The Chicken Coop Zendo

by Phyllis Conlan

Upon retiring from teaching, I felt that I would like to begin a sitting group at my home off of Tassajara Rd. in Carmel Valley.  I mentioned this to Leslie James, of Tassajara, and was surprised when she offered the use of a “little zendo” on the SFZC property at Jamesburg. (Jamesburg is the origin of the “stage” which ferries guests in and out of Tassajara during guest season.) She explained that years ago, there was a chicken coop on the property, which was at some point abandoned. A student from Tassajara and a local carpenter transformed the coop into a zendo, and it was used as such for a time. Eventually, it fell into disuse, and by the time I first saw it had been used mostly as storage space. Rain had leaked in through the roof, and the roof repair left chunks of plaster and dust everywhere. Nevertheless, I was drawn to the location with its rustic charm and country feel. Keith and Leslie helped to disperse the things that had been stored there, and I began to clean in earnest. 

There were quite a number of zabutan and zafu, some seiza benches, a photograph of Suzuki Roshi, and one of a Buddha statue from SFZC, even medium and small size bells. The last thing I did after cleaning and arranging the room was to place flowers on the altar and light a stick of incense. So the chicken coop became a place to meditate once again.

Next time: Building Sangha