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.

Upcoming Programs by Myoyu Haley Voekel

Full Moon Fusatsu - Affirming the Precepts

Also With Kodo Conover and Onshin Landry

February 1, 2026

Fusatsu is an ancient bowing and chanting ceremony with origins dating back to the time of the Buddha, when monks would gather under the full moon to renew their vows. This ritual traveled through India, China, and Japan, becoming a significant monthly ceremony in the large monasteries of Japan. In this ceremony, we re-affirm our […]

Pari-Nirvana Sesshin: A Meditation Retreat exploring Life, Death & the Unknown

Also With Larry Fuho Trussell and Ed Gensho Welsh

February 16 - 22, 2026

During this sesshin we take up the Buddha’s Parinirvana–the Buddha’s death--as the essential inquiry into our own relationship with death, dying and the uncertainties of this life. How often in your daily life do you allow yourself to reflect on your own mortality, your own death? This sesshin provides the structure and support needed to […]

Love & Spaciousness: A Loving Kindness Weekend Retreat

Also With Patrick Bansho Green

April 30 - May 3, 2026

With wonderment on our side, and in relationship with all that is, we recognize the inherent compassion that naturally arises from deep and sustained presence. Held in a container of zen forms and the vibrant dance of a monastery waking up to spring, we will explore the nature of being anything at all! During this silent retreat our day will […]

July Sesshin

Also With Jogen Salzberg, Sensei and Patrick Bansho Green

July 20 - 26, 2026
Summer is bright and alive. The sun hangs high in the sky, illuminating the earth with unflinching clarity. What wisdom does a warm summer day offer? Everything is laid bare before the luminous rays of the sun. In this meditation immersion, we will endeavor to study the self, forget the self and glimpse Buddha Nature, opening in silent communion with this community of human and non- human beings. This is our collective awakening.

Grasses, Trees, and the Great Earth Sesshin

Also With Amy Kisei, Sensei

August 10 - 16, 2026

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 […]