Becoming a Zen Practitioner
I realized that Zen was not just something I wanted to do once in a while, but that it was something I wanted to be. It was not about my activities alone, but about my life.
Friday Night Zen: Healing Through Mindfulness
There is nowhere to get to that is more important than the present moment.
Coming Home to the Heart: Reflections on Retreat at Hokyoji
This place has been kept alive by the selfless service of steady practitioners. I hope to keep coming home to the heart of Hokyoji again and again so that I may feel the slight awakening of my own heart.
Practicing with Difficulties
We can bring the practice into our bodies, or rather, bring consciousness of our bodies into our practice.
Generosity and Gratitude
Giving-and-receiving has to do with realizing that we are not separate, that we cannot exist on our own.
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.
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.
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.