Teachings
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Dharmatalk: Ruben Habito: The Oak Tree in the Garden – Guest Episode
November 29, 20182 min read
"... it is here, right here and now, that the gateway to the infinite, ... is found ..." ~ Ruben Habito Description: Ruben Roshi likens koans to a GPS for our practice, as he addresses this famous koan with Chan Master Zhaozhou, otherwise known to us as Zen Master Joshu -- "What did Bodhidharma bring from India?" the monk asks. What is the point of Zen? What is the point of our life? Why are we here?...
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Dharmatalk: Sesshin Talk 5 (of 5):The Story of Master Hogen
November 22, 20181 min read
"... Is this rock inside your mind or outside your mind? ..." Description: In this fifth talk from the Spring 2018 sesshin, Henry shares a few stories of Master Hôgen’s life to encourage us as we practice. Hôgen, and every great master, was once just like us—searching for clarity about their life. Upon hearing the words, “Not knowing is most intimate,” Hôgen’s life was transformed. Post & Featured image: Rocks by StockSnap, CCO Public Domain....
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Dharmatalk: Sesshin Talk 4 (of 5): Case 74, Book of Equanimity: Hogen’s “Form and Name”
November 15, 20181 min read
"... The force that through the green fuse drives the flower ..." ~ Dylan Thomas Description: This is the fourth tesisho from the Spring 2018 sesshin. In Case 74, Master Hôgen says, “Form arises from what has no substance yet; name comes from what has no name yet.” We can discover the world that Hôgen is presenting with these words - a reality where we see through everything, where self and world are gone, and all aspects...
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Teisho: Sesshin Talk 3 (of 5): Case 73, Book of Equanimity: Sôzan’s Filial Fulfillment
November 8, 20181 min read
"... a continuous letting-go of everything ..." Description: This teisho is the third talk from the Spring 2018 sesshin. Master Sôzan, along with Master Tôzan, founded the Soto sect of Zen. Case 73 inspires a discussion of the lineage of practice and how this relates to “fulfilling filial piety,” which can result in a kind of rebirth. Our birth parents give us our physiological face and, with training and practice - and a continuous letting-go of everything -...
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Science and Practice Notes
November 3, 20181 min read
Western science begins in a kind of humility, with an assumption that we don't know. Practice is similar or comparable. It begins with humility also – not in a self-blaming way, but in an acceptance that when it comes to our suffering, we ourselves are likely the problem. ~ Henry Shukman Image: Water Lily by Couleur, CC0 Public Domain from Pixabay.com
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Teisho: Sesshin Talk 2 (of 5): Gimme the Enlightenment! (Part 2)
November 1, 20181 min read
[caption id="attachment_9829" align="aligncenter" width="937"] Walking Meditation[/caption] Description: This teisho is the second talk from the Spring 2018 sesshin. This talk focuses on Bodhidharma’s second gate to the Zen path, entry by principle (or “fact”), as expressed by the first koan, Mu. Henry reads various passages, including a wonderful description of walking meditation by Natalie Goldberg, with the intention of giving us a taste of Mu. What is Mu trying to show us? We can only discover...
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Sangha Meeting Minutes: October 20 2018
October 27, 201811 min read
Thank you to all who attended our October 20 sangha meeting. Attendees are listed at the end of this report. We have three sangha meetings per year. Minutes are published on our website and will continue to post them on our bulletin board. Opening sit at 10am followed by the approval of the June sangha meeting minutes. Teacher's Report (see below for the complete report written by Henry for the meeting) Financial Report Johanna presented the current budget, sourced...
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Nothing to Understand
October 27, 20181 min read
There's nothing to understand. Do you understand a caress or a flower? I'm just. If you try to understand your mind as if it was a puzzle to solve, or try to understand which direction your life is going to be able to direct it to the best you are wasting energy and breath. Life happens and you with it. You will never arrive at the end of psychological dilemmas, it itself is a dilemma. In leaving it as its importance dissolves, the scenario...
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Teisho: Sesshin Talk 1 (of 5): Gimme the Enlightenment! (Part 1)
October 25, 20181 min read
"... {just} keenly watch our experience ..." Description: This teisho is the first talk from the Spring 2018 sesshin. Over the course of these talks, Henry will touch on two sources of Zen practice, Taoism and Buddhism, and how they affect how we practice. Bodhidharma, a Buddhist monk considered to be the founder of Zen, articulated two gates, or entries, to the Zen path. These are: entry by practice and entry by principle. This talk focuses on...
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