Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

jogen · 2007-04-30 14:45:33

Hello all,
My name is Jogen Adam Salzberg.
I am a Soto Zen monk living in a countryside monastery just north of Portland, Oregon.
I have been interested in shakuhachi for many years. i took a workshop five years ago with Barry Weiss at Zen Mountain Monastery in upstate New York.
All weekend couldn't make a toot!
So i lost heart.

But about three months ago, inspiration lept from the void and i am now a zealous shakuhachi student. A kind person donated a YUU flute to my teacher Larry Tyrell.

I am interested in exploring different facets of the instrument:
Its relation to Zen practice, specifically Su so kan breathing. Honkyoku. ecstatic jazz i. e. Alice Coltrane , Pharoah Sanders, etc.

I am probably in a honeymoon period .
i play as much as possible, wandering around the buildings and grounds of this temple, discovering sacred acoustics.

Maybe my experience with formal Zen training can be helpful to folks who are interested in unlocking the meditative dimensions of this wonderful instrument.

Any Oregon players on this forum?

dstone · 2007-04-30 17:08:20

Hi Jogen. Welcome to the community! You're fortunate to find a good teacher like Larry close by!

I do zazen though I can't consider myself a serious enough student of it. There are several Zen practitioners around here that also play shakuhachi. Alcvin Ramos, Peter Smith, etc. There's a great monk (Master "Henry") that runs the Sunshine Coast Ch'an Monastery (close to Bamboo-In) and he permits shakuhachi in the hall after sitting meditation occasionally, sometimes if there is a group of us.

What do your fellow monks/priests think of your new practice?

-Darren.

jogen · 2007-04-30 20:29:24

Alcvin Ramos played for our Portland community during sitting meditation last year.
I was very moved by the depth of his playing.
I hope to do a retreat at Bamboo-in next summer if i can work it out.

The other residents here seem to really appreciate the sound of the shakuhachi.
One of the monks told me he goes to the meditation hall to do listening practice when i am playing.

shaman141 · 2007-04-30 20:58:53

Welcome to the forum! I am a student of Alcvin's. I find that his sound is deeply moving as well.

Last edited by shaman141 (2007-04-30 21:01:34)

Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

#1 2007-04-30 14:45:33

Greetings shakuhachi family

#2 2007-04-30 17:08:20

Re: Greetings shakuhachi family

#3 2007-04-30 20:29:24

Re: Greetings shakuhachi family

#4 2007-04-30 20:58:53

Re: Greetings shakuhachi family

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