here is a poem presented to master ryotan tokuda on the day of my monk ordination some twenty-six years ago in a crumbling stone house clinging to the mountainside he named: ei-tai ji temple / temple of eternal peace, in the lower alps in france. after a few of years of studying and practicing zen buddhism, meeting my teacher one day in 1997 in paris was a pivotal experience. after following his teachings and doing sesshins with him for some time, asking to be ordained monk s

ei-tai ji monastery, le rocher de la baume, septembre 2025 twenty-five years on retreating at ei-tai ji who i really am eternal truths ... morning mist covers the valley full circle comes back the beginning is that was that another's lifetime you you erring on mountain trails leaf fall cold water mossy rocks murmuring

some photos of our retreat at ei tai-ji temple with sensei tokuda that may give you a glimpse into the week we spent in the mountains...

puget-thénier, alpes de haute provence, april 2022 visiting ei-tai ji temple and meeting master ryotan tokuda after a long time. he does not like being called roshi and wants to be just called sensei, teacher. yet if anyone deserves the title, meaning master in japanese, it would well be him, for him it just feels pompous and unpalatable to be called anything other than the teacher. time was needed to process how much it means to reconnect with your teacher in person after a