AMERICAN ZEN PIONEER
Celebrating the 85th Anniversary of
Soyu Matsuoka Roshi coming to America
October 15 to 19, 2025
“Many people question whether or not a person of another religion can sit in meditation. Why not? Meditation is to empty your mind and to purify it. It does not presuppose a religious creed.”— Matsuoka Roshi
2025 marks the 14th anniversary of our annual retreat! Everyone is welcome to attend online, as well as in person. ASZC will be the host site for this retreat. It will begin on October 15 at 6pm ET and end on October 19 at noon. Please take this yearly opportunity to join with other members of our far-flung Affiliates and members at large, in retreat.
A link to the full schedule: 2025 STO Fall Retreat Schedule
A link to the Speaker Roster: Speaker Roster / Schedule
Click Here to Register
This year we will focus on the Wisdom, Warmth and Wit of our root teacher and lineage Founder, Soyu Matsuoka Roshi on this 85th Anniversary of his coming and bringing Zen to America. We will line-up a variety of speakers, some who had the good fortune to actually meet and practice with O-Sensei in person. Our speakers will share his teachings and personal anecdotes of his compassionate spirit — including his insistence that “Zen is for everyone”; and his prediction that genuine Zen will find its rebirth in America.
The Silent Thunder Order (STO, inc. 2011) is comprised of disciples and priests trained under our guiding teacher, Zenkai Taiun Elliston Roshi, in the STO/Mokurai tradition established by Matsuoka Roshi. The Atlanta Soto Zen Center (ASZC, inc. 1977) constitutes our Training Center and Headquarters. Both exist to support the needs of our Practice Leaders, and to serve their communities (sangha’s), a network of independent Affiliated Zen groups and centers.
We look forward to gathering with you for this annual retreat. It represents a precious opportunity, not to be missed, to revitalize our Zen practice.
Please register for the STO Fall Retreat and join us for zazen, engaging in dialogue with members of our thirteen affiliate sangha’s, as well as listening to, and deepening our understanding of, the Dharma.
Location:
The retreat will be held in-person at our Training Center, and streamed virtually via Zoom:
Atlanta Soto Zen Center
1167 Zonolite Place NE
Atlanta GA 30306
