“When all the living see, at kalpa’s end The conflagration when it is burning, Tranquil is this realm of mine, Ever filled with heavenly beings, Parks, and many palaces With every kind of gem adorned, Precious trees full of blossoms … Continue reading →
There is a saying that, “When the student is ready the teacher appears.” Unfortunately a number of people take this as something magical: that somehow the teacher knows, and is just waiting for you to be ready, then they will … Continue reading →
Experiencing darkness is part of my life. Most of the time I am not able to recognize the specific reason for this darkness. Nonetheless it often appeared to me as something very real in the past. When in the midst … Continue reading →
Today as we experience the emotion of grief, as we grieve the loss of Rev. Master Chosei, I’d like to look further into this subject of emotions. Sometimes we oppose emotions to analytical thinking, or reason, or the intellect, and … Continue reading →
I’d like to share with you something that I’ve found helpful in my own training recently, in the context of training in difficult situations. Most of us have probably had one or more events in our lives that have affected … Continue reading →
Helping on an Introductory Retreat recently, I gave the meditation instruction and was stuck by how very direct our practice is. Other traditions may use a technique to help bring oneself to the sitting. In Zen we go straight to … Continue reading →
On our altars there is a water cup, which sits before the Buddha. That cup represents you, me, each one of us. We train to receive what arises within us, from the great mystery that we call meditation. Like that … Continue reading →
