Enso

“Before work on Tahoma began, we used to hold our sesshins at a retreat center in the middle of a beautiful forest. One year we arrived to find that the giant trees surrounding this property had been cut down. All that was left was a wasteland of stumps and scarred soil. The scene sent shivers up my spine. When I asked what had happened, the owner replied that the trees had been sold to Japan. I was shocked to see with my own eyes how quickly an ancient forest could be destroyed for the sake of a little money. It made me wonder who will care for America’s land, who will guide the young? Discussions of these questions inspired the sangha to establish a monastery of our own.

Spiritual growth is not an easy process, however. People start out full of enthusiasm, but as their initial zeal wears off, they often lose sight of the training’s true goals. Many become dissatisfied and turn to other pursuits. At Sogenji, the retired abbot, Kansei-san, lived out the final part of his existence cared for by the people in training. Zen training is not about personal development or gain. Ultimately, what motivates us in spiritual practice is the realization that as living beings we cannot escape death. Yet as time goes by, even this deep intuition of our own mortality tends to fade amidst the cares and distractions of everyday existence.

It is critically important, therefore, that practitioners have a concrete sense of their own mortality and of the reality of other people’s deaths. Investigating death, one’s training naturally intensifies and one gains a sense of true direction. Hospice work can be a very genuine form of training. This certainly was my own experience in caring for Kansei-san. The reality of death must not remain conceptual; it has to become part of our practice.

We were looking for a way to provide an opportunity for such practice, so Enso House was established next to Tahoma, with room for about six patients. As a working hospice, Enso House calls on the expertise of trained professionals who help develop the caregiving skills of Tahoma students and volunteers. The professionals, in turn, can gain a deeper sense of their own work through their contact with the devotion of Tahoma students. In order to help a person through the process of dying, the caregiver should have what might be called an attitude of prayer. A dying person can share this attitude. Without prayer, life is little more than eating, sleeping, and making a living; with prayer, life is illuminated by the light of God. At Enso House, we are trying to provide a place where hospice workers and residents alike can face death with this sense of the sacred.

Enso House residents are of various faiths. The fact of death cuts across religious distinctions. Different religions have their own ideas about the meaning of death. But in the actual process of dying, people of all faiths become one in a spirit of prayerful entrustment. All human beings are equal in this profound act of prayer when facing death.” ~ Shodo Harada

“… Moving Mom to Enso House turned out to be the best thing I could have done. Finally being able to just sit there and be with her, instead of just running around doing things for her, was such a gift to me. My dream of mom being able to work through whatever it was she needed to do, and then come to a place of rest and quiet, was realized at Enso House, thanks to each of you. And I can’t even begin to tell you how much I appreciated being taken care of—the cups of tea, cookies and meals that appeared out of nowhere, as well as the serene environment you’ve created, helped to replenish me. Mom’s last few weeks and her death were handled with such graciousness, warmth and caring by all of you—what a special gift you gave us. I will never forget our experience at Enso House. You’ve created a place where death can happen as it should—in a warm, calm place surrounded by aware and caring people. Thank you.” ~ Anonymous testimonial

“Enso House is a home for people of all faiths who desire comfort care at the end of life. Enso House is surrounded by pasture on a quiet road in Whidbey Island, Washington. A luxuriant pond is home to mallard ducks, redwing blackbirds, and great blue herons. Enso House provides a peaceful setting conducive to reflection, meditation and spiritual healing. Enso House is unique in its ability to provide emotional and spiritual support to individuals in the final phase of life. Many staff members are affiliated with the nearby Tahoma One Drop Zen Monastery, founded in 1995 by Zen Master Shodo Harada Roshi.

Enso House began in 2001 as a result of his vision of a home for the dying where the qualities of humility, service, compassion, and forgiveness deepen in those both giving and receiving care. Enso House places a special emphasis on caring for hospice patients who desire a supportive environment to deepen their spiritual exploration. While some of the staff and volunteers of Enso House are Zen Buddhist practitioners, people of all religious and spiritual traditions are welcomed and supported. The intention is to enable each individual to live the time remaining to them with grace and dignity and with full opportunity for inner healing, growth and completion.” ~ from website