Transmission Ceremony

Trainer: Will Moon, Gillian Coote Category: , , ,

Sydney Zen Centre invites you to Will Moon’s Transmission Ceremony and Celebration

Saturday 11 October, 1 pm – 4 pm, 2025

On the last day of Spring Sesshin, arrive 12:30pm

at

Kodoji,
Gorrocks Run,
Upper MacDonald Valley

In this ceremony, Gillian Coote roshi will recognise Will Moon as a fully authorised master of our lineage. Will has been a committed and generous member of the Sydney Zen Centre sangha over many years and an Apprentice Teacher for six years.

He embodies the Dharma of wisdom and compassion with integrity and clarity in his interactions with students at Annandale, sesshin and zazenkai, and his kind words and actions.

Please join us in celebrating Will’s Dharma journey. The ceremony will be immediately followed by an afternoon tea celebration.

Enquiries and RSVP by
Friday 19 September:
Janet Selby janetselby@bigpond.com

Flyer here

Class Timetable

  Open Time Close Time Trainer Address
11/10/2025 12:30 PM 4:00 PM Will Moon, Gillian Coote
11/10/2025 12:30 PM 4:00 PM Will Moon, Gillian Coote
11/10/2025
12:30 PM - 4:00 PM - with Will Moon, Gillian Coote - at
11/10/2025
12:30 PM - 4:00 PM - with Will Moon, Gillian Coote - at

Will began his Zen practice in the mid-eighties and attended his first sesshin when Robert Aitken visited Australia in about 1985. He began practice with the Sydney Zen Centre around the same time. In 1989 and 1991 he went to Hawaii and participated in the training periods held during these years with Robert Aitken at Koko An Zendo. During this time, he worked on the building of the Palolo Zendo. He moved away from actively participating in Zen practice with the Sydney Zen Centre from 1997, returning in 2006. He began koan study initially with Robert Aitken, then John Tarrant, and then worked with Subhana Barzaghi, Gillian Coote, Paul Maloney, Maggie Gluek and Robert (Bob) Joyner during a 6 month stay in Adelaide. Will has spent many years pursuing activities in the outdoors including bushwalking, sea kayaking, mountain biking, climbing, skiing and canyoning. He developed an interest in the Aboriginal archaeology that was present in all of the remote areas he visited, and from this he pursued studies in archaeology and went on to complete a Masters in Archaeology and Heritage Management at Flinders University. He presently works as a consulting Archaeologist. In 2019 Will became an apprentice teacher with Gilly Coote, roshi as his supervisor.

Gillian Coote, a senior resident teacher of the Sydney Zen Centre, met Robert Aitken Roshi in 1980, regularly attending his annual sesshin in Sydney as well as training periods and sesshin in Hawai'i. She also studied with John Tarrant and Subhana Barzaghi, from whom she received dharma transmission in June 2004 at Kodoji, Temple of the Ancient Ground. Gillian has been involved with developing sangha at Sydney Zen Centre since the early '80's - organising sesshins, editing SZC's journal, Mind Moon Circle and being involved in sangha ceremonies and activities. Inspired by their experience of sangha building at the Ring of Bone Zendo in California in 1982, Gilly and her architect/builder husband Tony, have built and maintained, with the help of the sangha, our bush zendo Kodoji at Gorricks Run. She trained with environmental activist and Buddhist scholar, Joanna Macy, and for fifteen years was the co-ordinator of the Sydney branch of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. She has practised with Thich Nhat Hanh, attending his artists' retreat in Ojai, California and joined his pilgrimage to Buddhist sites in India and Nepal. She directed and produced 'The Awakening Bell', a documentary film made during his visit to Sydney. Gillian is a social documentary filmmaker, writer, grandmother and bush regenerator. She is supervising apprentice teacher, Will Moon.