Teachings
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Dharmatalk: The Sound of One Hand
October 17, 20191 min read
Unpack the gift Description: Beginning with a discussion of concentration practice, this talk focuses on the famous koan “The Sound of One Hand” and its origins. Just as we sit, Hakuin took these words from Setcho into his body: “The single hand doesn’t sound without reason.” This process is life-changing, allowing a radical change in our experience of this moment. Post & Featured image: Wedding ring tied to a white pillow with a purple ribbon by...
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Dharmatalk: Points of Practice
October 10, 20191 min read
We are giving ourselves to this moment Description: This talk is about general points of practice with a focus on five areas: relaxing the body; general mindfulness; concentration (samadhi); awakening; returning to the world—to help. The common denominator to all of these elements is Love. In beautiful excerpts from Bruce Springsteen’s memoir, we can catch a few small echoes of the world of the masters and taste something of the same passion experienced in Zen practice....
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Dharmatalk: Living Our Deepest Nature
October 3, 20191 min read
Description: This talk recounts a recent teacher’s retreat in Germany with the Abbot of Sanbo Zen, Yamada Ryoun Roshi. It begins with the story of Father Lassalle, a Jesuit priest and Zen teacher who built the zendo in Germany where the retreat took place. Practice does not end; there is no I’ve-got-this moment. Or we might say there are many such moments. This is demonstrated in the ongoing training of teachers, even those who have been...
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Dharmatalk: Case 7, The Gateless Gate: Joshu’s “Wash Your Bowls”
September 26, 20191 min read
The world is nothing but metamorphosis and life is nothing but an opinion. ~Marcus Aurelius Everybody’s got a hungry heart. ~Bruce Springsteen Description: In The Gateless Gate, the last line of this koan reads, “The monk attained some realization.” What did the monk realize? Why is this seemingly ordinary dialogue between the great master Jôshô and a monk worthy of our attention? These questions encapsulate the central theme of this inspiring talk. Post & Featured image (Edited):...
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Dharmatalk: Case 88, Book of Equanimity: “Non-Seeing” in the Ryôgon Sutra (Part 2 of 2)
September 19, 20191 min read
"We become the empty bowl that can receive the water." Description: Case 88, taken from a sutra, is an unusual koan. It diverges from the narrative form that typically demonstrates how Zen is continuously pointing to the ordinary moments of life. This expansive talk explores the Ryôgon Sutra and poses three key questions about “seeing”: What is there to see? Who is there to do any seeing? Is there actually any seeing? Post & Featured image (Edited):...
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Dharmatalk: Case 88, Book of Equanimity: “Non-Seeing” in the Ryôgon Sutra (Part 1)
September 12, 20191 min read
"All spiritual discipline must grow out of a sincere heart." ~Buddha Description: Case 88, taken from a sutra, is an unusual koan. It diverges from the narrative form that typically demonstrates how Zen is continuously pointing to the ordinary moments of life. This expansive talk explores the Ryôgon Sutra and poses three key questions about “seeing”: What is there to see? Who is there to do any seeing? Is there actually any seeing? Post & Featured image...
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Dharmatalk: Case 87, Book of Equanimity: Sozan: With or Without
September 5, 20191 min read
"Any phenomenon experienced at any time has the power to awaken us." Description: In an exploration of Case 87, we are invited to sense how a koan can truly be experienced when we allow it into our hearts. Sozan, who would eventually become a great master and another important figure in the history of Zen, is a young man and an earnest, struggling practitioner at the time of this story. Sozan asks his teacher, Isan, a...
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