Tassajara Zen Mountain Center

Tassajara Zen Mountain Center Threatened by California Wildfires

• Tassajara Zen Mountain Center (Zenshinji) is a Buddhist monastery located in the heart of the Ventana Wilderness, just inland from the Central Coast of California. Every fall and winter, Tassajara devotes itself to practicing the monastic forms passed down through the Soto Zen tradition.
• Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Carmel Valley, CA. 12,071 likes 187 talking about this 929 were here. A Zen Buddhist monastery in the fall and winter, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center opens its gates.

Little volunteer work at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, on September 10, 2001. When the Twin Towers fell during the first period of meditation on my first morning there, all I could think was, “okay, you’ve got my attention.” My immediate instinct was to start packing.

The Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, one of the three practice centers associated with the San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC), is under threat from the Dolan fire, one of 23 large wildfires currently burning in California, according to firefighting officials. While tens of thousands of residents across the state have been forced to evacuate their homes, the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center is not yet in immediate danger.

As of 23 August, there were four people staying at Tassajara—down from 15 a few days earlier—two of whom have professional firefighting experience and two residents with experience and knowledge of Tassajara systems and terrain. The center is a monastery and retreat center in the remote Ventana Wilderness in central California.

Tassajara Zen Mountain Center Los Padres National Forest

The Dolan fire has burned 21,844 acres (8,840 hectares) and was 15 per cent contained as of Wednesday morning, according to the US Forest Service.

Tassajara Zen Mountain Center is near the Tassajara Hot Springs, indicated in the middle of this map
from 22 August. From sfzc.org

Two other conflagrations in the area, the River and Carmel fires, also pose a threat, but are currently seeing “containment numbers in the 30–33 per cent range” according to Tassajara’s latest fire update, which added: “The Dolan fire’s eastern edge continues to burn into the Ventana and firefighters are monitoring it near the North Coast Ridge Road and North Coast Ridge trail.” (San Francisco Zen Center)

In a 24 August update, Tassajara reported: “Yesterday afternoon various Buddha and bodhisattva statues from around Tassajara were buried in the bocce ball court to protect them should a fire come. This task was performed with great reverence, ceremony, and care by Kogen, a SFZC priest who is one of the four fire crew members currently at Tassajara. In this photo, some of the statues look on as the trench is dug. They will be carefully wrapped before being buried.”

From sfzc.org

Along with these activities, workers continue to clear brush to reduce fuel for the fire should it reach the center and run the center’s sprinkler system, nicknamed “Dharma Rain.” With all of the watering taking place, Greg Fain, a longtime Tassajara resident, described his experience as “a very soggy situation.” (San Francisco Zen Center)

Tuesday, the SFZC leadership wrote to express thanks to all those who have worked diligently to protect Tassajara:

We want to express our tremendous gratitude to the residents of Tassajara who have done so much work this spring and summer in preparation for the possibility of fire. Many people spent hard-working hours on fuel reduction, pump and Dharma Rain maintenance, care for the grounds, as well as all the regular everyday upkeep.

The crew who is at Tassajara now sent this message: 'We would be so much further behind the curve if that work wasn’t performed. Now we can focus on more technical things. We really want to acknowledge what was done and stress the value of preventative work.”

Tassajara would not exist without the people who make it so. Please know how much appreciation is coming your way.

Leslie James, Abiding Teacher, Tassajara
Rinso Ed Sattizahn, Abiding Central Abbot
Tenzen David Zimmerman, City Center Abiding Abbot
Ryushin Paul Haller, Urban Temple Dharma Teacher
Helen Degenhardt, Board Chair
Shinchi Linda Galijan, President
Sozan Diego Miglioli, Vice President
(San Francisco Zen Center)

Members of the SFZC noted that those remaining at the center felt “optimistic and energized” and were continuing their efforts to protect the area. Another SFZC practice center, Green Gulch Farm, was close to the Woodward fire but was not under immediate threat.

In addition to their concern for the concern for the Tassajara center, they pointed readers to a 24 August update from the US Forest Service detailing their efforts to protect the rare California Condor and other species in the area.

See more

Fire Updates (San Francisco Zen Center)
Incidents (CalFire)
Dolan Fire Condor and Species of Concern Update (Facebook)
California condor sanctuary near Big Sur ‘completely destroyed’ as Dolan Fire spreads (San Luis Obispo Tribune)

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Monks Perform Healing Ritual at California Town Affected by Devastating Wildfire
Buddhist Humanitarian Organization Tzu Chi USA Offers a Helping Hand to California Wildfire Victims
California Wildfire Update: Abhiyagiri Monastics Return Home After Sheltering at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas
California Wildfires Drive Buddhists from their Monasteries

Tassajara Ca

39171 Tassajara Rd, Carmel Valley, CA 93924

All Levels

$$-$$$

Tassajara Zen Mountain Center

I was really excited to visit this retreat center- it has history. The first Soto Zen training center the US, Tassajara is part of the San Francisco Zen Center and was established in 1967. Although the price tag was steep for a weekend retreat, I felt like I had to experience this center which only opens it’s doors to visitors during the summer months. The workshop I choose was a combination of yoga and hiking with a Buddhist perspective, it sounded like complete perfection to me. Getting to the retreat involves a four wheel drive vehicle since the dirt roads you have to traverse are rocky and steep. The center offers a shuttle at different times during the day for an additional cost in case you, like most guests, don’t have an appropriate vehicle. This choice was what I opted for and was surprised it was an additional cost and not included in the price of the workshop.

There are several different options for accommodations at Tassajara. I choose one of the Redwood Cabins, which was a collection of free standing small cabins. The interior is decorated in very humble accommodations and in the traditional Japanese way there are two tatami straw mats on the floor and the mattresses sit on top. I did not mind sleeping on the floor and the mattresses were actually really comfortable, but what I did mind was the collection of black spiders that continued to make an appearance during my stay. I don’t have a ton of fears but spiders are on the list – up high on the list. Against my better judgement and needing to sleep in the cabin I exterminated a few, with regret and blessings, and thought of the irony here at a Buddhist Zen center where harming all sentient beings is wrong. I began by trapping the first visitor in a glass cup which took what seemed like an hour since he would duck away and reappear across the room. What I later discovered that there was a village that lived in the cabin and there was no way I was going to sleep until they were cleared from my area.

The food was incredibly disappointing. For vegans they had plain rice and lentils with zero seasoning – every meal. It was barely palatable and for the cost of the retreat you would think the food offerings would be much better. There were tables enjoying wine they brought so that was allowed although I don’t believe it was sold there. There is a cute bookstore and a really nice collection of hot springs. The hot springs is what I looked forward to most during my stay and anxiously after check in grabbed my suit and headed over but the bummer was again – BUGS. More bugs! These were flying, biting little insects that were in masses. They were so bad that the lounge chairs around the pool had netting to protect you from getting bit. This is an obvious reoccurring problem at the center.

Tassajara Hot Springs

I was super disappointed with my stay at Tassajara and was almost angered at the total charge of the weekend. It is real hard to relax when there are spiders in your bed and the food options are sad. If this had been a donation based experience I would have been far less disappointed. I could not wait to leave.

Tassajara Zen Mountain Center Weather

I would possibly go back in a different season – maybe when the bugs aren’t as active and try a different type of accommodation