"Visiting Shasta Abbey can be a little like experiencing a time-warp. On a dark night when the grounds are covered with snow, and black-cloaked monks, solitary figures against the white, walk to and fro around the cloister's unfinished boardwalk, one can easily imagine having stepped several centuries back in time. The silent, one-story monastery, cast in the yellowish glow of small lanterns placed at intervals around the walk, is a tranquil presence in the night. An occasional bell blends with the stillness."
"Closer observation reveals that you are very definitely in the 20th century. Those small lanterns with their magical yellow light are electric and about half the monks you meet are women priests, not nuns, as would have surely been the case centuries ago; indeed, it would have been the case even a few years ago. Moreover, in this otherworldly place where time both stands still and moves forward, even the Zen Master is a woman,"
"Reverend Jiyu-Kennett, or "Roshi" as she is most often called by the 38 monks, or trainees, who make up this small community, is an imposing personage: large, with shaven head and a frequent smile that unfailingly takes over the lower part of her face, she is acutely attuned to the "woman problem" and is an articulate spokesperson on behalf of her sex."
Shasta Abbey evokes a timeless monastic atmosphere while revealing clear 20th-century elements such as electric lanterns. About half the monks in the community are women priests rather than nuns. Reverend Jiyu-Kennett, commonly called Roshi, leads a small community of 38 trainees and presents a strong, imposing presence. She displays a frequent smile and a shaven head. She is acutely aware of gender-related challenges within monastic life and serves as an articulate spokesperson for women. She met with a small group of women, including women trainees, to address issues affecting female priests.
Read at Yoga Journal
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