Silent Thunder Order
984 Saint Charles Ave. NE
Atlanta, GA 30306-4222
Website: storder.org
Description of Organization:
The Silent Thunder Order (STO) was established in 2011. Silent Thunder Order functions as an umbrella organization to facilitate communication between members of the Order wherever they may reside in the world and to guide and provide training opportunities in each Member’s continuing relationship with Soto Zen Buddhism. STO’s purpose is to continue work of their founding teacher, Soyu Matsuoka Roshi, to bring Soto Zen Buddhism to the West by helping people reduce their suffering and become more productive, more fruitful, and more content in their lives. Primarily through Zazen (seated meditation), practitioners learn how to treat themselves, each other, and our Earth with respect, reverence, and care. Born in 1912, Soyu Matsuoka was the first son born into a family of Priests dating back over 600.
Grant(s) Awarded
In 2022, a grant in the amount of $3,500 was awarded to support completion of final film interviews and post-production work on a documentary film about their founder, Soyu Matsuoka Roshi. The film will feature stories of his life and the blossoming of his teachings across America and beyond. The STO team has spent seven years gathering hundreds of hours of video footage and interviews in the US and Japan— including interviews with Matsuoka Roshi’s family, students, and fellow Priests both from Japan and those born in the West.