Myoyu Haley Voekel
Myoyu attended her first meditation retreat in 2006. Following that, she took a dive into Zen practice and also yoga training. She began practicing with ZCO in 2013. She ordained in 2019 as a novice priest, following her vow to serve ZCO and to deepen her own practice. She is currently the Training Director at the Monastery. Before coming to the monastery, Myoyu taught yoga in Olympia WA, after graduating from Evergreen State College. During her time at the monastery, Myoyu has managed the garden and grounds, served as tenzo and Shuso and also participated in the management of the ZenWorks Store. Myoyu became a Dharma Holder in 2023.
Events with Myoyu Haley Voekel
February 13, 2025
Darkness is the home from which you come – Here in winter’s cold, dark hour—what is waiting to emerge? Zen practice and the creative process invite us into the mysterious source from which all things seem to arise. Darkness is pregnant, the empty page full of potential—a plum blossom emerges from within winter’s cold, barren grip. What happens when we enter the darkness of not-knowing? Take a step off a one-hundred foot pole—one Zen koan instructs. Form is emptiness, emptiness form—another koan says. Zen practice celebrates the spontaneity and responsiveness that comes from peering through fixed beliefs and opening to…
February 28, 2025
The teachings and practices of Zen Buddhism empower us to live our lives wholeheartedly with openness, insight and compassion. During this weekend retreat we follow a silent retreat schedule, which allows us to temporarily put aside outside concerns and go deeply into inner work. The silent retreat schedule includes about seven hours of sitting meditation (with breaks), Buddhist chanting services, formal oriyoki meals, and a period of community work practice. On the first evening the retreat leaders will give thorough instruction on the foundations and methods of Zen meditation. Opportunities to meet with a teacher or senior practitioner to discuss…
August 11, 2025
Earth body, sky heart. Rooted and flowing. Luminous and open. We are made of earth and sky, of wind breath and rain song, our lives woven from the teachings of the natural world. This retreat is an opportunity to re-connect and relax into the wild, ancient, wisdom of the Grasses, Trees and Great Earth. We will spend time learning from each of the five elements, as they manifest in our experience. Deeply exploring and releasing into our interconnection with the living, breathing body of the Earth, waters, energizing air, bright fiery sun, and vast spacious sky. This retreat is held…
December 7, 2025
The light of the Buddha’s awakening has not dimmed. This very moment, alive, awake and luminous. Each year people from all over the world gather to celebrate, to sit in stillness and to be nourished by this truth. All over the world people join in the ritual of Rohatsu sesshin. This sesshin is the culmination of a year of practice and is also the culmination of our fall Ango practice period. At many centers and monasteries, this is the most valued sesshin of the year, and may be the only one that many people are able to attend. We…