Guy Mokuhō Mercier
What to say about… me !
It was in 1973 that I met Master Deshimaru for the first time, at a summer camp in Lodève in the Hérault department. Not very available at the beginning and above all concerned about fitting the practice into my professional activity, I only began to approach him at the end of 1975. Seduced by his immense charisma, I agreed to become his disciple by receiving Monk ordination, in March 1976.
From then on, I tried to put my abilities at his service and that of the Pernety sangha. With Michel Bovay, who provided the administration and management of the sesshin, we travelled across France to find a location for the summer sessions, appropriate to the size of the rapidly growing sangha.
From 1977, I actively participated in the life of the Sangha and in the organization of summer camps. I found myself, somewhat by chance, in the kitchen as a tenzo in 1977 and 1978 in Val d’Isère, and I discovered a new and exciting skill.
Then it was the purchase of Gendronnière, in the summer of 1979. My responsibility was to find the equipment we needed (beds and mattresses, kitchen equipment and tools, etc.) and to participate in the effort of all the members of the sangha to be able to host and practice summer sessions from 1980.
After the sudden and heartbreaking death of Master Deshimaru, his close disciples did not give up and remained active to continue his “mission”. In Paris, in 1984, I took care of the move of the Paris Zen dojo, from Pernety to Rue des Cinq Diamants. And again, in 1990, the move and refurbishment of the next dojo, rue Keller, near the Bastille.
From 1986 to 1991 I again accepted the responsibility of Tenzo at the sessions of the Gendronnière Zen temple (spring, summer, autumn and winter). An extraordinary teaching for me, which required a lot of energy and creativity but was also one of the richest experiences of my Zen life.
After leaving Gendronnière in the fall of 1997, I was fortunate to be invited by many dojos to lead sesshins. Some practitioners showed themselves to be faithful and eager to meet up with friends, which constituted the beginnings of the desire to create an association to bring together and promote the practice of all these friends of the Way.
The Tenbôrin association was created in February 2004.
Around 2009, the desire arose to practice in a place dedicated to the sangha and to stop renting centres and group lodgings to organise the practice. After numerous visits to properties offered on the real estate market, a group of disciples acquired a large building in Cantal, near the town of Saint Flour. It seemed suitable because, hosting summer camps, it met the safety standards required for establishments open to the public.
We called this place Zen Center of Lanau.
From the beginning, this was a difficult task. The immense surface area of the building, the rather mediocre condition of certain parts, the difficulty of obtaining food and work materials, the rather harsh climate and the remoteness of the centre to many of the disciples of the sangha, all this had made the lives of residents exhausting.
However, over the years, we managed to organise a truly rich and diverse base of activities which became the speciality of the Lanau Zen Center. Thanks to the effort of many members of the Sangha, there were regular sesshins, teaching seminars on Zen and Buddhism, workshops on the practice of the Zen monk and nun, or more pragmatic meetings (Kesa sewing, non-violent communication, singing, fundamental dietetics, Qi Gong, etc.).
The Lanau Zen Center was intended to have a more Zen name when it was registered as an official temple of the Soto School, which did not happen. The death of two residents, fatigue and new energy constraints dissuaded some of the residents from continuing the adventure. We put it up for sale in 2018 and found a buyer in fall 2022. The formalities related to the sale were completed at the beginning of 2024.
I will also continue to respond to invitations from dojos to lead sesshins, which will gradually be reduced, as age does not favour travelling with all the equipment of a Zen monk.For me, the practice can’t stop. It’s endless!
– Guy Mokuho
From the editor: Guy Mokuho continues to lead sesshins in France, England, Spain and Switzerland, he is currently the Abbot of the Gendronnière Zen Temple in the Loire Valley of France.
