Around the first of the year in the early 80's I took the first wood stove to the cabin.  I had to use a sled to drag it in across the low land.  (It was a rolled steel one, very light.)  I raced to get it set up so I would have heat that night in the cabin. The temp outside at night was suppose to be in the -20's.  I got it set up, started a fire and crawled into my sleeping bag.  I got up every few hours to stoke it and waited patiently (not) for the sun to come up.  After what seemed like a week, I wondered if the sun had broken down and decided to head to Cancun for the winter.  I went outside and stood in front of the cabin and looked for the sun.  FINALLY about 9:00 it appeared over the south eastern ridge then crept along the ridge all day long and disappeared again by 3:00 pm.  Who needs Norway????

Sokugen Bill Learn
Carmichael, CA

Congratulations on establishing a clear-cut practice environment in Katagiri linearage.  Hokyoji sounds like Tassajara in the early days when Suzuki and Katagiri and Kobonchino were teaching.  As you may or may not know, Suzuki sent me to Japan in 1970 to learn how to build temples.  After leaving FFZC in 1987, I have been building mostly houses and some temples and am now concentrating on a modular pre-fab housing unit. 

I was there at Hokyoji several times in the late 70’s and then later I sent out my old sawmill from Greengulch.  Which was the last time I saw Tomoe-san.  Glad to hear you’re helping to support her.

Paul Zengyu Driscoe
San Francisco, CA

Congratulations on the formation of HZPC.  I trust it will bloom as beautifully as the summer wildflowers there.  I was just talking of my first Rohatsu sesshin which was, I think, the first one [Dokai] led. It changed my life and here I am 17 years later in Pittsburgh with my own Zen Center.

Kyoki Roberts
Zen Center of Pittsburgh


At Tassajara Winter Practice Period in 1972, I went to formal dokusan (interview) with Katagiri-roshi, in his cabin. We sat on the tatami facing each other, and I poured out my woes while he listened with that wonderful serious face he could make: downturned mouth, concerned eyes, nodding in encouragement as I spoke of my aching knees, my aching heart, my difficulties with others, blah blah for maybe 10 uninterrupted minutes.

When I finally wore down and stopped, slowly his concerned scowl turned into a beatific smile below sparkling eyes. In a soft voice he said, "Don't worry about it. Be like the ocean: on the surface the waves are very big, but underneath it is deep and calm."

Then we bowed to each other, and I went out, my heart relieved, feeling relaxed again. I got about ten steps from his cabin and came to a dead stop. Hey! I thought, wait a minute! He really didn't tell me anything at all. Then after another moment I smiled, and said Aha! to myself, and kept on going.

Fil Lewitt
Kyoto, Japan 


I was a regular at Hokyoji for six or seven summers and occasional autumns in the late eighties (for Katagiri's last two sesshins there), and early nineties (Akiyama, Shohaku). The place has always meant a great deal to me, since it's where I first entered zen practice meaningfully, and I'm really pleased to hear that it's being well-maintained.

I'm now a senior student at Sonoma Mountain Zen Center, under Kwong-roshi, and also live in Santa Rosa, nearby.

Neil Myers
Santa Rosa, CA