Teachings
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Daily Activities
February 16, 20201 min read
Transmitting to the east the way the ancestors brought from the west, My daily activities illuminated by the moon and shadowed by the clouds, Because I revere the ancient way of the patriarchs, The secular dust of worldly customs does not reach Where I remain secluded in my grass-thatched hut, On a snowy evening deep in the mountain recesses. ~ Dogen Zenji
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Dharmatalk: Case 95, Book of Equanimity: Rinzai Draws a Line (Part 2): 2019 Spring Sesshin (Part 3 of 4)
February 13, 20201 min read
Where have you come from? ~ Rinzai. Description: This is the third talk of the Spring 2019 sesshin. It begins with further reflections on the process of settling into a multi-day retreat and explores the topic of doubt. This unfolds into the story of Rinzai and how he fully expressed the Dharma without any trace of self-driven purpose, as demonstrated by his seemingly perplexing behavior. In Case 95, Rinzai and the temple steward are having a...
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Learning Peace of Mind: By T.S Last / Journal North Editor / about RGMI Partner Schools.
February 10, 20209 min read
Published / February 9, 2020. Used with the permission of The Journal North. [caption id="attachment_18008" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Starting second from left, Emery Munn, Mateo Martinez, Brooke Roll, Asahel Chavez and other second graders in Zelda Sanchez's and Bart Ramey's classes sit listening for the sound of a metal bowl to fade. This is one of the mindfulness exercizes students at Atalaya Elementary were doing Tuesday, January 28, 2020. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal)[/caption] Students in Zelda Sanchez and Bart...
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Winter Retreat
February 8, 20201 min read
The white mountain of Echizen My winter retreat: A blanket of clouds Covering the frosted peaks And snowy slopes. ~ Dogen Zenji
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Mindful Living: Open Mind and Heart Space
February 7, 20201 min read
Mindfulness teaching instructs us to observe our thoughts and feelings without judgment. Why? Mind and body are the accumulation of all we have done and experienced in our lifetime. We have an incredible capacity for the storage of memory. This memory becomes our road map for how we see the world. But the map is not the territory! The mind can be a tricky place. If we allow ourselves to cling to the “truths” or “life...
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Dharmatalk: Case 95, Book of Equanimity: Rinzai Draws a Line (Part 1): 2019 Spring Sesshin (Part 2 of 4)
February 6, 20201 min read
"... You are the innate beauty of the whole cosmos, the whole of creation ..." Description: This is the second talk of the Spring 2019 sesshin. To begin, methods to address difficulties that may arise when sitting for long periods are discussed. Case 95 is introduced through the lens of the Three Treasures: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. A koan sets a precedent— in spite of what we may think, are all capable of the level of...
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The Moon Will Come
February 2, 20201 min read
Creating a pond, do not wait for the moon. When the pond is built, the moon will come. ~ Eihei Dogen
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Mindful Living: Our Mind Can Be Our Friend
February 1, 20201 min read
Our quality of life has a lot to do with how we use our brain. As we refer to our measurable intellectual capacity as our IQ, so we have a corresponding emotional intelligence which we refer to as our EQ. Self-awareness gives us insight into how our emotions affect our thinking, our reasoning, and our relationships with others and vice versa. Our thoughts trigger emotions. Conversely, our emotions can conjure up subconscious habitual patterns of...
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Sangha Meeting Report: January 25
January 30, 20209 min read
Attending: Will, Stephen, Lisa, Christian, John, Karen, Peg, Gudrun, Mark, Vivian, Valerie, Paul, Laura, Christy, Rob, Dan, Henry, Chris, David H, Mary Ann, Yvonne, Rosemary, Damon, Bill, Kathryn, Katie, Sarah, Sean, Rachel, Jay, Deborah, Sandy, Dave S, Johanna Welcome: Introducing Valerie, Yvonne and Dan, and the visiting students; Sgt Pepper’s Heart of Perfect Wisdom Band, framed art piece. Approval of Minutes of October 2019 Sangha meeting: Approved Endorsement of Board of Directors for 2020 - Thank you to long...
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Dharmatalk: Finding the Heart: 2019 Spring Sesshin (Part 1 of 4)
January 30, 20201 min read
"... the functioning of the heart with which I was born came into play in its purest form ..." ~ Sôkô Morinaga Description: This is the first talk of the Spring 2019 sesshin. What kinds of growth and change does Zen practice engender and what are the ways Zen practice can bring them about? In response to these questions many facets of practice are explored, including the power of breath practice, the power of Mu and the...
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Mindfulness: Social Emotional Learning and the Case for Mindfulness in Schools
January 25, 20201 min read
The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) is a national standard-bearer in the field of social emotional learning or SEL. According to Tim Shriver, co-founder and board chair, “Emotion drives attention and attention drives learning…Children learn when their heart is open, engaged, connected and filled with purpose.” SEL goals include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. Mindfulness cultivates emotion regulation, attention control and self-awareness. Although less goal oriented than common school...
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