Podcasts about Hakomi

Greetings Friends,Happy Solstice! Here in the northern hemisphere it is the longest day of the year, one of two days of the year where the sun appears to stand still on the horizon. I feel interested in that teaching, here in what sometimes feels like the most active or busiest of seasons—what is stillness? where is stillness?What does it look like to let your inner sun rest, or to recognize that it's already still, shining brightly—no matter what.This week's koan from the Hidden Lamp is about big and small enlightenments. I'll let you listen to the podcast for the case and reflection this time. In celebration of the solstice, I would like to share a passage from Dogen Zenji's Genjo Koan, sometimes translated as “the way of everyday life.” The Mud Lotus Sangha has been exploring this teaching over the course of the last month. Sitting with the different images and passages. Gaining enlightenment is like the moon reflecting in the water. The moon does not get wet nor is the water disturbed. Although its light is extensive and great, the moon is reflected even in a puddle an inch across. The whole moon and the whole sky are reflected in a dewdrop in the grass, in one drop of water. Enlightenment does not disturb the person just as the moon does not disturb the water. A person does not hinder enlightenment just as a dewdrop does not hinder the moon in the sky. The depth of the drop is the height of the moon.I invite you to spend sometime today in stillness. Take a moment to open your awareness to the entire moon, the entire sky. Remember that you are one dew drop among many, reflecting vastness. You can not hinder awakening, it is your nature.As one teacher said, “so get used to it!”As always, I would love to hear your reflections!Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring the Hidden Lamp: Teaching from the Buddhist Women AncestorsFeel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in OregonGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth Sesshin— August 10 - 16 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Upcoming Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaInterdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5 (Registration is now open!)I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

Greetings Friends,Happy New Moon! This past week we explored the Hidden Lamp Case 21: Linji Meets the Old Woman Driving the Ox.Linji Meets the Old Woman Driving the OxChina, ninth centuryMaster Linji Yixuan went to see Master Bingdian An. On the way he met an old woman driving an ox in a field. Linji asked her, “Which way is the road to Bingdian?”The woman hit the ox with her stick and said, “This animal! It walks all over the place without even recognizing the road.”Linji repeated, “I asked you, which way is the road to Bingdian?”The woman said, “This beast! It's five years old and still can't be put to use.”Linji said to himself, “If you want to learn something from the person in front of you, first observe what the person does.” And he had the feeling that his sticking-point had been removed.Then, when he reached Master An, An asked him, “Have you seen my sister-in-law?”Linji said, “Yes, I've already been taken in tow.”I'm curious when you read this exchange is there a line or phrase that interests you, or that you have some sort of reaction to?Feel free to share. What touches you, what are you curious about? What feels aversive? What questions come up for you? How is this exchange relevant for your life and practice?These koans are teaching stories. And often what stirs in us is our way into them. If you are interested in hearing a little more about Master Linji and his origin story, as well as my comments on the koan, including being useless—listen to the audio recording. The Soft Animal of the BodyI am always curious when animals show up in koans. In reflecting on this koan, I got interested in the Ox. The Ox is a symbol for our true nature in the Zen tradition. There are a series of images called the Ox-herding pictures that portray important elements on this path of practice-awakening. They depict the movement from searching for our nature, to having a glimpse, to training ourselves to recognize and abide here, to eventually seeing through ideas of self/true nature, and living fully as we are in service to all beings.This week though, as I sat with the koan—a line from Mary Oliver's poem Wild Geese came to heart, “let the soft animal of your body, love what it loves.” This is such a deep invitation into presence. To feel our lives. To feel our bodies. To recognize the pleasure, the bliss of embodiment—right here, right now.I can notice how my mind wants to come in and fantasize about the things my body might want or long for, but part of what I am interested in is how the body can only love what is. Our bodies are always in the present moment.Our bodies speak the language of sensation, feeling, movement, texture, touch. Our bodies love through experiencing. Notice right now— what does your body love, in this moment?To ask, we need to sink into to our embodied life. To feel the changes in air temperature, the movement of breath, the touch of clothing, the pulsing and flickering of sensation. To hear and see, to smell and taste—to open the senses. For this sense world is our embodied life.When we let ourselves abide fully in our sense experience, we naturally open to the truth of interconnection. We feel ourselves as part of this great earth and in community with all, truly our lives are interpermeated—our bodies are the body of the entire world.So this week, today, right now—sit like an ox, here in your own body—loving what you love. Be the animal walking all over the place, the beast that can't be put to use!Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring the Hidden Lamp: Teaching from the Buddhist Women AncestorsFeel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in OregonGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth Sesshin— August 10 - 16 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Upcoming Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaInterdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5 (Registration is now open!)I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

If you're pre-licensed, you've probably been told that traveling while getting licensure hours is something you can't do. Stay put, finish your hours, then go live the life you actually want. Willow Renée decided she wasn't willing to do it that way.In this episode of The Traveling Therapist Podcast, I sit down with Willow to talk about what it really takes to keep traveling while getting licensure hours before you're fully licensed. She's hit some real roadblocks along the way, and she's refreshingly honest about all of it. If you've ever felt like you have to wait for permission to start building the life you want, Willow's story is a good reminder that you don't.In This Episode, We Explore…How falling in love with the Hakomi method in Mallorca set this whole path in motion.Why a verbal agreement with no contract left her scrambling to find a new supervisor.The two pathways she found for collecting licensure hours while living outside California.The Facebook group message that turned a rough travel day completely around.Her honest take on what she does to fund her travels and trainings right now.Connect with Willow Renée:Website: https://willowreneetherapy.comEmail: willowreneetherapy@gmail.comMentioned in this episode:Facebook post with list of supervisors who support traveling associates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/onlineandtraveling/permalink/2005318196992541The Traveling Therapist Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/onlineandtraveling100 Side Hustles for Therapists (free opt-in): https://kymtolson.kartra.com/page/opt-in-100-side-hustlesKym's Resources:Thera AI Hub: https://kymtolson.kartra.com/page/AI-Tools-for-TherapistsBill Like a Boss (for supervisory billing education): https://kymtolson.kartra.com/page/internsprivatepracticeCoaching with Kym (30-min): https://calendly.com/kymtolson/30minCoaching with Kym (60-min): https://calendly.com/kymtolson/60minAre you ready to take the plunge and become a Traveling Therapist? Whether you want to be a full-time digital nomad or just want the flexibility to bring your practice with you while you travel a couple of times a year, the Portable Practice Method will give you the framework to be protected! ➡️ JOIN NOW: www.portablepracticemethod.com/Connect with me:www.instagram.com/thetravelingtherapist_kymwww.facebook.com/groups/onlineandtraveling/www.thetravelingtherapist.comThe Traveling Therapist Podcast is Sponsored by:Berries: Say goodbye to the burden of mental health notes with automated note and treatment plan creation! www.heyberries.com/therapistsAlma: Alma is on a mission to simplify access to mental health care by focusing first and foremost on supporting clinicians www.helloalma.com/kym

Greetings Friends,We are moving through this wonderful collection of encounters with Buddhist Women found in the book The Hidden Lamp for our Summer Read. This week we met Keizan Zenji and Mokufu Sonin engaged in the dialogue below:Hidden Lamp Case 20: Sonin's Shadeless TreeMaster Keizan Jokin asked the nun Mokufu Sonin, “The winter is coming to an end and the springtime is arriving. There is an order to this. What is your understanding?” Sonin replied, “In the braches of a tree without shade, how could there be any seasons?”These two people are very important figures in the history of Zen Buddhism. They are direct Ancestors in our Soto Zen lineage tree. So, they are our Ancestors. What is an Ancestor? One way we understand Ancestor in Buddhism is someone who aligns their heart and mind with the aspiration to awaken and liberate all beings from suffering. So, someone who wants to help us wake up! But one Zen teacher says in actuality —all beings are your ancestor.What would it be like to truly see the world this way?Are all beings trying to awaken us?Is everyone we meet helping us on this path of liberation from suffering?Are they, through their words, thoughts and actions aiding us in opening our own hearts and minds to the love, compassion and wisdom of this universe?It may not always feel that way. But we can aspire to practice as if it were true, this is taking the view of bodhicitta— the great compassion unfolding this life.Connecting to the Zen Ancestors can remind us that humans have been walking this path of awakening for a long time. They were shaped by the path and they also shaped or opened new dimensions of the path through their embodied walking. I find that hearing the ancestor's stories is a lot like pulling a tarot card, or reading a myth or fairytale. Their life stories usually contain dharma teachings, universal themes about the path, but also personal dimensions that may resonate with our own struggles, questions, doubts, curiosities or lived experience.Keizan's PathKeizan Zenji is a great example of this. Considered the “mother of Soto Zen”, he was born in the early years of Soto Zen in Japan, just eleven years after Dogen Zenji (the founder) died. His mother and his grandmother were both Zen practitioners, but also embodied and practiced a more ancient form of spirituality that was common amongst women at the time—a form of spirituality we might call “folk” or “shamanistic” or “animist”. (In her recent books, Bringing Zen Home and The Little Book of Zen Healing Paula Arai explores how the blend of Zen and shamanism is still alive in how many lay women engage in dharma practice).Below is an excerpt from Sallie Tisdale's book Women of the Way, here she shares the story of Keizan's birth. This short selection introduces us to some of the people and practices that influenced Keizan throughout his life.Many years later, when Ekan Daishi was thirty-seven years old, she had a dream. She swallowed the morning light, warm and as soft as silk, and it filled her entire body. A few days later she realized she was pregnant. Then she prayed, as she had often prayed, to the beloved statue of Kannon: “May this child be a spiritual leader, a benefit to all, and please, may the delivery be easy.” For the next seven months, she bowed 1,333 times each day and recited the Kannon Sutra. The baby was born on the property of the Kannon Temple in the province of Echizen, without pain. A short while later Daishi took vows as a nun, and the baby's grandmother, Myōchi, helped raise him.So Keizan was raised with a deep connection to both his mother and grandmother and to the Bodhisattva Kannon (who is the bodhisattva of compassion). He was brought up in an enchanted world, where kami (spirits) filled the natural world, where Buddha's and Bodhisattva's appeared in dreams, where even the mundane aspects of life were part of the art, the ritual of living in an interconnected world of mutual reciprocity. A world emerging from the great compassion of Kannon. Keizan also listened to the wisdom of his dreams, practiced Buddhist astrology and geomancy. He was instrumental in creating and recording the ceremonies we have throughout the Buddhist liturgical year. His love for the ancestors, led him to gather the stories of the Zen Buddhist lineage dating back to Shakyamuni Buddha. Creating a mythological retelling of their lives, and giving teachings inspired by their stories. This collection of his dharma talks on the ancestors, is called the Denkuroku, the Transmission of the Light.Here's another selection from Women of the Way revealing some of the ways he practiced and saw the world, and how he carried his mother's vow forward after she died.His dreams about Yōkōji were strong and good, filled with spirits and buddhas. Even the stars overhead, streaming slowly between the black branches of the pines, were correctly aligned. The hills were no more beautiful than other nearby hills, but he could see through these particular hills to the hidden hills beneath. He believed that he could see the true monastery already there, the one belonging to the other world—the world of protectors and guides. In this place, where the boundary between worlds was very thin, he would build the Monastery of the Eternal Light. A year later Daishi died. Almost at the moment of her death she reached for her son's hand. “I made a vow to Kannon,” she said. “You must continue it. You must help all beings come to the Dharma. Especially, most especially, because you can, you must help all women of the three worlds and the ten directions. “Take the little statue,” she added, nodding toward the Kannon she had found all those years ago in the mud. “Take care of it forever.” In her memory, Keizan ordered that a Sōtō women's temple, Hōō-ji, be built in the province of Kaga.Keizan and Sonin's Dharma FriendshipOne of the most remarkable aspects of Keizan, is that he really took this vow to heart. Sonin was a patron, she donated the mountain where Keizan built Yokoji, one of the many monasteries he helped found, and the one where he spent most of his time. After Sonin's husband died, she went to Keizan to ask for ordination. The night before Keizan had a dream that his beloved deceased grandmother came to him and asked for ordination. From this point on he regarded Sonin as a reincarnation of his grandmother, and the two were very close as teacher and student, and then as friends and collaborators. Keizan wrote that the two of them were like, “magnet and iron.”Keizan wrote that Sonin's aspiration for awakening “clarifies each day”, that “she radiates kindness” and that her “insight is ripening”, shortly before the dialogue above took place. He had asked her about, “temporal existence” and she was unable to answer. She let this question work on her. And sometime later asked Keizan to engage in dharma combat. That is when he asked her about the seasons changing from winter to spring. Sonin's understanding was clear, and she was able to meet Keizan in the place with neither light or shadow.Sonin is the first woman in the Soto Zen lineage of Japan to receive full dharma transmission. Keizan gave transmission to two other women, Konto Ekyu and Myosho Ekan, before he died. (Keizan's mother Ekan Daishi, Mokufu Sonin, Konto Ekyu and Myosho Ekan are all part of the Women's Lineage found in the ZCO chant book, at the monastery we would chant their names as part of morning service twice a week.)In closing, this short snapshot into the lives of Keizan and Sonin, I want to share another excerpt from the Women of the Way.In 1322 Keizan and the nuns founded Enzūin, the Temple of All Pervading Perfection, across the stream from the mountain gate, hidden in the trees. Enzūin was dedicated to the well-being of women forever, and it was most especially meant as an honor to his grandmother and in keeping the promise he made to his mother Ekan Daishi when she died.At the dedication, the statue of Kanzeon, with its eleven serene faces, was installed as the main image. It had come to seem like an animate thing, hearing and acting on the prayers of its bearers. In its base Keizan placed a lock of his own baby hair and his umbilical cord, which his mother had preserved. In this way, he gave his own life to this women's hermitage in the trees. Sonin was the first living abbot there, although Ekan Daishi was considered the first ancestoral abbot. There is still a portrait of Ekan Daishi, Keizan's mother and Sonin as the first abbots on the Yokoji temple property.So, here is a story of the legacy of two Zen Ancestors. If you want to learn more, listen to the podcast where I also explore this short koan exchange and how we too are shadeless trees, in the midst of the changing seasons of our lives. If you are curious to learn more about Keizan and Sonin, there is this great resource here.Is there are any aspects of Keizan and Sonin's story that piqued your interest or felt resonate with your own life and practice? Hope to see you for one of our live online gatherings or in person for a retreat this summer!Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring the Hidden Lamp: Teaching from the Buddhist Women AncestorsFeel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in OregonGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth Sesshin— August 10 - 16 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Upcoming Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaInterdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5 (Registration is now open!)I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

Greetings and Happy Early Summer!We are continuing our Summer Read of the Hidden Lamp again this year. Every week we will explore a different koan story from the collection. If you would like to follow along, check out the calendar page for up to date information on the koan selections. On Monday night during the live online meditation event, I will give a dharma talk themed around the reading for the week and then we will have time for discussion. I will post the talk here too.This past Monday we started the Summer Read with Case 19 from the Hidden Lamp: The Flower Hall on the Buddha's Birthday.The nuns of Tokeiji were famous for their beautiful and elaborate flower decorations on the Buddha's birthday. Master Yodo, the abbess of Tokeiji wrote a verse for this occasion:Decorate the heart of the beholder, for the Buddha of the flower hallis no where else.The Buddha's birthday, also called Hanna Matsuri or the flower festival, usually takes place when the flowers of Spring are in full bloom. In the ceremony we decorate a flower bower with fresh flowers (in Oregon we would do this on Mother's Day and the rhododendron's were often a main feature). The baby buddha is placed in the center of the flower bower, in a bowl of sweet tea. During the ceremony each participant is invited up to the altar to bathe the baby buddha, while we chant a simple mantra together.To me this ceremony feels ancient. I imagine it is an evolution of a much older ceremony celebrating mid-spring, the abundance of new life, flowers and perhaps the Great Mother. For the story of the Buddha's birth starts with Maha Maya, the Buddha's mother. It starts with Maha Maya's great dream, reminding us that this very life, this very moment is sourced from the great mystery and is dream-like in its nature.As many of you know, I could dwell on this theme of dream and the Great Mother for a long time. But today, I want to highlight another aspect of this koan—the quality of care.We meet Yodo and the nuns of Tokeiji decorating the buddha hall. Taking great care to make a beautiful and elaborate offering of flowers. Flowers which will start to whither and die as the ceremony ends. Flowers that speak the language of beauty and innocence, of desire and abundance, of the purity of our buddha-nature.The activity that the nuns are engaged in is the activity of their life.We often wonder how to bring our meditation practice off of the cushion into our daily lives.Here the nuns demonstrate this—with care—they say through their actions.Care is how love is expressed.Care involves attending, meeting the moment. Care awakens appreciation.Through our care, our life becomes an offering, a gift. And we are the recipients as well as the ones making the offering.In monastic life we have ceremonies and activities that give form to the expression of care. From the way we place our shoes on the shoe rack, to choosing the serving dishes for a meal to making flower arrangements for the altars, we have these opportunities to express love through our actions.I was never formally trained in the art of Ikebana, flower arranging. But I did learn some basics over the years, two of which stick with me and can be applied to so many areas of life in exploring care and beauty.The first is that space is just as important as the physical elements of the flower arrangement. So as you choose your vessel, and begin to arrange the flowers you also consider the space between the flowers, leaves and branches. In flower arranging the space is alive.The second principle is that you appreciate how the different elements grow in nature and accentuate them. You recognize that you are also an active participant in creation, so you listen to how the elements are in relationship to each other and respond.I find these two principles invite care, attention, love, appreciation and open me up to seeing the beauty in life itself. What if we moved through our days with an awareness of the space that surrounds us, with an appreciation that we are in relationship with everything we encounter. That it is our life.Listen to the dharma talk for more explorations of this koan in relationship to care, nurturing the heart and seeing our buddha nature. And as always you are invited to take this story and practice into your life. This week notice beauty, practice appreciating your life, see your life as an offering, a gift. What happens when you do?Awakening happens in relationship. Hope to see you in-person or on zoom sometime soon. Starting this coming Monday, we will return to studying the teaching stories of the women ancestors found in The Hidden Lamp.Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring the Hidden Lamp: Teaching from the Buddhist Women AncestorsFeel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in OregonGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth Sesshin— August 10 - 16 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Upcoming Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaInterdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5 (Registration is now open!)I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

Our recent conversation with Fat and the Moon founder and creatrix Rachel Budde is inspired by a recent Fat and the Moon newsletter, discussing wellness cultures' relationship to the on-going polycrises. When do companies stand up and share their values, and when does their silence become deafening? Rachel discusses the importance of finding inspiration outside of mainstream culture, finding inspiration in the margins, and what it means to run a conscious wellness business in late stage capitalism. SUPPORT Fat and the Moon: www.fatandthemoon.comRachel Budde is an herbalist, teacher, and founder of Fat and the Moon, an herbal body care company. She views topical products as gateways to deeper recognition of plant medicine's power. Rooted in her Slovenian heritage, Rachel has been conducting ethnobotanical research on traditional plant uses since 2015, work that informs her forthcoming book. She has studied herbalism extensively, including mentorship with ethnobotanist Kathleen Harrison, and is trained as a psychedelic guide and in Hakomi somatic psychotherapy. Rachel is currently pursuing a Master's in Clinical Herbalism at the Maryland University of Integrative Health.✨✨✨~✨✨✨~✨✨✨~✨✨✨~✨✨✨~✨✨✨~✨✨✨~✨✨✨Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date on Modern Witches happenings: ⁠https://modernwitches.myflodesk.com/luna⁠ ❤️‍

Greetings Friends,I am returning from the Light of the Ancestors Sesshin at Great Vow Zen Monastery and feeling deep gratitude for this path of practice and all the people who have walked this path— discovering freedom and love in their own lives.Over the past few months the Monday night online Sangha through ZCO has been exploring The Mountains and Rivers Sutra by Dogen Zenji. In wrapping up our study of the sutra, we explored the last two stanzas from the version of the sutra that is often chanted in ZCO.Mountains have been the abode of great sages from the limitless past to the limitless present. Wise people and sages all have mountains in their inner chamber, as their body and mind. You may think that in mountains many wise people and great sages are assembled, but after entering the mountains, not a single person meets another. There is just the activity of mountains. There is no trace of anyone having entered the mountains.Although mountains belong to the nation, mountains belong to people who love them. You should know that mountains are fond of wise people and sages.From ancient times people and sages have often lived near water. When they live near water they catch fish, catch human beings, and catch the Way. Therefore, thoroughly investigate mountains, thoroughly investigate water. When you investigate thoroughly, it is the work of mountains and water. Then mountains and waters of themselves become wise persons and sages.When Dogen Zenji refers to mountains, he is inviting us to observe and contemplate actual mountains, to recognize and reflect on the constancy, stillness, presence and teachings of the mountains in the natural world and he is also inviting us to observe and contemplate our true nature. You can try reading the above paragraph substituting the words “true nature”, “the Way”, “awakening/enlightenment” or “practice-realization” for mountains. What opens up as you reflect on these different readings of the teaching of this sutra?How does the Way or practice-realization belong to those who love it?What is your experience of your life being the great activity of awakening?During the Light of the Ancestors sesshin, my co-teacher Bansho, Sensei referenced a koan from the Zen school, where a person is taking leave of the monastery and is asked by the teacher, “Where are you going?” The student replies, “around on pilgrimage.” The teacher then asks, “what is the purpose of pilgrimage?” The student replies, “I don't know.” The teacher responds, “Not-knowing is nearness.”We might also say, “not-knowing is love.”In a world where we are taught to fear the unknown, to always have a plan or purpose—what would it be like, instead, to see not-knowing as an invitation to love? To meet the unknown with curiosity? To be intimate with the mystery?Can not-knowing invite us in to the embrace of this life?Can the practice of not-knowing create space for love to arise?Is not-knowing an expression of love?On this path of practice-awakening we are constantly being invited to love. To recognize that we are loved, to recognize that we belong to this life.Another time a student asked, “what is the essence of the path?”A teacher replied, “whatever arises, love that.”Not-knowing makes us fetch-able, the way rises up and meets us, catches us in the openness of our curiosity. We become mountain, we become river just as mountains and rivers become us.Listen to the Dharma Talk for a more in-depth exploration of these last paragraphs from the Mountains and Rivers Sutra, and for reflections on coming home to ourselves, not-knowing, love and belonging on the path.Awakening happens in relationship. Hope to see you in-person or on zoom sometime soon. Starting this coming Monday, we will return to studying the teaching stories of the women ancestors found in The Hidden Lamp.Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring the Hidden Lamp: Teaching from the Buddhist Women AncestorsFeel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in OregonGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth Sesshin— August 10 - 16 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Upcoming Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaInterdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5 (Registration is now open!)I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

Ken Porter is a frequent guest on the Revealing Men podcast, hosted by Randy Flood, psychotherapist and director of the Men's Resource Center. He often helps clients navigate traumatic experiences, past and present, through his work as a somatic therapist and Hakomi-trained clinician. In this conversation, he and Flood focus on the interface between mind, [...]

Antonia and Roger Vanoro are husband and wife, soul collaborators, and the creators of Ontodelic Inquiry™, a somatic and subtle-field approach to transformation that bridges depth psychology, body-centered therapy, and the lived wisdom of altered states. Ontodelic draws from the Greek roots for "being" and "revealing," pointing to a revelation of being that works at the level of the body, the psyche, and the karmic storehouse beneath. Antonia is an intuitive energy healer and guide with over 22 years of experience in the sacred medicine space, trained in Hakomi, IFS, depth psychology, and energy work (CHt, CPTC). She works with the body as a direct route to the unconscious, midwifing clients through their natural healing processes with love, compassion, and skill. Roger is a somatic therapist and embodiment guide whose work begins in the present moment, using co-regulated presence to support clients as the deeper body awakens, heals, and reveals its histories. Together they developed Ontodelic Inquiry to meet what conventional somatic and parts-based work cannot: multi-lifetime and ancestral material, experiences of unity and expanded states, and the deep patterns that keep people looping regardless of how much inner work they've done. Their Ontodelic Inquiry Training is for therapists, coaches, facilitators, and healers ready to go deeper in their own process and their work with others. It is, as participants have described it, a psychedelic experience without the psychedelics. Antonia and Roger are based in the Hudson Valley, New York, and offer individual sessions, couples work, mentorship, and immersive trainings. Episode Highlights ▶ What Ontodelic Inquiry is and where the name comes from, rooted in the Greek words for "being" and "revealing" ▶ How somatic and parts-based modalities like Hakomi and IFS can become their own kind of loop, and what becomes possible when you work at the level of the karmic storehouse ▶ Why peak experiences alone rarely produce lasting change, and what shifts when deep somatic preparation and integration are in place ▶ How multi-lifetime and ancestral material shows up in sessions regardless of belief, and why a therapeutic frame that can hold it matters ▶ The role of pattern interruption and real-time somatic mapping in unwinding what talk therapy and medicine work can't fully reach ▶ How this work connects to ancient wisdom traditions from Andean Cosmovision to Vajrayana Buddhism, and why that lineage matters ▶ Why bringing light down into the body rather than bypassing shadow is the alchemy at the center of their approach ▶ What AI reveals about the irreplaceable nature of human consciousness and the transmission field only living beings can carry ▶ Who the Ontodelic Inquiry Training is for, including therapists, coaches, facilitators, and healers ready to go deeper   Antonia & Roger Vanoro' Links & Resources ▶ https://wheeloflife.us ▶ https://www.illuminateyourtruth.com/ ▶ https://rogervanoro.com/ ▶ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antoniavanoro   Download Beth's free trainings here: Clarity to Clients: Start & Grow a Transformational Coaching, Healing, Spiritual, or Psychedelic Business: https://bethaweinstein.com/grow-your-spiritual-businessIntegrating Psychedelics & Sacred Medicines Into Business: https://bethaweinstein.com/psychedelics-in-business▶ Beth's Coaching & Guidance: https://bethaweinstein.com/coaching ▶ Beth's Offerings & Courses: https://bethaweinstein.com/services▶ Instagram: @bethaweinstein ▶ FB: / bethw.nyc + bethweinsteinbiz

Eve Decker explores the vital necessity of cultivating joy not as a way to ignore suffering, but as a spiritual practice to maintain internal balance and equanimity. It is an internal ease independent of external circumstances. By embracing her personal mantra, "right now it's like this," Eve invites us to meet the present moment with intimacy and kindness, rather than reactivity or denial, whether it involves a beautiful sunrise or deep grief. Eve offers a roadmap for navigating the obstacles to well-being while actively "inclining the mind" toward joy. Much of our distress arises from the "Eight Worldly Winds," the fluctuating pairs of praise and blame, gain and loss, pleasure and pain, and fame and shame. To move toward a "lightness of being," we must learn to hold all of these without being swept away. Several practical shifts help with this:Regulating Despair: Cultivating joy to balance the human tendency to fall into "doom," which she describes as a state of being out of alignment with reality.Identifying Obstacles: Recognizing "foreboding joy" (the fear of experiencing joy because it might end) and the "shoulds" of societal conditioning that block self-compassion.The Power of Gratitude: Actively acknowledging simple gifts—such as the many hands involved in bringing food to a plate—to neurologically prime the brain for well-being.The Bliss of Blamelessness: Living a life of integrity and non-harming, which creates a sense of safety for others and a lightness of spirit for oneself.Mindful Presence: Using mindfulness as a foundation to stop reacting to discomfort and instead rest in the "sweetness of loving ourselves."______________Eve Decker has been practicing Insight Meditation since 1991, and has taught groups, daylongs, and short retreats since 2006, particularly at Spirit Rock, the East Bay Meditation Center, and elsewhere in the Bay Area. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley and of Spirit Rock's Path of Engagement and Community Dharma Leader training programs, and has been trained in the Hakomi approach to body-based psychotherapy. Eve is also a singer/songwriter who has combined the power of music and dharma practice. Her most recent CDs are “In: Chants of Mindfulness & Compassion,” and “Awakening Joy - The Music.” Find her at https://evedecker.com/ ______________  To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/There you can:   Donate  Learn how to participate live  Find our schedule of upcoming speakers  Join our mailing list or discussion forum Enjoy over 900 recorded talks dating back to 1995CREDITSAudio Production: George HubbardProducer: Tom BrueinMusic/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

Greetings Friends,I'm a lover of poetry. A sometimes writer of poems. A sometimes reader. Poetry for me is more of a way of being, a willingness to be carried across by metaphor, to be turned inside out by image, to sit in the silence, to not know and to be transformed through the art of attention.The best poetry is wordless attention.And, also. Some poems really act as an arrow, straight to the heart of it and allow what is often inexpressible—a moment of shared recognition. April was national poetry month, and one of the ways I celebrated was to reflect on poetry in the buddhist and zen tradition. I looked at the different kinds of poetry and its function. In doing so, I recognized four functions of poetry: enlightenment poems, death poems, capping phrases and poems of intimacy with what is.Listen to the talk for more exploration of these four functions, with examples from some of my favorite poems from the tradition. Below are a few favorites for your reading pleasure.Dongshan's Enlightenment Poem Long seeking it from others, I was far from reaching it. Now I go by myself, and I find it everywhere. It is just I myself, but I am not itself. Understanding in this way, I can be as I am.Ikkyu's Death Poem I won't die. I won't go anywhere. I'll be here. But don't ask me anything. I won't answer.Mitta's Enlightenment Poem (From the translation/interpretation the first free women) Full of trust you left home, and soon learned to walk the Path— making yourself a friend to everyone and making everyone a friend. When the whole world is your friend, fear will find no place to call home. And when you make the mind your friend, you'll know what trust really means. Listen. I have followed this Path of friendship to its end. And I can say with absolute certainty— it will lead you home.On this spiritual path, poetry has been an inspiration for me. Not just the poetry of the ancestors, but so many other poems have graced me with their invitations to wonder and open to a world that is alive, and inviting. Do you have a poem that has inspired or transformed you? Do you have a poem you keep coming back to? Feel free to share it here. Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring the Mountains and Waters Sutra by Dogen Zenji.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in OregonLight of the Ancestors Sesshin—May 11 - 17 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth Sesshin— August 10 - 16 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Upcoming Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaInterdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5 (Registration is now open!)I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

Today, Beatrice Chestnut interviews Wilder Heath about his journey with the Enneagram and his experience as a Self-Preservation 4. In this episode, Wilder shares how his path of self-discovery involved testing different types, recognizing patterns of envy, and understanding his tendency to intensely absorb emotions and identities.Based in Seattle, Washington, Wilder is a psychotherapist, Hakomi therapist, and Enneagram life coach. He has a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology with a dual focus in Marriage & Family Therapy and Drama Therapy. He has been a practicing mental health professional for over 10 years and maintains Professional Certification from CP Enneagram Academy.Learn more about Wilder's work at https://www.wilderheath.com Like learning about the Enneagram from Bea and Uranio? Join a community of Enneagram enthusiasts and participate in live monthly webinars and Q&As with Bea and Uranio. Sign up for a FREE trial of CP Online membership at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://learn.cpenneagram.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Want to discover which Enneagram type you could be? Visit our webpage ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://enneagramcompass.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about the Enneagram test they created, Enneagram Compass.Please subscribe and share this podcast with others. It will help us out a lot!Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ChestnutPaesEnneagramAcademyFollow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/cpenneagramSign up for our newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cpenneagram.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠Questions? ⁠hello@cpenneagram.com

One of the figures that we encounter in the Zen literature is the stone woman. In the Precious Mirror Samadhi we find her dancing, in another story she calls us back from our dream of the world.In the study of the Mountains and Rivers Sutra, she shows up early on when Dogen quotes Furong Daokai. “The green mountains are always moving, a stone woman gives birth to a child at night.” He then comments on the stone woman, saying:“A stone woman gives birth to a child at night” means that the moment when a barren woman gives birth to a child is called “night.” There are male stones, female stones, and nonmale, nonfemale stones. (13) They are placed in the sky and in the earth and are called heavenly stones and earthly stones. These are explained in the ordinary world, but not many people actually know about it. You should understand the meaning of giving birth to a child. At the moment of giving birth to a child, is the mother separate from the child? You should study not only that you become a mother when your child is born, but also that you become a child. (14) This is the actualization of giving birth in practice-realization. You should study and investigate this thoroughly.So, who is this stone woman? Have you met her? Have you taken the time to hear the stories of the mountains, the stars, the river rocks, the stones you encounter on your walk? What is their experience of night? Of birth? Of silence, life, time and human?The Stone Woman SpeaksThere are stories told throughout the world, throughout time about the lives of mountains, stones, trees and the natural world. Stories of how the mountains were made. How the world was made, stories of creation. There are even stories of women being turned to stone. When I was living in the Pacific Northwest, I learned some of the creation myths of the indigenous people who live in the region. In the telling, the local mountains have a prominent role. The Chinook tell of Thunderbird laying eggs on top of Saddle Mountain, which an ogress will then throw down the Mountain, peopling the area.The Klickitat story involves the formation of Wy'east (Mt. Hood), Pahto (Mt. Adams) and Loo-wit (Mt. St. Helen's). In this story Loo-wit is a beautiful woman, who once guarded the first fire for the Great Spirit. Wy'east and Pahto were brother warriors who both fell in love with Loo-wit, and started fighting over her by spitting fireballs over the land. Eventually Great Spirit turned them into stone, mountain-volcanoes—banishing the Stone Woman Loo-wit up to the northern regions.Do you know some of the stories about the mountains, rivers or landforms in your area? Or ones you have visited? Have you ever listened to or heard the story of a tree, rock, flower, river or some other being in the natural world?During the Grasses and Trees Sesshin at Great Vow Zen Monastery on the fourth full-day of the retreat we often invite participants to have sanzen with a being in the natural world. Sanzen, which means sitting zen together, is what we call the 1:1 practice meetings in Zen. We are invited to meet a blade of grass, a pond, a noble fire, sky with an open mind, a question, a willingness to listen and learn from. Often people come back with a story of transmission. Something happened in the encounter, often part of the practice involves a willingness to listen to the silence—for the natural world often doesn't speak in human language.Mysterious TransmissionsThis image of the stone woman is also pointing to prajna paramita, the mother of all buddhas, wisdom beyond wisdom. To encounter the stone woman, is to meet the night, the darkness of not-knowing, the pure potential energy that we are—the great mystery. We are invited into the dark-unknowing, the womb of pure potential—where we become one with the wisdom of the ancestors, where we are born anew.From this place our life emerges, from this place it is fulfilled. —HongzhiFor more explorations of the stone woman giving birth at night, listen to the dharma talk. I would love to hear any reflections that you have. It's poetry month, and I am also exploring encounters with the stone woman through poetry.The Stone Woman Speaks(a poem) the stone woman lives in the foundation of my house but also, in the potholed alley the river bed & on the rock face of the glen. she who was —before— people, animal, name. she who will be here —after— we are no longer. she speaks in cool, smooth ancient sounds the kind that turn you around and let you hear the voice of your own —inner silence.Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring the Mountains and Waters Sutra by Dogen Zenji.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in OregonLight of the Ancestors Sesshin—May 11 - 17 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth Sesshin— August 10 - 16 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Upcoming Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaInterdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5 (Registration is now open!)I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

Send us Fan MailIn this conversation, we explore religion, trauma, and how we can heal—not by fixing ourselves, but by learning to be with what is.Born into an Orthodox Jewish family in Montreal, Rachel Krentzman's early life was shaped by both devotion and deep disruption. The trauma of her rabbi father's arrest led her to question her beliefs, to shed old layers, and ultimately to rediscover herself through the body.Living with scoliosis and spinal injuries herself, Rachel developed a powerful, integrative approach that blends HAKOMI, a somatic psychotherapy, physical therapy, and yoga, supporting hundreds of people around the world in reconnecting with their bodies and rewriting their stories.She is also the author of several books, including Scoliosis, Yoga Therapy and the Art of Letting Go, and in her latest memoir, As Is, she shares her personal path of healing the past through yoga.New Book: As Is: A Memoir on Healing the Past Through Yoga. CONNECT WITH RACHEL:WEBSITE: happybackyoga.com.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelkrentzman/Download my FREE eBook: A Weekend of Feeling WellSchedule a FREE Discovery call with AnnaSign up for my free weekly newsletter: HEREBuy my book Living Your Best Life in CollegeTake the 2-minute Wellness QuizIf you enjoyed this episode, please FOLLOW, RATE, REVIEW & SHARE!! Rates and reviews help the message get to more people! Thanks!Good is What Makes You Feel Well is Mamma Terra's PodcastCONNECT WITH MAMMA TERRA HEALTH COACHING:Instagram: @mammaterrahcFacebook: MammaTerra.HCLinkedIn: Anna ResendeIntro Music "Levitar" credits to Ricardo Ulpiano, Thiago Peixoto, Marcelo Luciano Menino, and Anderson Rodrigo de Oliveira.Podcast art credits to Caroline Kohls Thanks for tuning in!

In this episode, I'm joined by Shelly Sharon for a deeply honest conversation about the mother wound, and the way our earliest relationships can quietly shape how we show up in business. Shelly helps women who have already done a lot of healing work unpack the way a complex relationship with their mother still holds them back, so they can blossom in their relationship with themselves, others, their career and life itself. After a childhood marked by neglect and abandonment, she turned her story on its head and built a life rooted in purpose, healing and helping other women do the same.We talk about high achievement, perfectionism, visibility, burnout, boundaries and the exhausting habit of trying to earn love, safety or approval through effort. Shelly is a trauma-informed, certified Hakomi therapist who believes that dreams come true, and she brings such depth and compassion to this conversation. There is so much here for anyone who has ever looked successful on the outside but felt heavy on the inside.Highlights:(03:09) - Why high achievement can become a way of trying to feel safe and accepted (08:41) - What feeling safe enough to be visible actually looks like (15:41) - Why we still chase validation, even when we know better (21:33) - How the mother wound shapes our relationship with clients and business (35:11) - Why healing does not have to mean losing the relationship (45:11) - The somatic moment that changed what a boundary felt likeConnect with Shelly:https://www.shellysharon.comhttps://www.instagram.com/undermothered_women/To find out more:WebsiteInstagram(FREE) THE PROFITABLE PRACTITIONER'S GUIDEThis podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

Greetings Friends,Happy April Fool's Day! Last week I had the opportunity to co-facilitate a Zen sesshin in the mountains of West Virginia at Saranam Retreat Center.Sesshin, a zen-style silent meditation retreat which translates as touching the heart-mind, has been a huge part of my adult life. While living at Great Vow Zen Monastery, I practiced sesshin together in sangha for a week every month. Such is the rhythm of monastic life we enter this cauldron of awakening together and let our hearts and minds simplify to reveal their true nature.Preparing for sesshin has a feeling of preparing for death— for opening to oneness is not the ego's domain. Sesshin is grounded in the aspiration to awaken with all beings. An impossible vow that truly we are entangled in, this springing forth of great love is actualized through our practice—realized in this heart.For the dharma teachings are not just “good ideas” but insights we can come to know in our bones, as our body-mind.There is something utterly incomprehensible about sitting together in silence and allowing ourselves to be touched by the great mystery.To return from sesshin is impossible, and yet—here we are. Back from the dead, changed, transformed. Heart's silent presence alive in our inter-relations. Vow awakened and lived into here-and-now.This is compassion!During sesshin we practiced with Dogen Zenji's Mountains and Waters Sutra. Which I have been giving dharma talks on over the last few weeks, during the online Monday Night Dharma. This week we explored the practice of circling back to study ourselves. In the Mountains and Waters Sutra, Dogen says:The blue mountains devote themselves to the investigation of walking; the East Mountain studies “moving over the water.” Hence, this study is the mountain's own study. The mountains, without altering their own body and mind, with their own mountain countenance, have always been circling back to study themselves.We encounter circles throughout this path of practice. As I said above, I circle back to sesshin regularly. Many of you have the experience of circling back to this practice of zazen-meditation. The study of the mountains and rivers sutra is a circling back to a teaching I have practiced with for over a decade. What do you find yourself circling back to in your practice-life? As we enter the season of Spring, what is beginning again for you? How are you circling back to yourself? This circling back to study ourselves is one of the core instructions for zazen practice—to recognize our original self, the unborn buddha mind. Listen to the Dharma talk for more explorations of this teaching in the Mountains and Rivers Sutra. I reference the chant-able version of the Mountains and Waters Sutra which you can find here.Below is a poem inspired by the practice of circling.Mountains Circling Back to Realize Themselves Circle back study yourself Who are you? What hears? Who is breathing this breath? What feels the heart beating, the touch of clothing, longing, aspiration? Circle back and listen to yourself What is your heart's song? Do you know the compassion that you are? Are you in touch with this aspiration to awaken, to liberate all beings? What is the shape of your vow? What is the size of your heart? Can you see that it truly includes the entire world? Circle back and be yourself See that you too are mountain, and flowing You were never born, you will not die Circle back and love yourself For you are dying, too Wonder at this Self This miracle that you are Let yourself be amazed By this life you live Appreciate the challenges, the joys, all the happenings That make you — you Circle back, greet yourself For you are ancestor Parent, protector, caregiver, teacher, friend, guide To this earth, your family, community, all beings And you are also child A student of life, learning, being guided, protected Cared for by this earth, and all your inter-relations Circle back and meet yourself As you are born, from the stone woman From the dark Even as you age You are new Like spring Like a flower budding Circle back home to yourself Rest In the vast openness Of your original Heart-mind Always right hereBecoming Circle What must relax in you To become a circle? What assumptions made about who we are and why we are here Must dissolve So that feet can walk back towards head as ground rises up To meet the sky We who once stood erect in the middle Like pillar or tree Like mountain Now find ourselves Turning inside-out Walking backward as we move forward Being planet Or globe Flower Or mandala Or something else entirely Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring the Mountains and Waters Sutra by Dogen Zenji.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in OregonLight of the Ancestors Sesshin—May 11 - 17 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth Sesshin— August 10 - 16 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Upcoming Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaInterdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5 (Registration is now open!)I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

I will be joining the Mud Lotus Sangha in West Virginia for our first sesshin of the year. Sesshin is now often translated as a Zen-style meditation retreat. But the words meditation and retreat are mis-leading. It is in its truest sense a practice of recognizing our true nature, of touching, encountering the heart-mind that abides everywhere.We are going to the mountains of West Virginia to practice. Stepping back into Mountain time to learn from the mountains, waters and great earth. To be students to the world before thought, which continues to blossom in the midst of all our human-made problems.Preparing for sesshin is like preparing for death.It is preparing for the unknown, for encountering the mystery. It is a practice and path of discovering who and what we are when we aren't engaging constantly in the impulses and desires of modern life—with its near endless supply of surface level distractions and pleasures—that often keep us from encountering the deep questions and true satisfaction of our being.During sesshin we will be exploring the Mountains and Waters Sutra by Dogen Zenji. And we are also taking up this sutra on Monday nights, as part of the Monday Night Dharma teaching offered weekly on zoom (more info below).It is a beautiful teaching that scholars, ecologists, practitioners, artists, mystics, activists, poets have turned to over the centuries for inspiration on this path of being human, of living awake to our deep interconnection with all beings.So for the next couple months, we will be walking in the mountains together. We will be journeying in Mountain Time, studying the teachings of mountains and waters and how they are relevant in our own lives as modern, urban, technological beings. One of my questions is, can the teachings of mountains and waters, the teachings in this sutra and other teachings we find throughout buddhism about mountains—can they meet us in this current moment? Can they meet us here in what feels apocalyptic? What do the mountains and waters have to teach us about hope/fear, gain/loss, life/death, awakening/delusion, joy, compassion, equanimity, freedom and how to live together on this earth or even in this cosmos?The first line of the sutra says:These mountains and rivers right now are an actualization of the ancient buddha way.Pay attention to the mountains and waters, they are teaching us, they are the expression of the awakened ones, they are the way!People throughout cultures and traditions regard the mountains as sacred, regard the natural world as sacred— as teachers, as expressions-embodiments of our true nature. Mountains are mythic and evoke the spirit. They are often personified as spirit beings, praised, worshiped and prayed to. Many mountains are pilgrimage sites, temples were built on them, ceremonies are conducted on them. To live on the mountains, is to live with the mountains, to simplify—to be humbled and vulnerable in the mountains presence.To take up mountains and waters as sutra, is to encounter this ancient way of being, is to connect with our ancestors, is to connect with the Earth as ancestor and realize our deep inter-being with all of life.Are we willing to humble ourselves before the mountains and waters?Are we willing to hear their teachings?What kind of listening is required—to encounter earth as ancestor, lover, friend, mother, as the way, the path, true nature itself?Are we willing to abide in mountain time, to open to the deep time, presence and pace of mountains?Can we do this as modern people? Is this teaching relevant to us as people who are intertwined with technology and the creature comforts of urban life? What might we have to change, give-up, surrender or open to? Is it possible to study the sutra of mountains and rivers, right here—in our daily lives?Throughout the study and practice of reading this sutra, contemplating it and putting it into practice—we will encounter these questions and more. We will get to experience a new appreciation for what the mountains and waters are, how they are teachers, buddhas, and the way.The first paragraph of the sutra says:Mountains and waters right now are the actualization of the ancient Buddha way. Each, abiding in its phenomenal expression, realizes completeness. Because mountains and waters have been active since before the Empty Eon, they are alive at this moment. Because they have been the self since before form arose they are emancipation-realization.And I will leave it there for today. Listen to the podcast episode for more and join us tomorrow as we dive deeper into the sutra and the practice of mountain-walking. Feel free to share any comments or thoughts below!Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring the Mountains and Waters Sutra by Dogen Zenji.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in OregonLight of the Ancestors Sesshin—May 11 - 17 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth—In-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Upcoming Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaMountains and Rivers Sesshin March 18 - 22 (Registration is now open!)Mountains are high and wide. The movement of clouds and the inconceivable power of soaring in the wind comes freely from the mountains. —Dogen Zenji, Mountains and Waters SutraDuring this silent, Zen-style retreat we will practice with the mountains and waters, opening to our own mountain-stability and the flowing nature of all experience.Meditation provides the opportunity for intimacy with self and world, recognizing the interconnectedness of this very life. Healing and transformation happen as we abide in the mystery of who we truly are.This will be a silent meditation retreat. After an initial meal, set-up and orientation we will enter noble silence. Supporting each other in connecting with our own inner silence, stability and confidence. We will follow a rigorous daily schedule which includes roughly seven hours of seated meditation, interspersed with periods of walking meditation, chanting practice, dharma talks, opportunities to check-in with one of the practice leaders, outdoor meditation sessions, mindful eating practice during meals, a late morning care-taking practice and breaks where participants have the opportunity to rest, exercise and explore the beautiful grounds and nature.Interdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5 (save the date, registration opens soon!)I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha.Earth Dreams is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

Greetings Friends,This past weekend I had the opportunity to join the Pause Meditation community for a deep dive into practice around the theme of the beginner's mind. In the Zen tradition we celebrate the beginner's mind. For it is both the unborn buddha mind— our original mind which is always right here and our curious, open mind that is constantly being born anew. So very much like the energy of spring, life is constantly bubbling up, recreating itself, blossoming in our awareness. “In every adult there is a child – an eternal child, something that is always becoming, is never completed, and calls for unceasing care, attention, and education. That is the part of the human personality which wants to develop and become whole.” —Carl JungThis podcast episode is a recording of the talk I gave about the Beginner's Mind to the Pause Meditation Community and below is a guided meditation on recognizing the unborn buddha mind, the mind at home in itself.Also, in celebration and praise of the one who is always being born (tomorrow is my birthday) and to the unborn buddha mind in us all—I wanted to share a fairy tale I wrote. Fairy tales, folklore, myths and stories have been with us throughout human history. I find that they invite us into the mystery, as they attempt to story and image that which we can't explain. They can leave us open to a world ensouled and to the inexplicable nature of reality.I've always appreciated that two folktales are included in the Mumonkan, one of the more popular collections of Zen koans and teaching stories. Like koans and dreams, fairytales invite us to consider all the characters, animals and landscape as our mind, as the various manifestations of one psyche.Happy Birthday, may you enjoy this tale and the great dream of this life!Also, starting tonight during the Monday Night Dharma practice we will be exploring the Mountains and Rivers Sutra by Dogen Zenji. I have some curiosity about practicing with this sutra during this seemingly apocalyptic time on the planet. How can the teachings of Mountains and Rivers and the unborn Buddha Mind meet us in this moment? What happens when we bring all our doubts, fears, confusions, grief, longings, etc. to this sutra & to our practice?the girl, the magician and the great tree (a fairy tale)Once upon a time there was a forest and in that forest there was a girl. The girl loved the forest and the forest loved the girl. By day the sun shone brightly, and she herself was radiant, she paraded with the panthers and lounged with the lions. At night the stars became her blanket and she dreamed vivid colorful dreams. She always felt safe and protected in her forest home.Time passed and the girl grew older. Her body started to change and with that change the forest seemed to change too. Parts of the forest grew dark. She often heard strange sounds, bad sounds, sounds that no being should ever hear—coming from those shadows.The girl started to feel fear and spent more time by herself. One misty morning as the girl was walking alone, a magician appeared from the shadows and greeted her. He told her he was on a journey to find the Great Tree, as he was hoping to make a prayer so that he may gather its fruit as medicine for his ailing mother, who was sick at home with night terrors.The girl once knew the Great Tree well. It was the place in the forest she first called home. Its bark was like the ocean, its roots ran through the entire forest and its fruit was splendid, every imaginable food and medicine grew from its branches. She and the animals would eat its fruit, and take its medicine whenever they were sick or injured. The Great Tree always provided them with all they could ever need.She wanted to help the boy find the Tree she loved so much. But she couldn't remember where it was. Every path once led to the Great Tree, but now they all seemed to end in the shadows. Suddenly it hit her that she didn't know where she was. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she had been to the Great Tree.Instinctively, she reached into her pocket to touch the two golden seeds she kept there. Instead of providing comfort and clarity, as they usually did, she fell into a deep sleep. The magician took the golden seeds from her hands and immediately knew the way to the Great Tree.When the girl finally awoke she realized her golden seeds were gone. These were all she had from the Great Tree. It was like her whole life was being stolen from her, and she was left in the darkest of dark places.Then, a raven appeared and lifted the girl up by her shoulders, flying her deeper into the dark. Before the girl knew what was happening the raven cawed three times and released her. There she was face to face with an opening door and a huntsman.“You knocked?” Said the huntsman. “Well I did, and I didn't” responded the girl.The huntsman liked this answer and he invited her to come in, as he was just about to fix his morning coffee and toast, and thought she might like to join him.As she entered the abode she caught her breath. The house was decorated exclusively with the skin and fur from bears. She had never been in the company of someone who hunted. She had heard about them from the stories the animals would tell her—back when the animals could talk, and she could understand them.She was afraid and started to talk, “I don't know why I am here or even where I am. I was walking in the forest and I met this strange man. He was looking for the Great Tree. A place I used to know, that used to be my home but, I don't know where it is anymore. I used to eat from it and use its fruit to heal the animals. Now the forest is dark and I feel confused and afraid all the time,” she blurted out.The huntsman's face showed both care and concern. “You don't know who you are, do you?” said the huntsman. And gave out a little chuckle, which eased the girl.“Should I? No one has ever asked me who I am.” “Ah, yes. We all have names.” said the huntsman. “For example, I am called Beir. I speak the language of the bear, they are part of my family and let me take their life so that my people can eat. The bears have been sick recently, something is out of balance. I think you might be able to help me.” Beir said.He went upstairs and came back with a bow and a silver arrow. “This is for you,” he said to the girl. “I want you to carry this. I suspect when you discover who you are, you are going to need this. This silver arrow, when used with Integrity, has the power to bring your Great Tree back to life and restore balance to the forest.”The girl doesn't understand, but there is something about the care in his eyes, the confidence in his voice and his own courage that allows her to accept the bow with the silver arrow. They sit together in silence drinking coffee and eating toast with huckleberry jam. When suddenly they hear the howl of a wolf from very close by. Beir stands and opens the door letting in a gust of wind that blows into the house and lifts the girl out of her seat and into the cold, dark forest again.“I thought it was morning,” the girl thinks as she tries to pull herself up and orient to where she is now. But before she can, the wolf races by and throws her up on his back and races through the shadowy maze of paths. The wolf howls three times, places her down on the forest floor and speeds off. She looks up to a door opening, and two snakes slithering up the arms of an old woman.“You rang?” Says the old snake woman, her silver hair gleaming in the moonlight. “I did and I didn't.” Says the girl again, surprised that it is already night time. “Well, well you must come in then,” says the woman smiling. “You've already met Lok and Ki,” she says with a soft cackle.The cottage is dark aside from these blue-white spheres that seem to self-illuminate on the walls. They look like mirrors but when the girl stands in front of them, she doesn't see her own reflection. “Ah, child, you don't know who you are,” the woman says, kindly. “Why is everyone saying this to me today?” the girl replies slightly annoyed but also curious.“The mirrors reflect what we fear, until we can truly rest in our nature. You seem to have lost yourself. And you're afraid you won't be found.” The girl wants to ask if she is findable. But she feels embarrassed and a little confused by this whole thing. She likes the woman though, she likes how strange and direct she is. How she feels like the river and the open sky—refreshing, clear and free simultaneously.“Do you have a name?” the girl asks. “I am called snake woman by some, witch by others, but those close to me call me Crystalanne.” The girl feels like she knows things, things that have not yet happened but will happen…“I'm making some mugwort tea, come drink with me and I will fix you a place to sleep. I have a sense that you need to have a dream while you are here.” As the girl sips her tea, Crystalanne tells her stories about the many lives she has lived.That night the girl does dream. She dreams of the Great Tree and of the forest she once knew. In the dream the Great Tree is sick. Someone has cast a spell on it, something dark has entered its roots and turned its abundant medicine to poison. The animals are sick and tired, and the sun has stopped shining in the forest.The girl wakes up and tells Crystalanne the dream. Crystalanne listens attentively. She nods, but does not seem distressed. “Ah, yes. This is what you needed to see,” Crystalanne says after some time. “Are you ready to return to your tree and heal the forest?” “Me?” the girl asks, “I am not a hero, I don't know how to heal the forest.” “Oh, but you do, dear.” Crystalanne says, “So you must. Time is running out.”Crystalanne goes into another room and comes out with a locket. “When the time comes, open this and you will see your true self.” She says as she hands the girl the locket. Then she goes over to the door, cracks it a bit and a mighty wind sweeps in and blows the girl out of the cottage. She tumbles in the air before landing on the body of a giant white and blue viper. She clutches her bow with the silver arrow in one hand and her locket in another. “I want to know who I am,” she says aloud.Just then the viper vanishes and the girl lands standing on the darkening roots of the Great Tree. The magician is already there. “What are you doing to the Great Tree? The forest is sick, I thought you wanted to help heal your mother.” The girl asserts. “My mother is ill. This whole world is her nightmare now and I want everyone to experience it,” laughs the magician.“I can't let you do that.” The girl says, remembering what Beir said about Integrity. “This is my home, this Great Tree gives life to the entire forest and all the animals—I have come to stop you.” She takes her bow and silver arrow and aiming right at the boy's chest, she shoots. The arrow speeds from the bow, faster than light and pierces the boy's heart. He falls to the ground releasing the golden seeds.The girl collects the seeds and begins to pray. She prays for the forest, for the Great Tree, she prays for the boy and his sick mother, she prays for all of the animals. Her prayers get stronger, as if light were being emitted from her mouth.And, slowly the oceanic blue can be seen flowing through the Great Tree's bark, and the sun's radiance begins to shine on the forest again. Before long the abundant fruit is growing on the Great Tree's branches and the animals return to eat and heal.“This is me. This is who I am. I am the forest and I am a healer. My name is Amala.” The girl roars in a new voice—stronger than the one she used before. As she speaks she feels the locket pulse and something stirs from behind her.The boy rises. He winks at her. “And I am Bhatt. I am a great magician who had a spell cast over me by my mother. Your silver arrow freed me from the spell. And allowed my mother to finally rest in peace. Thank you, I am forever grateful to you.”Amala knows that Bhatt would be her human love. She felt clear that he was her equal and that they had much to learn from each other. With this knowing her locket pulsed again. This time she holds it in her hand and opens it. Peering inside she sees the the raven, the grizzly bear, Bier, the wolf, Lok and Ki, Crystalanne and the giant white viper, she sees the Great Tree with its oceanic bark, the radiant forest, all of the animals and the dark mystery of the cosmos, and then there is her face full of joy connected to the entire forest. “This is who I am,” she says. “And it's good, all good.”The light and the dark, the sickness and the medicine, the joy and the sorrow. It's all good.Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring the Mountains and Waters Sutra by Dogen Zenji.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in OregonLight of the Ancestors Sesshin—May 11 - 17 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth—In-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Upcoming Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaMountains and Rivers Sesshin March 18 - 22 (Registration is now open!)Mountains are high and wide. The movement of clouds and the inconceivable power of soaring in the wind comes freely from the mountains. —Dogen Zenji, Mountains and Waters SutraDuring this silent, Zen-style retreat we will practice with the mountains and waters, opening to our own mountain-stability and the flowing nature of all experience.Meditation provides the opportunity for intimacy with self and world, recognizing the interconnectedness of this very life. Healing and transformation happen as we abide in the mystery of who we truly are.This will be a silent meditation retreat. After an initial meal, set-up and orientation we will enter noble silence. Supporting each other in connecting with our own inner silence, stability and confidence. We will follow a rigorous daily schedule which includes roughly seven hours of seated meditation, interspersed with periods of walking meditation, chanting practice, dharma talks, opportunities to check-in with one of the practice leaders, outdoor meditation sessions, mindful eating practice during meals, a late morning care-taking practice and breaks where participants have the opportunity to rest, exercise and explore the beautiful grounds and nature.Interdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5 (save the date, registration opens soon!)I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

I wanted to share with you a profound, beautiful and somewhat unsettling teaching from the Diamond Sutra.I would say its unsettling precisely because it is so radical, it touches something true that we know at the core of who we are, and it also reminds us that everything we think we are or think the world is —is not the whole story, our thinking inevitably misses something.we are inconceivable in our nature—and we all have, the same bright, clear, open, ungraspable heart-mind.here's the verse from the diamond sutra, may you practice its profundity and dwell in the mystery of being.the world is not what we name it or think it, and there is no enduring thing that is self or other, each object and being in this fleeting world is like:A star at dawnA bubble in a streamA flash of lightning in a summer stormA flickering flameA wisp of smokeA dreamlisten to the podcast for a deeper exploration of the teachings from the diamond sutra.until next time,kiseiWeekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring the Mountains and Waters Sutra by Dogen Zenji.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKOnline Meditative Deep Dive with Pause MeditationBeginner's Mind Saturday March 7th from 10A PT/1P ET - 11:30A PT/2:30P ETIn-Person in OregonLight of the Ancestors Sesshin—May 11 - 17 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth—In-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Upcoming Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaMountains and Rivers Sesshin March 18 - 22 (Registration is now open!)Mountains are high and wide. The movement of clouds and the inconceivable power of soaring in the wind comes freely from the mountains. —Dogen Zenji, Mountains and Waters SutraDuring this silent, Zen-style retreat we will practice with the mountains and waters, opening to our own mountain-stability and the flowing nature of all experience.Meditation provides the opportunity for intimacy with self and world, recognizing the interconnectedness of this very life. Healing and transformation happen as we abide in the mystery of who we truly are.This will be a silent meditation retreat. After an initial meal, set-up and orientation we will enter noble silence. Supporting each other in connecting with our own inner silence, stability and confidence. We will follow a rigorous daily schedule which includes roughly seven hours of seated meditation, interspersed with periods of walking meditation, chanting practice, dharma talks, opportunities to check-in with one of the practice leaders, outdoor meditation sessions, mindful eating practice during meals, a late morning care-taking practice and breaks where participants have the opportunity to rest, exercise and explore the beautiful grounds and nature.Interdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5 (save the date, registration opens soon!)I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

dust returns to dust earth to earth mind always at home in itself where does it return?This past week I was reflecting on the 6th Chan Ancestor, Huineng and his encounter with a verse from the diamond sutra.Huineng lost his father early in life, and supported himself and his mother by selling firewood. On one occasion, he was selling firewood to a customer, and someone passed by chanting the words of the diamond sutra.Huineng heard a single line and was profoundly moved—it touched something in him and his heart was opened.He managed to stop the person who was chanting to inquire as to what the origin of the verse was and found out that it was from the diamond sutra, and a teacher in a distant part of the country was encouraging their students to chant this sutra.For Huineng, this was a “call to adventure moment.” He knew he needed to meet this teacher, which meant leaving his current life. For Huineng, this worked out. He was able to find someone to care for his mom, and he set out on a difficult journey to meet this unknown teacher.I feel like this story is relatable. Has something like this ever happened to you? Have you ever heard a phrase from a song, poem, a prayer or a teaching and it touched you profoundly? It stoped you. Perhaps caused you to find out the source of the words, or left you on a quest to discover who wrote it? what book was it from? These moments can take us on an adventure of discovery. But also, more importantly—the words themselves touched something that is beyond words. They often wake us up to the immediacy, the intimacy of this life.Sometimes this happens with words from a chant or prayer we recite regularly, or have heard often. One day, they feel imbued with a new kind of meaning.This past Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, and the words: remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return—have been with me. I remember the first time the profundity of that simple phrase really got in—I was an adult and my grandfather had just passed away.I got interested this year in the practice of lent, and read the lenten gospel from Matthew, where Jesus is speaking about prayer. He is reminding his disciples that prayer isn't about being seen doing something great, or making some big sacrifice—but perhaps the most genuine prayer is secret, a private affair between one's self and the great mystery.We live in a time in the world where we share intimate details of our lives on social media platforms. There isn't anything inherently wrong about this, but I got interested in the invitation towards a secret life of prayer or meditation. I think we long for an intimacy with ourselves and the universe—the great mystery, that can't be displayed or need not be. That gets to be hidden, secret, kept close.I had a dream recently on this theme. In the dream I was given a bright green folder and told to always keep it close. When I explored what was in the folder there was a roll of masking tape, a book I wrote in kindergarten about a tree named Fred, and vast emptiness.I was left opened to the unnameable absence—roaring silence, pure potentiality.In this task of being human, in this life's work of discovering our true nature—words, stories, images, dreams and symbols can serve as pointers, but we all will encounter the mystery of this life for ourselves.Dharma practice invites nearness. What are you keeping close? What practices allow you to stay with your inner-most heart? To stay with your self moment-to-moment? To stay close to the vows you wish to live by?This on-going commitment to awakening is something that for most of us operates in secret, its that inner orientation, remembering ourselves back to ourselves, recognizing what is nearest.I got curious about what Huineng actually heard and so did some research to find the passage from the Diamond Sutra. Below is Steven Mitchell's translation for the last paragraph of Chapter 10 of the Diamond Sutra.Here is what is essential: All Bodhisattvas should develop a pure, lucid mind that doesn't depend upon sight, sound, taste, touch, smell or any thought that arises in it. A bodhisattva should develop a mind that abides nowhere.Another way this is translated is a bodhisattva should develop mind at home with itself. What is this heart-mind that doesn't depend on thoughts or the senses, that abides nowhere, everywhere, all at once. Always at home.Andrew Holecek in his book Preparing to Die, says that this practice of recognizing the mind that abides nowhere, is the best practice to do to prepare for death—for when the body returns to the earth, the senses cease—the mind of awakening continues—at home in itself.The audio portion of this post is mainly a dharma talk on the Diamond Sutra. I reference both Steven Mitchell's translation and Red Pine's translation. You can find Red Pine's translation here.I'm excited to be co-creating space this Spring and Summer for in-person sesshin/meditation retreats. As well as online immersions with Pause Meditation. See below for upcoming events!Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKOnline Meditative Deep Dive with Pause MeditationBeginner's Mind Saturday March 7th from 10A PT/1P ET - 11:30A PT/2:30P ETIn-Person in OregonLight of the Ancestors Sesshin—May 11 - 17 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth—In-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Upcoming Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaMountains and Rivers Sesshin March 18 - 22 (Registration is now open!)Mountains are high and wide. The movement of clouds and the inconceivable power of soaring in the wind comes freely from the mountains. —Dogen Zenji, Mountains and Waters SutraDuring this silent, Zen-style retreat we will practice with the mountains and waters, opening to our own mountain-stability and the flowing nature of all experience.Meditation provides the opportunity for intimacy with self and world, recognizing the interconnectedness of this very life. Healing and transformation happen as we abide in the mystery of who we truly are.This will be a silent meditation retreat. After an initial meal, set-up and orientation we will enter noble silence. Supporting each other in connecting with our own inner silence, stability and confidence. We will follow a rigorous daily schedule which includes roughly seven hours of seated meditation, interspersed with periods of walking meditation, chanting practice, dharma talks, opportunities to check-in with one of the practice leaders, outdoor meditation sessions, mindful eating practice during meals, a late morning care-taking practice and breaks where participants have the opportunity to rest, exercise and explore the beautiful grounds and nature.Interdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5 (save the date, registration opens soon!)I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

A lotus blooming in the fire is an image that comes from the Zen tradition. And before I write further on the symbolism of the image or the dharma teachings it evokes—I would like to invite us to just sit with the image of a lotus blooming in the fire.For a moment, let yourself sense, imagine or feel into this image. Notice what you see, feel, hear, experience as you attempt to connect with the image of a lotus blooming in the fire. Now, if you haven't already bring the image closer in. Sit as, be a lotus blooming in the fire.And stay with it for some time allowing associations, feelings, meanings, sensations to come and go. Returning simply to being a lotus in the fire.When you are ready, you can let the image dissolve.I am curious to hear what you noticed, what happened as you sat with or as a lotus blooming in the fire?The Power of Embodied ImaginationTo meditate with an image like this, is one form that koan practice can take in the Zen tradition. You sit with an image, becoming the image and learning about it through your direct experience. Notice how an image can contain seeming paradoxes. How can a lotus bloom in fire? Wouldn't it burn? And yet, here it is.On Wednesday, in Columbus we did this practice with my local sangha Mud Lotus. We sat as lotuses blooming in the fire. People noticed different things about this dynamic of fire and blooming. Someone pointed out that a lotus isn't trying to stop the fire, yet it is blooming there. Another said that it seemed like the lotus bloomed because of the fire. Others saw the lotus as a reminder of their own nature that isn't burned in the fires of life.This image was popularized by the great Chan teacher of 11th Century China, Yuan-Wu. He used it to refer to the practice of what he called, Householder Bodhisattvas. Those of us whose practice-awakening happens in the fires of this world, in the challenges of our relationships, in our own inner conflicts or difficulties.How to be a householder bodhisattva, it requires a stand that is solid and true and faith that is thoroughgoing…When bodhisattvas who live a householder's life cultivate the practices of deep meditation and insight, it is like a lotus blooming in the fire. It will always be hard to tame the will for fame and rank and power and position, not to mention all the myriad starting points of vexation and turmoil associated with the burning house of worldly existence. The only way is for you yourself to realize your fundamental, real wondrous wholeness and reach the stage of great calm, stability and rest. —Yuan-wuThich Nhat Hanh also used this image in his first book published in English, Vietnam: A Lotus in the Sea of Fire: A Buddhist Proposal for Peace. What are the Fires in your Life?Fire in the Buddhist tradition can be a symbol of suffering in all its manifestations. From the collective forms of suffering that appear as war, violence, injustice, conflict, misuse of power to the more personal forms of suffering that appear as anxiety, worry, terror, fear, shame, physical discomfort, pain.Fire can also be a symbol of the instability of all experience, the changing nature of everyone and everything—in Buddhism we call this impermanence.Suffering and impermanence are two of the marks of existence. A teaching the buddha gave about the nature of experience—basically reminding us that suffering and change are part of life. In the Buddhist teachings, liberation or freedom from suffering is not the absence of pain, violence, fear, change, anxiety, etc. —but is found in the midst of these fires, or whatever fires we find ourselves in.A Lotus Blooms in a Sea of FireWhich brings us to the image of the lotus.The lotus is a symbol of wholeness, it is an image of our true nature—which is always present, reliable, unbreakable yet soft—the blossoming of wisdom and compassion.To realize our buddha nature does not make the fires of our lives go away, it doesn't mean that the fires in the world stop burning.Awakening is being the lotus blooming in the fire.Its having this refuge of love unconditioned, of spacious awareness, unbreakable kindness in every situation—even as our heart's break, even as we feel at times like we are falling apart.The lotus of our true nature blooms— even here, even now.Even without our noticing the lotus blooms. Part of what dharma practice is all about is training to recognize the lotus of our true nature, which at times may mean finding ways to nurture and care for our practice in the midst of these world fires.Practicing with others whether it is in-person or online is a way to strengthen this refuge, to recognize for ourselves the lotus that doesn't burn-up in the fires of stress, overwhelm, fear and all the other forms suffering can take in our lives and in this world.Listen to the dharma talk for a more in-depth discussion of the Lotus in the Fire, and Yuan-wu's teaching on How to be a Householder Bodhisattva.I'm excited to be co-creating space this Spring and Summer for in-person sesshin/meditation retreats. As well as online immersions with Pause Meditation. See below for upcoming events!Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKOnline Meditative Deep Dive with Pause MeditationBeginner's Mind Saturday March 7th from 10A PT/1P ET - 11:30A PT/2:30P ETIn-Person in OregonLight of the Ancestors Sesshin—May 11 - 17 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth—In-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Upcoming Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaMountains and Rivers Sesshin March 18 - 22 (Registration is now open!)Mountains are high and wide. The movement of clouds and the inconceivable power of soaring in the wind comes freely from the mountains. —Dogen Zenji, Mountains and Waters SutraDuring this silent, Zen-style retreat we will practice with the mountains and waters, opening to our own mountain-stability and the flowing nature of all experience.Meditation provides the opportunity for intimacy with self and world, recognizing the interconnectedness of this very life. Healing and transformation happen as we abide in the mystery of who we truly are.This will be a silent meditation retreat. After an initial meal, set-up and orientation we will enter noble silence. Supporting each other in connecting with our own inner silence, stability and confidence. We will follow a rigorous daily schedule which includes roughly seven hours of seated meditation, interspersed with periods of walking meditation, chanting practice, dharma talks, opportunities to check-in with one of the practice leaders, outdoor meditation sessions, mindful eating practice during meals, a late morning care-taking practice and breaks where participants have the opportunity to rest, exercise and explore the beautiful grounds and nature.Interdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5 (save the date, registration opens soon!)I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

Greetings Friends,I have been reflecting on one of the simplest and perhaps most profound teachings in the Buddhist tradition— the teaching of our extra-ordinary heart. Our extra-ordinary heart is the aspect of our being that doesn't die, and isn't born. That isn't dependent on us but is a deep refuge and resource—one that we know and rely on all the time. One that we also see demonstrated and embodied in our communities, on the world stage, in the people we love and care about. We are living in a time in this country that feels like we are going backward in many respects. Where state-enforced violence has entered our communities, and families are being separated, detained and deported at an unprecedented rate. While our human hearts break, fear, grieve, feel deeply, love and desire—which is beautiful and painful, and part of what makes this experience of being human.We, together, have an extra-ordinary heart—that is boundless in it's nature and is always abiding right here. This heart isn't separate from the very experience of being human, it is intrinsic to our nature. So we too can practice recognizing and abiding in this heart. We too can embody these qualities and let them manifest in our lives and the world.The Buddha taught that our boundless heart has Four Qualities of Boundlessness, also called the Four Divine AbodesBoundless Love/Kindness — which is a friendliness toward existence, agape or universal love, the love of Jesus Christ or Amitabha Buddha or other such figures who love unconditionallyBoundless Compassion — is a responsiveness to suffering in self or other which can have many different qualities(protective, patient, nurturing/gentle, strategic, discerning, creative, clear, resourceful)In the Zen tradition we have a story about boundless compassion. It involves two brothers walking down the road together, and one says to the other, “what do you think the bodhisattva of great compassion does with all of their hands and eyes?” To which the other brother replies, “it's like reaching back in the middle of the night for a pillow.” Compassion is responsive; and takes many forms—so we have this image of a being with ten-thousand arms and hands. In each hand there is a different expression of compassion. So sometimes compassion looks fierce, it's saying no to violence, it's standing up for what we care about, other times its gentle, it's grieving together, or care-taking each other, it can be protective, immediate, systematic and strategic.Boundless Joy — playfulness/spontaneity of being-realityI think we have a meme in our culture, “if you are happy you aren't paying attention.” But play and creativity have always been part of the resistance, we find the trickster archetype in myths throughout human cultures. We find it throughout spiritual traditions as well from the play/spontaneity of the zen koans to the poetry of the mystics like hafiz, cold mountain and la ded. There is a lot of play, joy and creativity happening in the protests in Minneapolis right now.But boundless joy also speaks to being happy for no good reason, causeless happiness. It's wonderful to experience the joy of simply being alive. No one can take that away from us.Boundless Peace/Equanimity — this is the wisdom of the deep equality or oneness of all things. Perhaps the hardest to conceive of, because it's like the peace and presence of the sky. The sky simply allows all forms of weather to move through it, clouds, heavy rains, snow, tornadoes, planes, birds, sunsets all happen in the spaciousness of the sky. The sky simply allows.Our true nature is like the sky. Open, unhindered, allowing, at peace.These four boundless qualities are always abiding in our Extra Ordinary Heart that we call them the divine abodes.We too can abide here.Many people find that through recognizing equanimity the other boundless qualities source forth. They contain each other. And I invite you to explore this for yourself, which qualities feel most familiar? Which are more difficult for you to recognize? How are the four related to each other in your experience?One practice I like to do for connecting with the extra-ordinary-heart is to pay attention to or recognize these qualities as they appear or manifest in my life. So I invite you this week to notice kindness/love, compassion, joy and peace/equanimity. Notice when you experience these qualities, and linger with them, let yourself affirm that they abide in your innermost heart.And also notice when someone else is embodying these qualities, notice them in the natural world, in your community, at work, in the animals you cohabitate with.Another way I connect with the extra-ordinary-heart is I collect poems, art, songs, images that embody these qualities.Here is a favorite. Kindness by Naomi Shihab NyeKindness Before you know what kindness really is you must lose things, feel the future dissolve in a moment like salt in a weakened broth. What you held in your hand, what you counted and carefully saved, all this must go so you know how desolate the landscape can be between the regions of kindness. How you ride and ride thinking the bus will never stop, the passengers eating maize and chicken will stare out the window forever. Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho lies dead by the side of the road. You must see how this could be you, how he too was someone who journeyed through the night with plans and the simple breath that kept him alive. Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside, you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing. You must wake up with sorrow. You must speak to it till your voice catches the thread of all sorrows and you see the size of the cloth. Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore, only kindness that ties your shoes and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread, only kindness that raises its head from the crowd of the world to say It is I you have been looking for, and then goes with you everywhere like a shadow or a friend.Do you have a favorite poem, song, image or piece of art that embodies one or all of the boundless qualities? Do you have practices for connecting with the four boundless qualities? Feel free to share in the comments section.Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in OregonLight of the Ancestors Sesshin—May 11 - 17 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.2026 Mud Lotus Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaMountains and Rivers Sesshin March 18 - 22Mountains are high and wide. The movement of clouds and the inconceivable power of soaring in the wind comes freely from the mountains. —Dogen Zenji, Mountains and Waters SutraDuring this silent, Zen-style retreat we will practice with the mountains and waters, opening to our own mountain-stability and the flowing nature of all experience.Meditation provides the opportunity for intimacy with self and world, recognizing the interconnectedness of this very life. Healing and transformation happen as we abide in the mystery of who we truly are.This will be a silent meditation retreat. After an initial meal, set-up and orientation we will enter noble silence. Supporting each other in connecting with our own inner silence, stability and confidence. We will follow a rigorous daily schedule which includes roughly seven hours of seated meditation, interspersed with periods of walking meditation, chanting practice, dharma talks, opportunities to check-in with one of the practice leaders, outdoor meditation sessions, mindful eating practice during meals, a late morning care-taking practice and breaks where participants have the opportunity to rest, exercise and explore the beautiful grounds and nature.Interdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

Greetings Friends,In the heartbreak, pain, confusion of this moment. I wish to remember together the Way of the Bodhisattva. The image or archetype of the Bodhisattva resonates deep in the hearts of those oriented towards love for this beautiful and broken world.For a Bodhisattva is motivated to relieve suffering and pain, as they work towards a liberation for all beings. This is the spiritual warrior, who knows that this life is not our own but a shared life.Practice of a bodhisattva is a practice of compassion which has two important dimensions Boundless Compassion or Absolute Compassion and Engaged Compassion or Relative Compassion.Boundless Compassion is a view we can practice and eventually realize. It's something we sense or know, without thinking. Boundless Compassion reminds us that compassion is our nature. That nothing need be done because it is already so.The spacious, clear source of our being gives rise to compassionate activity. Without needing to think about it, we respond, we care for others. Our heart is inseparable from all that appears in awareness.This body-heart-mind is an organ of compassion.Is the expression of compassion.Is the vehicle of compassion.There is nothing we need to do make it this way.We practice recognizing and trusting our innate compassion in meditation on and off the cushion.Engaged Compassion is the practice of cultivating compassion through our living. Shantideva in his treatise on The Way of the Bodhisattva invokes the aspirational spirit of compassionate service through this heart-felt prayer. Below is an excerpt, in the original Shantideva goes on and on, connecting to this deep intention to offer himself and is practice for the liberation of all beings.Shantideva's Way of the BodhisattvaFor all those ailing in the world, Until their every sickness has been healed, May I myself become for them The doctor, nurse, the medicine itself. Raining down a flood of food and drink, May I dispel the ills of thirst and famine. And in the aeons marked by scarcity and want. May I myself appear as drink and sustenance. For sentient beings, poor and destitute, May I become a treasure ever-plentiful, And lie before them closely in their reach, A varied source of all that they might need. My body, thus, and all my goods besides, And all my merits gained and to be gained, I give them all and do not count the cost, To bring about the benefit of beings.My dharma brother Soten Danney Lynch wrote a rendition of Shantideva's prayer that we would sing at the monastery. You can listen here.I share this prayer because it can invoke in us the spirit of offering, of recognizing our life as a shared life and awaken in us a deeper connection to the compassion at the heart of our being.I also want to share a teaching called the Five Compassions that can help us connect to a sustainable, joyful and wise compassionate response in our living. The Buddha warned that the near-enemy of compassion is pity. Others have pointed out that empathy, righteousness, and trying to be good out of guilt, or a sense of inadequacy can sometimes feel like compassion but often lead to burn-out, fatigue and resentment.The Five Compassions of Engaged CompassionWise/Curious Compassion—grounded in the experience of interconnection. A response coming from discernment and deep listening.Fierce/Courageous Compassion—a response aimed to protect self or others, this could include boundary setting, speaking up or acting in a way that even risks one's own safety to protect anotherPatient/Calm Compassion—slow, steady, showing up for something or someone we care about or believe in. The longview in bodhisattva language that we will work to help all beings find liberation lifetime after lifetime. A recognition that true, deep, sustaining change often takes time.Joyful/Content Compassion—activity that is nourishing for us and brings us joy or contentment, in Hakomi they use the phrase non-egocentric nourishment to talk about this qualityUnified/Confident Compassion—in alignment with our vows, values, capacitiesUsually all or most of these qualities need to be present in order for our response to feel sustainable and genuine. Compassion is directionless sometimes our compassionate response is directed towards ourselves, and sometimes towards others—is there a difference?Upcoming Retreats and Weekly Drop-in EventsWeekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in OregonLight of the Ancestors Sesshin—May 11 - 17 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.2026 Mud Lotus Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaMountains and Rivers Sesshin March 18 - 22Interdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Kyle welcomes back Edmond Knighton, a well-versed expert in various spiritual and esoteric topics. They delve into areas such as Christ consciousness, the law of one, Rudolf Steiner's teachings, childhood development, and the significance of seven-year cycles in adulthood. Edmond highlights the importance of the 42-49 age cycle in one's spiritual focus and astrologically. The discussion also touches on Edmond's new program, 'Being Human,' co-launched with Jared Picard, featuring guest speakers like Gabby Reese and more. The transcript also explores the practical and philosophical aspects of sustaining one's spiritual path, including contemplations on hope, forgiveness, and the power of sitting in discomfort. Edmond underscores the significant influence of Rudolf Steiner, especially his stance on childhood development and the timing of teaching esoteric concepts. The conversation deepens into the understanding of the 'phantom body,' its role in spiritual evolution, and how Christ's presence embodied this concept. Practical wisdom for everyday life and the importance of reverence, connection with nature, and respecting all life forms are emphasized. The discussion closes with insights into practical exercises for personal growth and development, part of the 'Being Human' program, designed to promote a deeper spiritual understanding and self-improvement. Edmond's comprehensive approach to spirituality, blending Eastern and Western philosophies, aims to facilitate personal growth and community harmony.   Edmund Knighton is a PhD psychologist who works with clients ready for meaningful change. He is trained in Hakomi mindfulness-based therapy, family systems, neuropsychology, and somatic approaches, and works holistically with body, emotions, thoughts, and intuition. Edmund integrates breathwork, dreamwork, and experiential practices to support deep transformation across all ages.   From Kyle: The Community is coming! Click here to learn more   Connect with Edmund here: Being Human:  tinyurl.com/beinghuman2026   Our Sponsors: Let's level up your nicotine routine with Lucy. Go to Lucy.co/KKP and use promo code (KKP) to get 20% off your first order. Lucy offers FREE SHIPPING and has a 30-day refund policy if you change your mind. Go to tonum.com/KKP, use the code KKP, and get 10% off your first order of Nouro.   Connect with Kyle: I'm back on Instagram, come say hey @kylekingsbu Twitter: @kingsbu Our Farm Initiative: @gardenersofeden.earth Odysee: odysee.com/@KyleKingsburypod Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kyle-Kingsbury Kyle's Website: www.kingsbu.com - Gardeners of Eden site If you enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe & leave a 5-star review with your thoughts!  

New Years Blessings! And wow, it feels like its off to a chaotic start. In times like these, I find it vital to ground myself in this bodhisattva vow. To remember what is always reliable, no matter what circumstance or situation I find myself in.I would like to share a koan that has been close to my heart as we began 2026.Mumonkan Case 46: Stepping from the Top of the PoleSekiso asked: How do you step from atop a 100-ft pole?Another eminent master from former times said:You who sit on the top of the 100-ft pole,Although you have entered the Way, it is not yet genuine.Take a step from on top of the poleAnd worlds of the ten directions are your total body.So many koans use images from our everyday lives. Images we are familiar with. These images can become mindfulness bells. Sensory reminders that speak the language of awakening.Here we have a tall pole. A one hundred foot pole. These are the poles of large flags, like the one in the Perkins parking lot I remember growing up. Any large pole will do though. I have been noticing power line poles. Actually just today the power company came and ascended the thirty foot power pole right across from my office window.So, let me ask. Have you ever been on top of a one hundred foot pole?What about metaphorically?The analogy of being on top of a one hundred foot pole can apply to any place, any belief or habit pattern that we get attached to or stuck in. These are the beliefs, attitudes, experiences, thoughts that keep us at a distance from our lives. Essentially it boils down to the ways we contract around the belief in a separate self. How we feel separate, not good enough, alone, exiled, bad and feed that separation. How we attach to certain beliefs, views or vantage points about ourselves and the world.There is something familiar or even comforting about the beliefs we hold on to about ourselves and the world. But also something deeply uncomfortable—like trying to live on top of a hundred foot pole. We fear falling to our deaths, so we get used to the small, and unstable precipice of our thoughts and beliefs.What are the poles that you sit on top of? How did you get up here?Practice is always inviting us to find these places where we separate —where we defend, withdraw, space-out, get anxious, cling, where we over-think—and get curious about them. Curiosity is a practice of nearness.It's a commitment to stay with ourselves in our direct experience even if it is uncomfortable or unfamiliar. Even if parts of us believe that it will be our end, it will be the fall to our deaths.Enter the FoolThis koan evokes for me the spirit of the Fool card in the Tarot. Someone at home in the mystery—resourceful, responsive and playful. Someone initiated into the wisdom of emptiness. Who has turned themselves inside out and recognize that this whole world is their true body!These are qualities that we often associate with Zen sages and bodhisattvas. These are qualities we are awakening in our own practice.As we enter this New Year, I aspire to come back to zero. To recognize the poles of beliefs, attitudes, fears that I am perched on. And to dare to take the next brave step.Sometimes this is plunging feet first into the unknown, often it is more subtle. Like bringing gentle curiosity to that feeling of stinginess, to the trembling in the heart, to the ways you withdraw or start over-thinking. What is happening here? How can you stay connected to yourself in the aliveness of this experience?We are like this fool-bodhisattva-sage—at home in the mystery, at home in ourselves. May we actualize our playfulness, our resourcefulness and responsiveness this year. May we appreciate the dream. And live from the expansiveness of our true Self.Take a step from on top of the poleAnd worlds of the ten directions are your total body.Upcoming Retreat and Weekly Drop-in EventsWeekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in OregonUniverse Somatic: The Bright Thread in the Dark — January 22nd - 25thUniverse Somatic is a practice that integrates group meditation, movement and energy work with a spirit of experimentation and playfulness. We explore the union of spaciousness and embodied energies in a contemplative practice that is embodied and expressive.The theme for this Universe Somatic is The Bright Thread In the Dark. We will play in knowing and not-knowing, hope and despair, yin and yang, creation and destruction, dancing in deep relationship with these polarities while also listening for the thread that doesn't get stuck on either side.Light of the Ancestors Sesshin—May 11 - 17 at Great Vow Zen MonasteryIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Save the Dates!2026 Mud Lotus Sesshins at Saranam Retreat Center in West VirginiaMountains and Rivers Sesshin March 18 - 22Interdependence Sesshin June 29 - July 5I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

In today's intuitive conversation, I sit down with my friend and fellow IFS therapist Catherine Cope, a clinician and clairvoyant who beautifully bridges Internal Family Systems, somatic awareness, intuitive development, and spiritual presence. Catherine and I first met while serving as program assistants in an IFS Level 1 training, where a moment of vulnerability opened a doorway between us: I shared with the group that I'm clairvoyant… and Catherine shared that she is too. From there, an entire inner world of resonance opened. Together, we explore our early experiences with intuition and the spiritual realms, the parts of us that feared being seen—and being seen seeing—and how both of us gradually learned to trust our inner vision. Catherine also shares about her four years at the Berkeley Psychic Institute, where she trained in clairvoyance, grounding practices, energetic boundaries, and the art of inhabiting the human body as a conscious, intuitive being. This episode moves through the ways intuition naturally supports IFS therapy, how to fine-tune your inner instrument, and how to invite guidance—internal and spiritual—into the healing process. We also talk about the courage it takes to let intuitive gifts come forward, especially when parts hold fear, skepticism, or concern. This is a grounded, expansive conversation about intuition, psychic development, parts work, and learning to trust the deeper knowing inside each of us.   Topics We Cover Early life experiences sensing the spiritual realm and intuitive information Parts that feared being seen and being seen seeing Catherine's four years of clairvoyant training at the Berkeley Psychic Institute Grounding cords, visualization, and why the body believes the pictures we see Tools for living fully in the human body and claiming it as your own Closing the eyes during IFS sessions to deepen connection, centering, and clarity What clairvoyance is—and a discussion of the other clairs Why everyone has intuitive access (and which clairs you naturally tune into) Understanding intuition as an instrument each of us tunes differently How to strengthen intuition through IFS, meditation, grounding, and embodiment Using intuitive information ethically and skillfully in IFS work Discerning what belongs to the client vs. what belongs to you Asking internal and external guides for support in session Addressing Protector Parts who fear intuition or visibility   About Catherine Cope, LCMHC Catherine Cope is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in New York and North Carolina with over 20 years of experience supporting individuals on their healing journeys. She is a Certified Internal Family Systems Therapist, an IFS Approved Clinical Consultant, a Certified EMDR Therapist, and Hakomi-trained, integrating somatic, trauma-informed, and mindfulness-based approaches into her work. Catherine's clinical training is complemented by decades of contemplative and intuitive study. She spent four years at the Berkeley Psychic Institute and has worked for more than 30 years with intuitive counselor Christen McCormack, whose teachings continue to shape her meditative and intuitive practices. She is also married and the mother of two rapidly growing children, whose presence brings both unpredictability and deep love into her daily life—further enriching her understanding of human complexity and connection. Catherine is a grounded, attuned, and deeply intuitive therapist and guide.   Connect with Catherine Website: www.catherinecope.com IFS Institute: https://ifs-institute.com/about-us Hakomi Institute: https://hakomiinstitute.com/ Berkeley Psychic Institute: https://www.berkeleypsychic.com/ Christen McCormack: https://www.christenmccormack.com/   ______________________________ Want to work with Natalie? Contact her below Website: https://www.ndwellnessservices.com/ Contact: https://www.ndwellnessservices.com/contact  Instagram: @nataliedeering _____________________________   Donate to the podcast Here!    Interested in sponsoring an episode of the podcast? Upgrade your business and let more people know about your amazing services or products by reaching hundreds to thousands of people by sponsoring an episode for only $100!  Please email ndwellness.services@therapysecure.com for more information.  Thank you for the support!    *Please support the podcast by following, rating, and leaving a review*

What becomes possible when we meet our most profound grief with sacred medicine and compassionate presence?In this episode of Women Awakening, Cynthia James welcomes Darci Meyers, a psychotherapist, Hakomi therapist, and Buddhist Chaplain who has devoted her life to healing at the intersection of trauma, loss, and expanded consciousness. Darci shares her profound journey through personal grief following her mother's early death, her pioneering work in hospice and palliative care, and her groundbreaking psilocybin bereavement retreats for parents who have lost children.Discover how psychedelic-assisted therapy opens pathways to profound healing, the wisdom that emerges from working with death and dying, and how expanded states of consciousness can facilitate deep transformation.Don't miss this conversation on Trauma, Grief & Psychedelic Therapy: A Deep Journey Into Healing.Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe and leave a 5-star review.Darci Meyers, MA is a registered psychotherapist, certified Hakomi Therapist, and Buddhist Chaplain specializing in mindfulness-based, somatic, and trauma-informed healing. Inspired by her mother's early death in 2002, she worked in hospice and palliative care for nearly 15 years. She served as the founding director of Deshen Shying Spiritual Care Centre at Dzogchen Beara in Ireland. Darci has been a faculty member in Rigpa's Contemplative End-of-Life Care Program through Naropa University and led pioneering psilocybin bereavement retreats in Jamaica for parents who lost children. Trained by MAPS in MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy and as a psychedelic guide, she studied with field pioneers at the California Institute of Integral Studies. A meditation practitioner for over 35 years, Darci brings together her work with death, dying, grief, and expanded states of consciousness to facilitate profound transformation and healing.Website: http://www.darcimeyers.com/Cynthia James is a transformational speaker, emotional integration coach, and host of the Women Awakening podcast. With a background as a former actress and Star Search champion, she brings creativity and depth to her work. Cynthia holds master's degrees in consciousness studies and spiritual psychology. Author of 6 bestselling and award-winning books, including I Choose Me: The Art of Being A Phenomenally Successful Woman at Home and at Work. Through her global retreats, coaching, and speaking, she helps women step into their power, live authentically, and lead with purpose.Connect with Cynthia James:Website: https://www.cynthiajames.net/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cynthia-james-enterprises/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/WhatWillSetYouFreeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/cynthiajames777/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cynthiajamestransforms

Rosa was diagnosed in March 2019 with Triple negative Breast Cancer. She chose alternative therapies from the beginning including Zhineng QiGong. Then in January 2021 an ultrasound revealed no more metabolic activity. Rosa followed all of the RR healing factors and found that they were all essential. Today, Rosa practices Homeopathic medicine, Hakomi and EFT, as well as psycho-body centered therapies and Shamanic Healing.  Rosa can be reached via WhatsApp +52-77-198-2553 or by email: rosa.belendez@gmail.com link to Karla's interview Nov 2023 ___________ To learn more about the 10 Radical Remission Healing Factors, connect with a certified RR coach or join a virtual or in-person workshop visit www.radicalremission.com.   To watch Episode 1 of the Radical Remission Docuseries for free, visit our YouTube channel here.  To purchase the full 10-episode Radical Remission Docuseries visit Hay House Online Learning. To learn more about Radical Remission health coaching with Liz or Karla, Click Here Follow us on Social Media: Facebook  Instagram YouTube _______________

In today's episode I talk to Sharon Shelly about:

When seen with clarity, the dharma sheds light on nearly every aspect of our daily lives. In this highly engaging talk, Eve Decker explores in plain language how Buddhist teachings can help us deal with our daily struggles. By highlighting the intersection of Buddhist wisdom and neuroscience, she shows how ancient teachings align with modern psychological frameworks.Eve emphasizes that the Buddha was, in many ways, a master psychologist—offering insights into suffering, habit formation, and emotional regulation that contemporary science continues to affirm. Eve draws on the work of Dr. Rick Hanson and Dr. Daniel Siegel to illustrate how mindfulness and compassion practices can rewire the brain, and she highlights how Buddhist teachings on awareness, intention, and ethical living are echoed in therapeutic models like Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Polyvagal Theory.Eve also breaks down several key concepts that bridge Dharma and psychology:Neuroplasticity – the brain's ability to change through repeated practice, supporting the Buddhist emphasis on intentional cultivation.Negativity bias – our tendency to focus on threats, which mindfulness helps balance by training attention toward wholesome states.Self-directed neuroplasticity – consciously reinforcing positive traits like gratitude and kindness, a core aim of both Dharma and CBT.Internal Family Systems (IFS) – recognizing and compassionately working with different “parts” of ourselves, much like Buddhist teachings on non-self and multiplicity of mind.Polyvagal Theory – understanding how safety and connection regulate our nervous system, aligning with the Buddhist emphasis on compassion and relational presence.The role of repetition – how consistent practice strengthens beneficial traits, whether through meditation or therapeutic exercises.Throughout the talk, Eve reminds us that transformation is possible—not through force, but through gentle, repeated attention. With warmth and clarity, she shows how both science and spirituality point toward the same truth: we can train the mind toward freedom.______________Eve Decker has been practicing Insight Meditation since 1991, and has taught groups, daylongs, and short retreats since 2006, particularly at Spirit Rock, the East Bay Meditation Center, and elsewhere in the Bay Area. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley and of Spirit Rock's Path of Engagement and Community Dharma Leader training programs, and has been trained in the Hakomi approach to body-based psychotherapy. Eve is also a singer/songwriter who has combined the power of music and dharma practice. Her most recent CDs are “In: Chants of Mindfulness & Compassion,” and “Awakening Joy - The Music.”Find her at EveDecker.com ______________ To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/There you can: Donate Learn how to participate live Find our schedule of upcoming speakers Join our mailing list or discussion forum Enjoy many hundreds of these recorded talks dating back to 1996 CREDITSAudio Engineer: George HubbardProducer: Tom BrueinMusic/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

Trauma isn't just an event—it's a complex, living pattern woven through our bodies, minds, and relationships. What if the path to healing isn't about breaking down defenses or pushing past resistance, but about honoring those very protections as parts of our whole self?   Shai Lavie's journey illuminates this radical shift. As a Hakomi and Somatic Experiencing therapist, Shai learned that trauma work flourishes when we stop battling our clients' “barriers” and instead bring curiosity and compassion to every part of their experience—even the parts that resist change. Imagine your nervous system not as a malfunctioning engine to be fixed, but as a profound intelligence signaling what it needs to survive and adapt.   In practice, this means holding space for a client's “resistance”, listening deeply to these “barriers” with genuine inquiry: “What wisdom might be present here? What story is this body telling me?” Such an approach transforms therapy from a power struggle into a collaborative voyage, where client and therapist become co-captains rowing in harmony, not opposition.   This relational, respectful method aligns beautifully with the NeuroAffective Relational Model® (NARM®) principles—where healing happens in connection, at the client's pace, and through mindful presence. It invites us all, as therapists and healers, to recalibrate our role: to cultivate safety not by conquering defenses, but by embracing them, fostering agency within the authentic self.   If you're a mental health professional eager to deepen your understanding of complex trauma and transform your therapeutic practice, we invite you to explore the upcoming NARM Therapist Trainings at the Complex Trauma Training Center. Join a community committed to growing both professionally and personally—where we learn that healing is not about fighting against our adaptive Self, but reconnecting with the resilient, compassionate, authentic Self.  

Welcome to the Psychedelic Conversations Podcast!Episode 157:In this episode, we explore Jahan's journey from atheism to spiritual awakening through psilocybin, and his lifelong commitment to consciousness evolution. Together, we discuss the intersection of psychedelics, trauma healing, identity, and spiritual transformation. Jahan shares insights from his book The Psilocybin Connection, touching on indigenous traditions, the resurgence of psychedelic therapy, and the future of mental health grounded in interconnectedness. We also dive into the role of family, community, and safe integration in the healing journey. Whether you're new to psychedelics or deeply immersed in the work, this conversation offers rich reflections on the power of these medicines to reconnect us with ourselves, each other, and the planet.About Jahan:Jahan Khamsehzadeh, Ph.D. is a scholar and practitioner specializing in psychedelics and consciousness. He completed his doctoral dissertation researching psilocybin in the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness program at the California Institute of Integral Studies. His book, “The Psilocybin Connection: Psychedelics, the Transformation of Consciousness, and Evolution of the Planet—An Integral Approach”, is available across various platforms. Jahan holds a Master's degree in Consciousness and Transformative Studies from John F. Kennedy University and a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, with minors in Physics, Psychology, and Mathematics, from the University of Arizona. His training includes the two-year Hakomi somatic-psychotherapy program and immersion in the Mazatec mushroom tradition. With extensive experience in the psychedelic field, he has participated in eight psychedelic training programs, serving as a student, assistant, content advisor, and trainer. Jahan facilitated legal psilocybin mushroom ceremonies in Jamaica for several years with Atman Retreats and is currently a minister with the Congregation for Sacred Practices. He has held over 650 ceremonies and been a guest on over 100 podcasts.Connect with Jahan:Website: https://psychedelicevolution.org/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AYkx5X5Bw/?mibextid=wwXIfrInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jahan_khamsehzadeh?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qrThank you so much for joining us! Psychedelic Conversations Podcast is designed to educate, inform, and expand awareness.For more information, please head over to https://www.psychedelicconversations.comPlease share with your friends or leave a review so that we can reach more people and feel free to join us in our private Facebook group to keep the conversation going. https://www.facebook.com/groups/psychedelicconversationsThis show is for information purposes only, and is not intended to provide mental health or medical advice.About Susan Guner:Susan Guner is a holistic psychotherapist with a mindfulness-based approach grounded in Transpersonal Psychology, focusing on trauma-informed, community-centric processes that offer a broader understanding of human potential and well-being.Connect with Susan:Website: https://www.psychedelicconversations.com/Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susan.gunerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-guner/Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/susangunerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/susangunerBlog: https://susanguner.medium.com/Podcast: https://anchor.fm/susan-guner#PsychedelicConversations #SusanGuner #JahanKhamsehzadeh #PsychedelicPodcast #Microdosing #PsychedelicScience #PlantMedicines #PsychedelicResearch

Episode Summary:In this powerful and heartfelt episode, Amy sits down with yoga therapist, somatic psychotherapist, and author Rachel Krentzman, C-IAYT, to explore her stunning new memoir, As Is.This isn't just a story about yoga. It's about survival, identity, family, trauma, and healing—and ultimately, coming home to oneself. From her childhood in a strict Orthodox Jewish community in Montreal, to freedom and expansion in California, and finally to her current life in Israel, Rachel takes us through three distinct lifetimes—each with its own transformation.Rachel speaks candidly about:Writing and publishing As Is after ten years of hesitation, rewrites, and deep soul-searchingFacing generational and personal trauma, and choosing to heal rather than hideHer experiences with yoga, somatic psychology (Hakomi), and how they gave her tools to break cycles of shameHer journey bringing yoga therapy into Israeli hospitals, including working with trauma survivors, war refugees, and healthcare professionalsHow yoga therapy offers active, empowering healing—distinguished from both passive treatments and talk therapyThe courage it takes to tell your story, even when others may not approveAmy and Rachel discuss how yoga therapy is uniquely positioned to help people self-regulate, feel their bodies again, and reclaim their narratives—especially during times of personal or collective crisis.Whether you're a yoga therapist, a healthcare provider, or someone navigating your own healing, Rachel's story is a call to honesty, agency, and inner transformation.“I hope readers see that they are not their story. They are not their shame. There is always a way out—and that way is inward.” — Rachel KrentzmanHighlights:How generational trauma shaped Rachel's early lifeThe emotional toll—and liberation—of telling the truth publiclyWhat it's like raising children in Israel amid war and instabilityWhy yoga therapy is growing rapidly in Israel's healthcare systemThe nervous system, trauma, and how breathwork offered relief when even pain meds couldn'tA vision for yoga therapy as a vital component of integrative medicineLearn More: Visit Rachel's website to purchase As Is and learn more about her work: www.rachelkrentzman.com As Is is available worldwide on Kindle, paperback, and major book retailers.About Rachel Krentzman:Rachel is a licensed physical therapist, certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT), and a graduate of the Hakomi Institute's somatic psychotherapy training. She is a pioneer of yoga therapy in Israel, working to integrate it into hospitals and mental health care systems. Connect with Amy Wheeler: Website: www.TheOptimalState.com  Instagram: OptimalStatewithAmy Wheeler  Podcast: Yoga Therapy HourAmy is the Chair of the Dept. of Yoga Therapy and Ayurveda at Notre Dame of Maryland University, School of Integrative Health (Formerly MUIH). Master of Science in Yoga Therapy https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/master-of-science-in-yoga-therapy/ Explore MUIH's Post-Master's Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices, designed specifically for licensed healthcare professionals.  https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices/ Try our Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at MUIH: https://muih.edu/academics/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification/

Hello and welcome to The Relatable Voice podcast. Our guest today is Rachel Krentzman. Rachel is a practicing yoga and physical therapist and certified Hakomi psychotherapist. Born in Montreal to an Orthodox Jewish family, she experienced the trauma of her rabbi father's arrest, shed her strict upbringing, and found herself. She specializes in personal healing through somatic, body-centered psychotherapy and yoga therapy. Afflicted with scoliosis and damaged discs, she created a powerful therapy that helps hundreds of students and patients around the world. Find out more at: happybackyoga.com

Hello and welcome to The Relatable Voice podcast. Our guest today is Rachel Krentzman. Rachel is a practicing yoga and physical therapist and certified Hakomi psychotherapist. Born in Montreal to an Orthodox Jewish family, she experienced the trauma of her rabbi father's arrest, shed her strict upbringing, and found herself. She specializes in personal healing through somatic, body-centered psychotherapy and yoga therapy. Afflicted with scoliosis and damaged discs, she created a powerful therapy that helps hundreds of students and patients around the world. Find out more at: happybackyoga.com

What happens when a life rooted in faith and tradition collides with family scandal? In this powerful episode, renowned author and therapist Rachel Krentzman opens up about her father's arrest, an Orthodox rabbi once respected in the community, and the emotional turmoil that followed. Through her new memoir, As Is, Rachel shares her journey of healing generational trauma with the help of yoga, somatic therapy, and writing. We explore the courage it takes to tell the truth, the weight of vulnerability, and the profound growth that comes from embracing life's imperfections. This conversation is for anyone seeking resilience, authenticity, and hope in the face of life's deepest challenges.   GRAB RACHEL'S BOOK As Is: A Memoir on Healing The Past Through Yoga https://amzn.to/4gDZx2x  (Amazon) CONNECT WITH RACHEL https://www.rachelkrentzman.com https://www.facebook.com/rachel.krentzman https://www.instagram.com/rachelkrentzman/  https://www.youtube.com/@happybackyoga https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-krentzman/      JOIN ME ON SUBSTACK - THE BRAIN CANDY BLUEPRINT! ⁣https://substack.com/@hilaryrusso ⁣ GET BRAIN CANDY & WAYS TO BE KIND TO YOUR MIND DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX⁣ https://www.hilaryrusso.com/braincandy⁣ DISCOVER HAVENING TECHNIQUES TRAININGS & WORKSHOPS⁣ https://www.hilaryrusso.com/training⁣ RAISE YOUR VOICE AND UPGRADE YOUR MIC!  ⁣ Hilary is Using Shure MV7+ Mic  ⁣ https://amzn.to/3ZBaXNm (Amazon)⁣ ⁣As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases ⁣ ⁣ BOOK HILARY FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT OR ATTEND!⁣ https://www.hilaryrusso.com/events⁣ ⁣ CONNECT WITH HILARY⁣ https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilaryrusso⁣ https://www.instagram.com/hilaryrusso⁣ https://www.instagram.com/hilisticallyspeaking⁣ https://www.youtube.com/hilaryrusso⁣ https://www.hilaryrusso.com/podcast⁣ ⁣ MUSIC by Lipbone Redding⁣ https://www.lipbone.com⁣  

My guest today is Jenny Hayo (she/her)—teacher, guide, and practitioner of wisdom traditions for over 25 years—to explore the living, breathing experience of Self-energy and how it shapes our inner and outer worlds.   Together, we dive into: What it means to embody Self-energy instead of holding it as just an idea. The many ways people describe Self-energy, and how language can both help and limit us. A playful, unexpected moment when an otter appeared, bringing laughter into our conversation. What we are actually embodying when we talk about “being in Self.” The practice of interoception—tuning into the body's signals and sensations. The difference between listening to the body and having an agenda for it. How Self can be both a deeply spiritual and beautifully ordinary experience. Ways to discover what your unique Self-energy feels like. The heart as a powerful portal into Self-energy. A simple practice Jenny shares for cultivating embodiment and accessing Self-energy in daily life. __________________________ About Jenny Hayo Jenny Hayo has practiced and taught in the wisdom traditions for over 25 years. She synthesizes her decades of consciousness studies, meditation, and embodiment-centered practices to support students along the path of awakening. Her work is informed by Hindu philosophy, classical yoga, tantric Buddhism, and various somatic modalities. Jenny is certified in Hakomi, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and as a Yoga Therapist. Her understanding of the subtle body—and the importance of our relationship with it—lies at the heart of her work. Jenny teaches public workshops, trainings, retreats, and offers individual coaching for students on the spiritual journey. She is deeply committed to creating a world of wakefulness and liberation for all. Connect with Jenny Hayo:

In this episode, I speak with Karen Sprinkel Ancelet about her path to integrating trauma-informed, psychedelic-assisted therapy into her clinical practice. Karen shares how, early in her career, she worked with families whose loved ones had been murdered by a serial killer. She found that the models she had been trained in were not enough to address the profound spiritual trauma her clients experienced as they struggled to make sense of such horrific loss. This realization led Karen to begin practicing Buddhism and eventually to live in Asia, where she deepened her understanding of human suffering. While working with people from Thailand and Tibet who had endured trauma, she witnessed how cultural perspectives shape the ways we make meaning out of tragedy and resilience. She also facilitated group therapy for child sexual abuse survivors, where she discovered that while some approaches were effective for certain individuals, they were not universally helpful. From these experiences, Karen came to conceptualize trauma as impacting the mind, body, and spirit, all of which must be addressed in healing. She describes her initial skepticism toward psychedelic therapies, coming from a place of purism, but shares how her perspective shifted as she learned more about their effectiveness. Immersing herself in advanced training and certification, Karen began working with clients using psychedelics in therapeutic contexts. Karen also discusses the breadth of her training across multiple trauma-healing approaches. She highlights Somatic modalities such as Somatic Experiencing, Hakomi, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy; Desensitization-based methods like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Brainspotting; and Parts models including Internal Family Systems (IFS), Voice Dialogue, and Ego State Therapy. She explains how client factors often determine which approach is the best fit for a given individual. Throughout our conversation, Karen emphasizes her commitment to helping clients heal from PTSD as efficiently as possible. This integrative vision inspired her book, The Thriving Self: A New Paradigm for Healing the Mind, Body and Spirit and Moving Beyond It, which offers clients a framework to move toward healing without spending years in therapy. Karen Sprinkel Ancelet, LMFT is a licensed psychotherapist with more than 30 years of clinical experience, practicing in California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Michigan. She specializes in trauma-informed care and integrates a broad range of evidence-based modalities, including EMDR, Brainspotting, Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems (Level 3), and HeartMath. Karen is also a Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) provider with advanced psychedelic training through MAPS, Fluence, and Three Cups. She graduated with a Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies and Research from CIIS. In addition to her clinical practice, she serves as a consultant, educator, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and Continuing Education provider. A pivotal chapter in Karen's life was her time living in Asia, where she conducted her master's research on trauma healing following violent crimes in Tibet, Southeast Asia, and the United States. Deeply impacted by these findings, she returned to Asia for several years to further her exploration. Today, Karen weaves together the ancient wisdom of meditation and mindfulness with contemporary approaches such as EMDR, Brainspotting, Flash, EFT, IFS, and Somatic Experiencing to guide and support her clients in their healing journey.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, host Paul F. Austin welcomes back J. Ashley T. Booth, LCSW, MS—a longtime friend, therapist, and psychedelic pioneer. Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-312/?ref=278 Ashley shares her journey from community activism to clinical work with ketamine and MDMA, and her new illustrated guide to IFS, Quieting the Storm Within. J. Ashley T. Booth, LCSW, MS has led the Southern California Psychedelic Society, served as MAPS trial coordinator for MDMA-assisted PTSD therapy, co-founded a ketamine clinic, and offers IFS, Hakomi, integration, and harm reduction training. Her illustrated picture book introduces IFS concepts through visuals and metaphor. Highlights: Ashley's 8‑year evolution from community to clinical work The origin and intent behind Quieting the Storm Within Clouds & sun: A visual metaphor for the internal landscape

Come Back to Love® Radio: How the Mother Wound Impacts Your Relationships  In this deeply moving and healing episode, we explore the tender terrain of the Mother Wound—the complex emotional imprint left by the ways we were mothered (or not), and how it shapes our lives.  Joining us this week is Shelly Sharon a certified Hakomi therapist and somatic Buddhist psychology coach …. I do not present myself as an intuitive guide. Together, we discuss how the Mother Wound shows up in our own lives—in particular how shame is so prominent and creates a lifetime of holding secrets. Part 2 of the episode addresses how we can begin to gently unravel the wound and heal.  We focus on: What the Mother Wound really is (and what it isn't) How it impacts our relationships Why safety, nourishment, and wise inner guidance are essential for healing Practical ways to begin re-mothering yourself with love and presence Whether you're navigating grief, reclaiming your voice, or simply seeking to soften your experience with your own mother wound, this episode offers a sacred space for healing. You'll leave with a sense of permission to trust your own rhythm—and to begin the slow, beautiful work of coming home to yours Bio: After many years of running away from her traumatic childhood, where she suffered infant starvation, emotional and physical neglect and abandonment, Shelly turned her life story on its head. Shelly has been a professional ballet dancer, a coffeeshop owner and a sought after social change strategist and independent researcher, but it was only when she started devoting herself to intense meditation practice and Buddhist psychology studies with leading international teachers that she owned her mother wound — and her appetite for healing and serving others in healing opened up. Shelly is a certified Hakomi therapist and trauma trained by Janina Fischer. She specialises in helping women heal from the hurts and limitations left from a complex relationship with their mother, manifesting in many ways, both personally or professionally. Shelly's a cat mum and in a loving relationship with her soulmate. She loves swimming in Alpine lakes, riding horses, picking wild flowers, and is always cooking delicious food enough to feed a tribe. She's working on her first book on healing the mother wound and is the co-host of Healing the Mother Wound Summit. Website: https://www.shellysharon.com Free gift link: https://www.shellysharon.com/dreamvisions7-three-mother-wound-types Learn more about Robyn here: https://www.comebacktolove.com

What if Mike White's The White Lotus is more than just a dark comedy television series? What if we look at it as a striking exploration of the human psyche? In a recent episode of the Empowered Through Compassion podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sunni (Sun) Brown, a dynamic IFS practitioner, author of Gamestorming and The Doodle Revolution, and creator of Deep Self Design™. Together, we unpacked the psychological architecture of the show using the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. Sunni brings a rare blend of creativity, compassion, and clarity to her work, infusing IFS with elements of Zen, mindfulness, Hakomi, design thinking, with a deep appreciation of the powerful modality of doodling! With over 1.6 million views on her TED Talk, she is no stranger to harnessing storytelling to illuminate complex inner worlds. Our conversation turned The White Lotus from a binge-worthy show into a rich case study of internal dynamics—hypothesizing that some of the repeating themes might even reflect Mike White (the creator) own inner system!

Blaize Hall is an entrepreneur, somatic practitioner, coach, and artist. They offer a dynamic 1:1 healing program called The Whole Body Communicator that draws from their training in Somatic Experiencing, Hakomi, holotropic breathwork, Somatic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, trauma training, Internal Family Systems, DIR Floortime, Non-Violent Communication, Dale Carnegie Leadership Training, motivational interviewing, 988 Crisis Counseling, prison theater, mindset work, meditation, yoga and more. They also provide Reiki healing, Reiki informed bodywork, and clothing optional yoga and embodiment workshops and 1:1 work. They write the Substack newsletter Artist of Everything, and indeed live to create and express, and help others do the same! They make music as Fermata Blaize, dance, write screenplays, poems, act, direct, and more. They beat cancer, healed their autoimmune conditions, and learned to thrive with CPTSD. They love to foster animals, frolic at festivals, spend time in nature and PLAY with their “farmily”, their many animals and their child. Blaize's Website: Yoga | Weeping Willow Wellness | Los Angeles

In this episode I'm excited to introduce you to Dr. Brad Jacobs, who is board certified in internal medicine and integrative medicine. He is the owner of BlueWave Medicine Clinic in Sausalito, California, and also co-author of the Anti-Inflammation Cookbook. He specializes in psychedelic medicine and a form of therapy called Hakomi. Dr. Brad is now leading in-person retreats in Costa Rica on precision medicine and longevity. We'll be talking about health transformation, longevity, and recovery from trauma by making diet changes to reduce inflammation and using psychedelic medicines. Dr. Brad has been involved with integrative medicine since he was 10 years old. He grew up doing martial arts, and that Chinese upbringing infused him with a different view of how to think about health and healing—not just the treatment of disease but the prevention of disease, thriving and flourishing. I'm so glad Dr. Brad was able to join me on How Humans Heal today to discuss these important topics to help all of you know what is possible for transforming your health and recovering from trauma. We're here to help! LINKS FROM THE EPISODE:   Connect with Dr. Brad: https://drbradjacobs.com/ & https://www.bluewavemedicine.com/    Take Dr. Doni's Stress Type Quiz: https://doctordoni.com/quiz/stress-quiz/   Sign up For Dr. Doni's Masterclasses: https://doctordoni.com/masterclasses/    Schedule A Chat With Dr. Doni: https://intakeq.com/new/hhsnib/vuaovx    Read the full episode notes and find more information: https://doctordoni.com/blog/podcasts/ MORE RESOURCES FROM DR. DONI:   Quick links to social media, free guides and programs, and more: https://doctordoni.com/links     Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

Befriending our menstrual cycles and wombs and coming home to the root of our body, and to our pelvic bowls often means negotiating any trauma that we've experienced in that part of our bodies, or other traumas that we hold in this part of our bodies. As our guest today, the brilliant Dr Jeevan Singh shares, the pelvic bowl is an organ of relationship that has the capacity to guide our personal and collective. Jeevan's locates itself at the intersections of mindfulness-based somatics and mental health, traditional earth-based medicines, personal and collective liberation and the pelvic bowl. She is a lifelong student of traditional East Asian medicine, has a masters in integrative mental health and an advanced training in the Hakomi method of mindfulness-based somatic psychotherapy. She founded Womb School and the Somatic Womb Path together with Kris Gonzalez (who was a guest on our podcast on episode 175) and Marissa Coreia. In times that can feel very destabilising, Jeevan brings a deeply grounding presence, and I hope this conversation soothes you as much as it did me. We explore:How Jeevan navigated a series of three traumatic experiences after her Saturn return in her late 20s, and how the the trauma healing that followed catapulted her into her body. The womb as a guide out of the rugged individualism we see in our world. It is an organ of relationship - the first relationship we all ever experienced was in the womb of the mother, the person who birthed us. The earth as an attachment figure, and how we can work with trees and other bodies in nature as a partner in nervous system regulation and how we can co-regulate with the ocean as we co-regulated with the salty waters of the womb in utero. ---Receive our free video training: Love Your Cycle, Discover the Power of Menstrual Cycle Awareness to Revolutionise Your Life - www.redschool.net/love---The Menstruality Podcast is hosted by Red School. We love hearing from you. To contact us, email info@redschool.net---Social media:Red School: @redschool - https://www.instagram.com/red.schoolSophie Jane Hardy: @sophie.jane.hardy - https://www.instagram.com/sophie.jane.hardyJeevan Singh: @dr.jeevansingh - https://www.instagram.com/dr.jeevansinghWomb School: @womb.school - https://www.instagram.com/womb.school

Kathy Ginn shares her inspiring journey from a military background to a career in massage therapy. She discusses building confidence and the importance of connection and ethics in her work. Kathy introduces the creation of Ethical Dimensions and her Hakomi training, emphasizing understanding laws, regulations, and ethics in the field. The conversation highlights her book writing journey and key insights, focusing on the power of listening presence and integrating gratitude into daily life. Kathy offers her closing thoughts and discusses upcoming plans before the episode wraps up with sponsor mentions.

Episode Summary: Seth returns and is joined by Mike for a deep dive into imagination, creativity, and the transformative power of channeling. Together, they explore active imagination, engaging with the imaginal realm, and Seth's journey toward connecting with dragons as primal, ancestral forces. The episode is a celebration of creativity, personal growth, and embracing the mysterious depths within.Topics Discussed:Active Imagination and Shadow Work: Mike and Seth share their experiences with active imagination, discussing its challenges and the breakthroughs it offers. They reflect on entering the imaginal realm, confronting fear, and engaging with the unconscious without judgment.Channeling Dragons: Seth recounts his journey of connecting with dragons as symbols of ferocity and transformation. He describes the physical and emotional sensations that led him to this practice and how it has shifted his perspective on creativity and power.The Power of Somatic Therapy: Seth explains how Hakomi somatic psychotherapy combines mindfulness and body awareness with imagination to foster healing and self-discovery.Creativity and the Middle World: Drawing on James Hillman's concept of the "middle world," the duo discusses how creativity bridges the abstract and material realms, allowing us to co-create with consciousness.Imagination as a Tool for Healing and Growth: From inviting magical beings to help with mundane tasks to dreaming bigger, the conversation underscores the importance of imagination in expanding one's sense of self and engaging with life fully.Soul-Making and Self-Acceptance: The hosts reflect on how engaging with the imaginal world fosters self-acceptance and offers new perspectives on challenges and emotions.LinksSeth's Share Circles: Seth hosts guided active imagination meditations as part of his share circles, offering a safe space for people to connect with their inner worlds and share authentically. For more details, email mormonsonmushroomspod@gmail.com or reach out to Seth on Instagram at @sethlloyds.Creativity Coaching with Seth: Seth offers coaching sessions to help individuals connect with their subconscious, engage with creativity, and establish life-affirming spiritual practices. Email Seth.Stephenson@protonmail.com for inquiries.200th Episode Live Recording: Join Mike and Doug for a special live recording of their 200th episode on February 2nd at 5 PM MT. To participate, email mormonsonmushroomspod@gmail.com.Join the Conversation:Sign up for the Mormons on Mushrooms Underground Newsletter to stay connected and hear about future events and updates.Share your thoughts, stories, or questions by emailing mormonsonmushroomspod@gmail.com.Episode Highlights:“The face we show the unconscious is the face that it shows back.” “We are part of creation, and all we can do is fully be a part of it.” “An emotion is a sensation with a story.” “Imagination is not about escaping reality; it's about enriching it.” Thank You for Listening! If this episode inspired or resonated with you, don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe to Mormons on Mushrooms on your favorite podcast platform. 

In this episode we meet Krysti Keener, a student in the East-West Psychology/MFA Masters Program, and hear of how she came to cultivate a transformative and healing artistic practice through opening to the liminal power of found objects. We discuss the problem of how we conventionally frame artistic practice and identity in relation to the culture industries and share strategies of exit which aim to liberate the practitioner from artistic labour to artistic transformation. We discuss how such a change of milieu based upon spiritual and holistic world views can produce new forms of creativity and subjectivity which facilitate individual and collective transformation and wellbeing. Krysti ends the podcast by sharing her current EWP community building project based upon creating an artist in residency program for people with traumatic brain injuries. Bio: Krysti Keener's life changed instantly when she suffered a traumatic brain injury in her late forties. A portal opened, and her art practice slowly developed as her brain healed. She is the Founder and Executive Director of The Neuro: Community, Artist Residency & Mentorship, a non-profit founded to support the flourishing of neuro-disrupted individuals by providing services that connect them to community, art, and nature, with an emphasis on integrating these aspects into their lives. She is an artist, Spiritual Herbalist, founder of the herbal brand Soul Topophilia, hypnosis practitioner, and Hakomi certified coach working with people whose lives have been upended. She holds a dual MBA from Columbia University and the University of California, Berkeley. She is currently a student at CIIS in the joint Masters degree program in East-West Psychology and an MFA. Website: https://www.theneurocommunity.org/ Substack: https://theneurocommunity.substack.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/theneurocommunity/ Connect with Krysti: email: krysti@theneurocommunity.org - The Neuro: Community, Artist Residency & Mentorship https://www.instagram.com/krystik/ IG - Art and Soul Topophilia http://www.krystikeener.com/ - Art https://www.ohk.agency/ - Coaching and Soul Topophilia Teachers Mentioned: Empress Karen Rose - Sacred Vibes Apothecary Founder, Master Herbalist and Author Michelle Greene - Welder, Artist, Art and Welding Educator The EWP Podcast credits East-West Psychology Podcast Website Connect with EWP: Website • Youtube • Facebook Hosted by Stephen Julich (EWP Core Faculty) and Jonathan Kay (PhD candidate) Produced by: Stephen Julich and Jonathan Kay Edited and Mixed by: Jonathan Kay Introduction music: Mosaic, by Monsoon on the album Mandala Music at the end of the episode: Migration by Justin Gray's Synthesis Introduction Voiceover: Roche Wadehra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Maureen Fallon-Cyr, LCSW is a clinical social worker, meditation teacher, and certified Hakomi therapist. She has worked as a mindfulness-based psychotherapist with children and adults for over 30 years, specializing in trauma, somatic release work, and depth psychology. A lover of Dharma, she has sat multiple long retreats and served on the teaching council of the Durango Dharma Center for eight years, teaching meditation, mindfulness 12-Step work, mindful parenting, and householder practices. Weaving together her practices of mindfulness and psychology, she developed Essence-OrientedTM Release Work, outlined in her new book, Reimagining Success: Manifesting Happiness and Fulfillment. With her husband Mark, who is a psychiatrist, they have developed True Success For All, a program that empowers people to more fully realize their potential and what it means to live a truly successful life. Website:  True Success For All      https://www.truesuccessforall.com/Upcoming Training in Essence-Oriented Therapy True Success Boston Training

Kathryn Solie is widely known for her work as a "poisonous" plant educator. She feels that her current mission is to foster a greater cultural understanding of certain aspects of plant consciousness and, ultimately, to help build a community of unique practitioners who engage in dialogue, learn from, and support one another, both in their commonalities and differences.She believes that together, we can recover the most ancient human lineage—our relationship to the wisdom of the plant kingdom.Kathryn studied painting at Naropa University, a Buddhist-inspired school in Boulder, Colorado, completed a sacred plant medicine apprenticeship with the Gaia School of Healing in Putney, Vermont, and underwent training in Hakomi, a mindfulness-based, body-centered psychotherapy. While all of these trainings have influenced her work, they pale in comparison to what she has learned from the plants themselves.Episode Highlights▶ How Kathryn got started with poisonous plants and the teachings they have for us around fear▶ How these plants can bring us to those threshold places within our own psyches▶ The role psychedelics play in healing and how Kathryn uses them in her work ▶ The major piece of integration missing in the psychedelic space right now▶ The power of Hakomi and the therapeutic practices that can be used for healing purposes ▶ The ability you have to lose yourself with these plants and the connection to trauma ▶ How poisonous plants are used in the medicine world for different purposes▶ The work Kathryn does in her classes and how she safely introduces people to the world of poisonous plants▶ Upcoming classes Kathryn has available and the different ways you can work with herKathryn Solie's Links & Resources▶ Website: kathrynsolie.com▶ Instagram: https://instagram.com/persephonespath▶Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/persephonespath0▶YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1800CallKathryn▶ TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@1800callkathryn Download Beth's free trainings here: Clarity to Clients: Start & Grow a Transformational Coaching, Healing, Spiritual, or Psychedelic Business: https://bethaweinstein.com/grow-your-spiritual-businessIntegrating Psychedelics & Sacred Medicines Into a Transformational Business: https://bethaweinstein.com/psychedelics-in-business▶ The True Path Entrepreneur Group Business Mastermind Program: https://bethaweinstein.com/mastermind▶ Beth's Other Programs & Courses: https://bethaweinstein.com/services▶ Beth Weinstein's Instagram: http://instagram.com/bethaweinstein▶ Beth on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethw.nychttps://www.facebook.com/BethWeinsteinbiz▶ Join Beth's FREE Psychedelics & Purpose Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PsychedelicsandSacredMedicines

This episode is sponsored by Pisgah Coaching Institute founded by IFS-trained Master Coach, Brian Jaudon. Enrollment is now open for 2025 season! To learn more go to: Landing Page | Pisgah Coaching On today's podcast I chat with Kay Gardner, lead trainer for the IFS Institue. Kay is a LCPC psychotherapist in Chicago Illinois and had been involved with IFS since the beginning of the trainings, and was around for the development of the trainings.  Since she was a Hakomi therapist, she was partially responsible for bringing the body into IFS therapy. We talk about: the importance of working with legacy burdens step by step how to work with legacy burdens how to bring in well and good ancestors practical steps to connect to your own spirit guide As a bonus, Kay leads us through her own daily embodiment meditation which you can find here:    ---- Watch video Clips from select episodes on  The One Inside Podcast - YouTube Follow Tammy on Instagram @ifstammy: Tammy Sollenberger (@ifs.tammy) • Instagram photos and videos and on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger: The One Inside: Internal Family Systems with Tammy Sollenberger | Facebook. ------ Jeff Schrum co-produces The One Inside Podcast. He is currently enrolled in an IFS Level 1 training.  ------ Are you new to IFS or want a simple way to get to know yourself? Tammy's book, "The One Inside: Thirty Days to your Authentic Self" is a PERFECT place to start. You can purchase it here: The One Inside: 30 Days To Your Authentic Self: Sollenberger, Tammy: 9780967688756: Amazon.com: Books or wherever books are sold. Sign up for Tammy's email list and get a free "Get to know a Should part of you" meditation on her website ------ Tammy is grateful for Jack Reardon who created music for the podcast. Jack is a graduate of Derek Scott's IFS Stepping Stones Program. You can follow Jack at bonzemusic on Instagram. ------ If you are interested in sponsoring an episode or two of The One Inside Podcast please contact Tammy at tammysollenberger@comcast.net