below)
Reirin Alheidis Gumbel has been the Resident Priest at Milwaukee Zen Center since 2015. After many years of being a lay practitioner, she was trained at the San Francisco Zen Center, where she lived as a monastic for almost 12 years. She was ordained as a Soto Zen Priest by Furyu Nancy Schroeder in 2007 and received Dharma Transmission in May of 2019. Reirin attempts to be an example for her sangha by maintaining a strong sitting practice and bringing it into the world that so urgently needs the dharma.
Dokai Georgesen began his Zen study at Minnesota Zen Meditation Center with Katagiri Roshi in 1974. He went on a 2-year pilgrimage studying Buddhism in India and Japan. Upon returning, he lived at Hokyoji until his ordination in 1984. He received Dharma Transmission from Katagiri Roshi in 1989. Since then he's traveled to Japan several times to practice with Ikko Narasaki Roshi, Tsugen Narasaki Roshi, and Maezumi Roshi. Dokai serves as board president of the Soto Zen Buddhist Association. He currently divides his time between Hokyoji and an apartment in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He has been Hokyoji's guiding teacher since 2007.
Daigaku Rummé was ordained a Soto monk by Harada Sekkei Roshi in 1978 and trained with him for over 27 years at Hosshinji Monastery in Japan. In 2003 he began working at the Soto Zen Buddhism International Center in San Francisco. He then moved to L.A. in 2010, where he was Director of the Soto Zen Buddhism North America Office and Head Priest of Zenshuji Soto Temple. In 2015, he moved to St. Louis and founded Confluence Zen Center where he is the guiding teacher.
