Kumeido – The Mendocino Zen Center is a Soto Zen practice center located in Little River, CA, just south of the town of Mendocino. It was founded in the lineage of Reverend Gengo Akiba Roshi, Sokan/Bishop for Sotoshu International for North America.

Akiba Roshi blessed Kumeido with its name. KU means emptiness. MEI means radiating light. DO means place. One look at the meadows surrounding the temple and you will see its spaciousness and the way the sun illumines and warms the earth and grasses, even on a foggy day in Mendocino.

Kumeido is dedicated to the practice of meditation. There are many names and ways to practice meditation in many cultures. All are good. There are many paths up and down the mountainside, through the suburbs and along our crowded city streets.

In Japan, the practice of meditation is known as Zazen or Shikantaza. Both mean “just sitting.” At Kumeido we just sit. We do not do anything. We sit with confidence in our original nature, that it will manifest in the silence and guide us through our whole lives.

What is original nature? Well, that is the task at hand. Isn’t it?

MISSION

To cultivate compassion for oneself and others, deepen our understanding of the world as it actually is, release the innate joy within our hearts and discover the natural freedom and peace of original mind. We do this with simple practices on our own, guided by our teacher and each other in collegial community (Sangha.)

SPECIAL EVENTS:

TBA

The coronavirus is preventing us from going forward with our usual schedule.

Everyone please take care and be well.

See Program Offerings for details.

COMMUNITY DHARMA DAYS

QUARTERLY MEETING

Kumeido offers four annual events to give our North Coast community a taste of Buddhist philosophy, teachings and practice.

Community Dharma Days (CDDs) are held on the 3rd Saturdays of January, April, July and October at the Kumeido Zendo in Little River. If you are interested, mark your calendars. The next CDD will be announced when health restrictions are lifted.

On these afternoons we explore together the basic foundation of Buddhism and its relevance in our current time and culture.

Next Community Dharma Day

The next CDD event will be announced
when health restrictions are lifted.

FREE!

All are invited and welcome!

(Please check this space before each
CDDay for current information on the
theme and scheduling details.
Thank you.)

2020 ROHATSU RETREAT

DECEMBER 5th - 11th, 2021

Each year during the first week of December, Kumeido holds a Rohatsu Sesshin (Retreat in honor of the Buddha’s Enlightenment.) We celebrate his achievement because the Buddha was a human being, just like each of us. If he can become enlightened, so can we! Enlightenment is our birthright.

All are invited and welcome.

Details will be posted in mid-September. For information on past sesshins click below.

STUDENT-TEACHER RELATIONSHIP

In support of a meditator’s individual practice, Kumeido offers Dokusan - the opportunity to meet regularly with a teacher.

The Japanese word “dokusan” means “going alone to a respected one.” Both our head teacher and occasional visiting teachers will be available for these scheduled meetings.

When visiting Kumeido, please inquire about this opportunity, or send us an email. We will get right back to you.

Dokusan meetings take place by Zoom on Thursday afternoons from 3:30pm to 5:30pm.

If you are interested in Dokusan, or wish to discuss any other issues in your practice, please text 707-367-7191 or write annkyle@kumeido.org.

Thank you.

HOJOKI: Visions of a Torn World

Rev. Ann Myosho Kyle Brown

HEAD TEACHER

Rev. Ann Myosho Kyle Brown is a Soto Zen Priest and disciple of Rev. Gengo Akiba Roshi, Japanese/Sotoshu Sokan (Bishop) for North America. She is founder and head teacher of Kumeido – The Mendocino Zen Center.

She began Buddhist practice with Akiba Roshi in 1992 at Kojinan – The Oakland Zen Center.  Her early training was at Aichi Senmon Nisodo in Nagoya, Japan with Reverend Aoyama Shundo Roshi.  Further training took place at an International Ango (training Period) at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center in the San Jacinto Mountains of Southern California with Rev. Akiba Roshi, and training monks from Eiheiji, Sojiji and Aichi Senmon Nisodo. In addition, she has practiced extensively at Genjoji, the Sonoma Mountain Zen Center with Rev. Kwong Roshi as well as other retreat centers throughout California, the US, Europe and South America.

Rev. Myosho went back to Japan in 2015 for the Zuise Ceremony at Eiheiji and Sojiji, the two main temples for Soto Zen in Japan. After zuise one becomes an Oshō, i.e. "priest" or "teacher".

In addition to her dedication to Kumeido, she works to support the development of Tenpyozan Monastery in Lake County, CA. Tenpyozan is an important international training center for western Soto Zen priests and the first of its kind outside of Japan.

Rev. Myosho is also a writer, wife and mother.

Sangha

“The altruistic act is dependent on Sangha. Compassion cannot be realized without practicing with others.” Kwong Roshi, Sonoma Mountain Zen Center

Practicing Buddhism is very different from simply studying Buddhism in books. Practice and study are like two friends, hands joined, walking together on the path. But practice is leading the way.

When people sit together they naturally become bonded. This mutual support and shared journey is a profound connection. An individual’s strong practice inspires the whole sangha. The efforts of the whole sangha support each individual’s practice. Still, whenever people come together there are differences that can create conflict. Aoyama Roshi, at Aichi Senmon Nisodo, says that, “training together is like stones in a tumbler. All the rough edges get smoothed out.” Come join us.

Originally founded in 2002, Reverend Myosho Ann Kyle Brown has shepherded Kumeido through many separate incarnations over the years. 

The barn on her property was initially dedicated as a sacred space by ministers from many other religious denominations on the North Coast of Mendocino. 

As a newly ordained and trained monk… Reverend Myosho, though not yet fully credentialed as a teacher, still wanted to offer the dharma to the community. At the beginning, practice was quiet…one by one, or two by two, people were drawn to come meditate. Some stayed, some were passing through, some came during times of deep grief or change, then returned to their original religious affiliations, buoyed by contact with the Dharma. For many people, a Zendo is not a destination point; it is a wayfarer’s refuge on the way.

A few years back, Rev. Myosho stepped back from her role as head teacher and closed Kumeido to refocus on her solo practice. During this time she returned to Japan to complete her training.

Kumeido reopened for its next incarnation on December 3, 2018 with a six day Rohatsu Sesshin. 

Thank You Dear Friends

Terry Lyon and James Cook were the very first and only practitioners to enter the creaky door of the Kumeido Zendo in the cold, early morning hours of its very first day of existence in 2002. It was winter. A very cold morning. The Zendo was not yet insulated. One could see one’s breath. How very stalwart and Zen!

Every Sunday afternoon afterwards they would come. Every retreat they would come. Many, many early mornings. In 2009, James became ill and passed away while Rev. Myosho was at Yokoji for a training retreat ( Ango.) Then Terry became ill. Still, he continued to attend and was present in August 2015 when Kumeido suspended operation while Rev. Myosho returned to solitary practice and finally to Japan to finish her training. Terry died in May 2016.

Terry and James left their estate to Art and Buddhism. Specifically to the Mendocino Arts Center and to Three Jewels Temple, the Thai Forest Tradition of Buddhism and to Kumeido - The Mendocino Zen Center.

Now, all these many years later, their generous donations enable these two traditions to deeply root on the North Coast of California. One located north of Fort Bragg. One, south of Mendocino in Little River.

Terry and James are the reason Kumeido is able to reopen its doors again.

Their contribution has been fully invested, with the principle held in trust for the time when Kumeido is ready to securely establish itself on its own location within the community. Rev. Myosho and the Kumeido Board of Directors are profoundly grateful and encouraged to fulfill Terry and James’ wishes as stated in their trust… “to institutionalize Soto Zen on the North Coast of Mendocino for the direct benefit of the residents of Mendocino.”

In keeping with the tradition of Kumeido from it’s beginning, we never charge for any event or practice opportunity. We shall continue with this tradition. But perhaps, you can you help us to do so? If you are able to make a contribution, no matter the size, you can be confident that your support will be a protected dharma asset. Every donation works to institutionalize Kumeido; offer everyone who is interested a chance to touch the dharma; and in time, securely transplant Kumeido onto its own strong foundation on an independent property on the North Coast. 

Thank you for your interest.