The Poem That Has Haunted Me for Two Decades
When you manage for even a moment to be free from the constant sorting of each aspect of experience into like/dislike, favorable/unfavorable, and so on, that exact moment is nirvana.
Beyond Word and Letters
There can be an intellectual understanding of what Zen is but it doesn’t really penetrate into our whole lives deeply.
A Method of No Method
In Zen, freedom is not understood as a product of anything, certainly not of one's own efforts.
Delusion as Teacher
You don’t know when, but if you continue to practice, very naturally, that great enlightenment penetrates your life.
Practicing with Difficulties
We can bring the practice into our bodies, or rather, bring consciousness of our bodies into our practice.
The Three Tenets
When my bearing witness is grounded in not-knowing and taking action, I feel less overwhelmed by my perceived lack of capacity to meet the problems of the world.
Generosity and Gratitude
Giving-and-receiving has to do with realizing that we are not separate, that we cannot exist on our own.
A Note to our Sangha about the Rise of White Supremacy
This is not about who you vote for, but a call to action about how we as a community can show up during this time.
Spaciousness and Connection
I want to share a couple of simple practices that help me release and relax, even in the midst of a busy life.
A Tender Approach to Zen Retreat
The combination of steady rigor and cryptic philosophy seemed to really inspire some people, but for those of us that are marginalized in any way, or even simply hard on ourselves, that mode of practice can really reinscribe harm.
Pop! Goes The Dharma: Liberation Day and the Paradox of Exclusive Love
n my experience, “love” is a word not often used in Zen, though other Buddhist traditions tend to place more emphasis on it.
The 100th Anniversary of Soto Zen Buddhism in North America
I am beyond happy that a woman finally was placed in this position of honor and deeply humbled that the woman was me.
The Zen Kitchen: Unopening the Gift of Tenzo Practice
For me, the work in our Zen kitchen was a deep opportunity to collaborate with others and call upon “don’t know mind,” all while strengthening my understanding of giver, receiver and gift.
Mindfulness in Daily Life
Rather than seeing mindfulness practice as an addition to our self-improvement list, I hope we can set an intention, keep it close, and let it ripen and flower.
Lost and Found
In Buddhism (our preconceived ideas of) "gain and loss" are considered two of the main things that continually drag us into unhappiness.
Coming Home
When I return to my seat for zazen in the early morning, I feel at home; settled, connected with myself and the world.
What the rain teaches us
Consciousness gives us the ability to have an awareness of how our actions affect others and ourselves.
On ‘Down by the Riverside’
Through singing and communal expression, we find solace and strength in the present moment, transcending suffering through music and transforming pain into wisdom.
Working With A Teacher
The way we do it here is that the teacher is more like the cup into which the student can pour out whatever they need to express so that they can find their way.