eMirror Vol 30, No. 9 (2026-02-27)

Bodhidharma zenga with "Mu Shin" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi
eMirror Vol 30, No. 9
Friday, February 27th, 2026
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
In Eihei Koroku 7.524, on the occasion of a memorial for his late brother and adoptive guardian Minamoto Michitiomo, Dogen said,
“Li and Chang’s thinking of heaven and earth are just about exhausted in steady sitting. Did you know that above the sitting cushions and Zen boards that hell’s hot water in the cauldrons and charcoal in the fires are naturally pure and cool?”
The Buddhist hells are essentially the results of following contraction. Sometimes they were believed in as literal places, sometimes they were used primarily as a moralistic device, sometimes as a metaphor for contraction itself. Just sitting up straight, as steadily as you can, in the midst of whatever state of contraction arises, just open around it. Don’t clench the mind against the mind. Don’t struggle. Don’t try to stop thinking. Just stop propagating thoughts. Don’t follow the tendency to contract and congeal. If a discursive thought is present, just stop following it. A discursive sentence need never be completed. Just drop it and open up to the fact of the breath, the actuality of bodily sensation, and sit up straight. Feel the breath with the tanden, the whole hara or belly breathing, the chest expanding and emptying, feel each finger touching each finger in the mudra, feel each toe and each wrinkle of the skin of the insteps of the feet, the elbows and ears, the face and shoulders all together all at once. The temperature and movement or stillness of the air, the sounds and colours, the feeling and taste of the tongue against the hard palate of the mouth, the teeth touching each other, the hairs on the backs of the arms against cloth, the rising and falling of the breath, the rising and falling of the moment are all together and are all ways to practice being Before Thinking.
It is only if you open up that you can really drop through or datsaruku as Dogen zenji has so often expressed it. And once you drop through, you don’t come back. A moment of opening up is not the same as dropping through but there is no dropping through if you do not open up.
- Continuing teisho 8: 2005, in 13 August, 2005 in the series "Wandering on Medicine Mountain" presented by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin at Dainen-ji

The Hatto (for formal sittings)

The Zendo (for associate and general sittings)
Practice Schedule and Upcoming Events
Fusatsu (Renewal of Vows): March 4th, 18th, April 1st.
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place on Saturday, March 7th, at 1:45 p.m.
To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca ; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
Hermitage:
The Roshi is continuing an extended period of hermitage due to underlying health issues.
Weekly Practice Schedule
Formal Sittings for WWZC Students: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday Mornings. The formal sittings begin at 6:00 a.m. You would need to arrive by 5:45 in time for First Bell. The sitting ends at 7:25 with the Chants. Following that there is a Daruma-kata Aiki review which ends at about 7:50. If you need to leave before the kata, please let us know that in advance by sending an email to schedule@wwzc.org.
Saturday Morning General Sitting for WWZC Students: The general sitting begins at 9:30 a.m. You would need to arrive by 9:15 a.m., in time for First Bell. The sitting ends at 11:45 a.m. Some general students attend the 6:00 a.m. Saturday morning formal sitting, stay for breakfast and then attend the general sitting. If you stay for breakfast, there is a $5 contribution which can be made through Eventbrite: Register for Saturday Breakfast Proceeds from meals go to White Wind Zen Community.
Monday and Thursday Evening Associate Sittings for WWZC Students: The associate sitting begins at 7:30 p.m. You would need to arrive by 7:15 p.m., in time for First Bell. The sitting ends at 9:10 p.m.
Friday (Hosan): There are no formal sittings scheduled at the monastery on Fridays, but you are expected to sit at home if you have committed to sitting zazen daily. Retreats may be scheduled on Fridays.
Sunday Formal Sitting: The Sunday morning formal sittings are reserved for monastics, formal students, and probationary formal students. It starts at 7:00 a.m. and ends at 10:10 a.m. with the chants. Following that there is a Daruma-kata Aiki which ends at about 10:30 a.m.
Long Distance Training Program
For students living an hour or more commuting distance from the monastery in Ottawa, please visit this Web Page: https://wwzc.org/long-distance-training-program
What to do if you Arrive After the Sitting Begins
If you arrive after the sitting starts and the door is locked, you don't need to turn around and go home. Ring the bell once and then sit on the bench on the front porch. If possible, we will come and unlock the door for you right away. If we are in the middle of the chants or listening to a teisho, we will come to let you in as soon as the teisho finishes.
Retreats and Training Sessions
Information About Scheduling Retreats or Training Sessions
Rev. Chiso anagarika sat her weekly semi-retreat on Tuesday, February 24th in Cambridge, Massachusetts. General public studentThach Hoang sat a one-and-a-half day retreat from Saturday, February 21st to Sunday, February 22nd at his home in Laval, Quebec. General public student Andrew Campbell sat a two-day retreat from Monday, February 23rd to Wednesday, February 25th at Dainen-ji. Associate student Kaleb Shamway sat a partial retreat on Wednesday, February 25th at Dainen-ji. Associate student Kathleen Johnson sat a half-day retreat on Thursday, February 26th at Dainen-ji. Associate student Claude Schryer began a seven-day Training Session on Monday, February 23rd.
Recorded Teachings Schedule
Listening to Recorded Teisho and Dharma Talks
February 28th to March 7th:
General Sitting Saturday, February 28th: Studying the Mystery: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Shitou Xigran's Sandokai: Chanting of the Sandokai and Teisho 1: What We Do Here (34 minutes)
Monday, March 2nd and Thursday, March 5th Associate Sittings: Flowers and Worms: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentary on the Maharahulovadasutta: Teisho 3: The Worm (19 minutes)
Saturday, March 7th General Sitting: Studying the Mystery: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Shitou Xigran's Sandokai: Teisho 2: We Each Are Each Other (40 minutes)
Recorded Teachings for Public Access
While most of the online Recorded Teachings library is password-protected and only accessible to students of the Lineage of Zen Master Anzan Hoshin, a small selection of MP3 recordings of teisho are accessible to the public at wwzc.org/recorded-teachings Additional recordings will be uploaded periodically. MP3 recordings of four recorded teisho by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi are currently available:
Dharma Position http://wwzc.org/dharma-position
Eyes See, Ears Hear http://wwzc.org/eyes-see-ears-hear
Embarrassment http://wwzc.org/embarrassment
Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi's reading of his translation of Eihei Dogen zenji's “Bendowa: A Talk on Exerting the Way”: http://wwzc.org/bendowa-talk-exerting-way
Translations and Texts

Photograph of Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Daijozan, mid-1980s, by Ven. Shikai Zuiko osho
Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi has recently completed translation work on some shorter texts by Eihei Dogen zenji from the Shobogenzo. The work on these particular texts is based upon the literal translations that he worked on with Joshu Dainen roshi at Hakukaze-ji around 1977-78 followed by many years of putting them down, picking them up, and polishing. Naturally, more essential texts such as Uji, Genjokoan, Shinjin Gakudo and some 40 others were completed first and have been given extensive commentaries by the Roshi. This batch of texts includes Keisei Sanshoku: Sounds of Streams, Forms of Mountains, Baike: Plum Blossoms, Ryugin: Howling Dragon, and Udonge: The Udumbara Blossoming and many others are nearing completion. Annotation details and successfully conveying them across various document formats are the issue at this point.
Work on Bussho: Buddha Nature, a very long and nuanced text by Dogen zenji, is still ongoing.
Roshi also finished an update to the “Saijo Shingi: The Deportment of Radiance”, our manual of monastic training standards which is a supplement to the ancient Eihei Shingi and Keizan Shingi.
White Wind Zen Community Website Update
Dharma Talk: “Embarrassment”
Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi on August 25th, 1990.
https://wwzc.org/embarrassment-0/
Teisho: “Practising Without an Edge”
Teisho presented by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei on February 19th, 2025
https://wwzc.org/practising-without-an-edge/
Teisho: “I Know Who You Are!”
Teisho presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, presented at Dainen-ji on March 13th, 1999
https://wwzc.org/teisho-i-know-who-you-are/
Dharma Assembly: On Karma
Mondo by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, Presented in April of 1986, River Road Zendo.
https://wwzc.org/dharma-assembly-karma/
Request for Help to Maintain the Grounds
If you would like to offer time to help with maintenance in the grounds your help will be appreciated. You can offer a regular period of samu or make arrangements with the shissui to come for a single period of caretaking practice. Please write to info@wwzc.org or directly to Saigyo ino at saigyo.cross@gmail.com if you can assist with this work. Thank you.
Wooden Practice Materials for Sale in Myomaku
Saigyo ino has made a selection of wooden practice materials which are now for sale in Myomaku. These include boxes for storing incense, incense bowls, kneeling benches and kaishaku. He is donating a portion of the proceeds to WWZC. You are welcome to go into myomaku before or after sittings to see what’s available.

Alternate parking for sittings near Dainen-ji
If you need alternate parking near the monastery due to snow parking bans or lack of parking spots you can use the Loblaws car park located at 363 Rideau Street - Parking - Loblaws.
The car park is open until 10:00 p.m and charges $4 per hour. A full day 6:00a.m. to 6:00 p.m. is $10.

Office of the Tenzo
Dogen zenji taught in the Tenzo Kyokun: Instructions for the Tenzo (Tenzo kyokun: Instructions for the Tenzo https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/tenzo-kyokun-instructions-tenzo) that the work of preparing and serving meals is "a matter for realized monks who have the mind of the Way“, or by senior disciples who have roused the Way-seeking mind." In alignment with this, part of Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's samu for the Community involves personally overseeing the activities of the ancient Office of Tenzo. Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei serves as Tenzo and Mishin godo and Saigyo ino offer assistance as tenzo-anja.
The WWZC does not advocate any particular diet. However all meals prepared during practice events, such as Dharma Assemblies, sesshin, or retreats are vegetarian or vegan as most people can eat this. On Tuesday evenings there is an optional meat dish, as some people find that a purely vegetarian diet, especially as they get older, is not sufficient for their health. If you are adhering to a strictly vegan diet, you can write to the tenzo, Jinmyo Renge sensei, at jinmyo.renge@wwzc.org a week prior to attending an event to request vegan foods. If you are lactose intolerant or have allergies to foods, you should write to the tenzo about dietary restrictions a week before attending events.
Monday Yakuseki:
Spaghettini with braised tofu and vegetables (bok choy sum and baby Shanghai bok choy, green cabbage, strips of onion) in a sauce made from shoyu, slivered ginger, minced garlic, enoki sauce, white pepper, cayenne pepper, thickened with corn starch); a broth made from vegetable stock, mushroom powder, white pepper, shoyu, slivered ginger; fresh pineapple.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Cavatappi with pork and beef bolognese sauce; salad of chopped iceberg and green leaf, green crisp leaf, and red crisp leaf lettuce with thinly sliced celery and halved cherry tomatoes with an optional dressing of equal parts mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar with honey and black pepper; garlic bread.
Vegetarian option: Cavatappi with tomato sauce with red kidney beans (minced onion, celery, carrot, garlic, tinned plum tomatoes, tomato paste, olive oil, dried oregano, thyme, chile flakes, salt, pepper).
Thursday Yakuseki:
Thai jasmine rice; tamarind-peanut curry (chopped Spanish onion, diced green and poblano peppers, chopped carrots and zucchini, minced garlic, chopped daikon, sauteed tofu, Thai red curry paste, tamarind paste, peanut butter, light and dark soy sauce, small amount of maple syrup, coconut milk; served with chopped, steamed gai lan.

Thank You
If you would like to thank someone for a contribution they have made, please feel free to send an email to Jinmyo sensei at rengezo@gmail dot com, but be sure to type "eMirror” in the subject line.
From Mishin godo:
Thank you to the Roshi for the sho and zenga he has brushed the light up the practice space and hallways of the monastery. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for preparing delicious poke bowls including fresh shiso leaf that she is growing in the dining hall alongside other herbs and cherry tomato plants. Thank you to Saigyo ino for organizing the sale of several pieces of monastery furniture that aren't needed. Thank you to Fushin shuso for weekly archiving samu to update and clean the tags embedded in
MP3 files in the recorded Teachings library. Thank you to Senbo for contributing a number of the right size metal spoons for use during kitchen work by the Office of the Tenzo. Thank you to Myocho for carefully preparing the spreadsheets that record monthly donations which are used to prepare annual charitable donation receipts. Thank you to Yujin for cleaning and preparing candles for use in practice halls and other stations around the monastery.