25 Years Plowing the Clouds

Guided only by a scent, in 2001 our master, Barbara Kosen, arrived at the foothills of Almanzor Peak. After an initial disappointment with a possible domain, she suddenly found herself in what is now Shorin-ji, a place she soon named “the Forest of Awakening.” She discovered, as if by providence, that the land was for sale and, without hesitation or doubt, embarked upon the immense task of building a Zen temple.

In those days, the terraces that spread across the grounds were filled with olive and fig trees. After a wildfire, the land transformed into a forest of pines, strawberry trees, oaks, and the occasional wandering chestnut tree. Today, this forest coexists harmoniously with a large dojo and the various facilities that surround it and make the practice of zazen possible.

Throughout these years, more than thirty people gather each month to deepen their practice through sesshin. Every August, we celebrate Ango in three ten-day periods of intensive and concentrated practice. In daily life, Shorin-ji welcomes people who come to stay as residents for extended periods, and every morning and evening monks and nuns climb up from the village to sit in zazen, listen to the Barbara’s teachings, and engage in samu.

In a society such as ours, governed by dissatisfaction, speed, and personal gain, Shorin-ji offers a unique framework for deepening practice, where one can learn day by day what it means to come into contact with an unconditioned self, far from the “red dust” that colors our actions with ignorance, hatred, and greed.

Through her embodied example, Barbara teaches us not to limit ourselves and to go beyond our ordinary selves, opening ourselves to knowing and following in the footsteps of our ancestors. Little by little, automatically, unconsciously, and naturally, our body and mind shift their position, and we learn to let things pass.

Twenty-five years have gone by since this place first opened its doors to anyone who recognises within themselves a thirst to actualise the awakened nature within themselves. None of this would have been possible without the determination and generosity of our mater and of all her disciples who, over the years and up to the present day, have kept the practice of the Way alive and timeless