Sensei Taigen Henderson Member since always
One of my earliest memories of the Vermont Zen Centre was coming down to a sesshin in the early ‘90’s with Jim Bedard and Ross Gray, two other senior members of the Toronto Zen Centre. Roshi had just recently gra- ciously accepted the Toronto Zen Centre and all of her members into her now “Triple Sangha.”
Jim drove his van and brought the camping trailer along too. I had never been to sesshin in Vermont before and didn’t realize that we were bring- ing along our own lodgings. The Zen house looked like any other suburban house except that the grounds were immaculate and many new evergreen trees were growing along the driveway.
It must have been a full sesshin because there were outhouses near the garage entrance and I thought to myself, “They must be doing some con- struction,” as I assumed that the outhouses were for the tradesmen. The next surprise was all the Vermonters huddled around the island sink talk- ing as if they were just about to go to a party. “Don’t they know how seri- ous sesshin is?” I remember thinking—with my non-judgemental mind!
Then came the realization that I would be staying in the camper with two Vermonters. We soon learned that Roshi would do anything to be able to accept everyone who applied into sesshin. This was an introduction to the true meaning of Mahayana, the greater vehicle! Yes, the outhouses were for the sesshin participants too and they would be a regular feature of Vermont sesshin while aspiring Canadian students filled the facilities to overflowing. Trailer Camp Zen included the smallest sesshin kitchen out- side the Toronto Zen Centre, and meals were served with the help of dy- namic roller derby carts for passing the food along the zendo floor. The Ver- monters were like pioneers who wasted nothing and for whom every square inch of space was utilized. Yet honestly it never felt crowded— even in the kitchen. Putting away leftovers was like a ballet dance, one had to pirouette between the fridge, sink and counter without getting in the way of the cooks. (continued on next page)
The mean temperature during that June sesshin was over a hundred de- grees every day and that was at 5 a.m., yet another reason to keep the eyes down, as it was much better not to know. However this trailer camp Zen was a true incubator rather than a pressure cooker. The inner inten- sity of the practice was unlike any other I had experienced in Toronto or Rochester and those humble beginnings forged a determination for the Buddha and Dharma in this unique Sangha that would eventually manifest in the present day facilities.
It was nothing less than the blending of wisdom and compassion in equal measure. I felt from the very first day of sesshin after the opening cere- mony that we had found our true home. It was confirmed by the way the Vermont Sangha welcomed their new Dharma brothers. Trailer Camp Zen!