The Jewel Mirror Sesshin 2026 was the last one in this form that Daigaku Rumme, Dokai Georgesen and Reirin Gumbel had led for several years. Dokai is retiring from being the head teacher and resident priest at Hokyoji, and Daigaku is looking for a more conveniently located retreat place for his Confluence Sangha of St. Louis.
The nineteen Zen students sat remarkably silent and still, with a number of old timers and also very new practitioners. All participants came for the entire seven days and everybody sat every period of zazen.
It was a delight to practice in the new zendo, which has a dokusan and bathrooms attached in the same building. The kaisando (founder’s hall) is a separated, open room behind the altar.
The space around the building is still in need of landscaping, and with the rain became quite muddy. A Kuan Yin shrine is planned opposite the zendo entrance, and a golden Buddha will be seated under a large tree. There will also be a gate through which the visitors arrive.
