Richard Baker Passes The Mantle

Zentatsu passes the mantle on to Tatsudo

Cuke Podcast on A Month with Dharma Sangha Germany 🔊 (2024)

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Crestone Mountain Zen Center Report on the Mountain Seat Ceremony of Tatsudo Nicole Baden

The ZBZS Mountain Seat Ceremony Weekend

From late August to late September, I stayed a month at Zen Buddhistisches Zentrum Schwarzwald (ZBZS), the Zen Buddhist Black Forest Center of Dharma Sangha founded by Zentatsu Richard Baker. I stayed in Johanneshof, once a Steiner school, one of two neighboring places that houses the center. The other is a large house/shop building called Hoffhaus. It was my fourth extended stay there in 24 years. Every time it gets better. Most the time it was me, Zentatsu, a few staff older but younger than us, and mainly young students practicing there who were a pleasure to be with. The reason they kindly flew me there was the Mountain Seat Ceremony for Tatsudo Nicole Baden.

Ulrika Greenway far left. Brian deCamp, Paul Rosenblum, Vanja Palmers, Nyoze Kwong, David Zimmerman, Tova Green at far right

The ceremony weekend was on a grand scale. There were two very large connected tents—one for ceremony and one for dining. 250 people came— started arriving earlier in the week. Hoitsu Suzuki and his son Shungo came from Rinsoin. A delegation came from the SFZC—David Zimmerman (SFZC central abbot), Fu Nancy Schroeder, Tova Green, Vickie Austin. Also Nyoze Kwong, abbot of Sonoma Mt. ZC. There were two shifts of morning zazen—5:30 for those staying in the nearby buildings and 7:00 for those coming in by shuttle. Friday afternoon was Zentatsu Richard Baker's stepping down ceremony. The morning program was hosted by Paul Rosenblum. People speaking about Richard—me first, Michael Murphy and Jerry Brown via video, and a panel including Fu Schroeder. Saturday morning there was a panel talking about the future of Zen in the West with Shungo Suzuki, David Zimmerman and a few others. Hoitsu gave a talk that was well-received. Saturday afternoon was Nicole Baden's stepping up ceremony, the first hour a procession going from place to place outside of the tent where the ceremony proper was held. The congratulations at the end took up another hour. Simultaneous translation of German and English was on large screens.

Next to the tent was a massive camp kitchen with large ovens, dishwasher, prep tables, refrigerator truck. There was a staff of about twenty preparing three buffet meals a day, cleaning up, and taking care of everything else. An ice cream truck rolled up Friday after dinner with two scoops for everyone, choice of flavors. A dance with lights and mist and DJ Saturday night. The dance floor was crowded and lively due to there being so many young people. The Sunday closing ceremony was brief and informal. There was constant mingling all weekend. I spent time with the Suzukis, Kamala and Tom Buckner, Vanja Palmers, Nyoze Kwong, Norman and Kathy Fischer, María del Rocío Hernández, Vicki Austin (who helped with the ceremonies), David Zimmerman, Fu Nancy Schroeder, Tova Green, Ted Howell and his wife April, Zentatsu's three daughters—Sally, Elizabeth, and Sophia, his amicable ex Marie Louise, a quick hello to David Schneider who had to leave too soon, lots of Dharma Sangha dear friends too many to name, mainly European, and Alan Julseth, an American who's been in Germany for 40 years. Good vibes all around. When it was over and the guests departed, the whole place rested for two days—no schedule, no communal meals.

— DC