Podcasts about Sesshin

One can, the other cannotBoth are freeA god mask, a demon maskThe failure is wonderful indeed —Mumon's poemIf I reflect back on my life, it is possible to see a series of failures, mistakes, broken dreams and incomplete projects. Relationships that I probably should have left before they ended, others that I probably shouldn't have even pursued, still others that I could have worked harder to repair.One Zen teacher said at the end of their life—one continuous mistake.Ever feel this way?From one perspective failure is the feeling that we most want to avoid….From another, shame can be a kind of addiction, overwhelming us with feelings of self-pity and self-doubt so much so that we feel unable to take the next step.If I zoom out a bit from the failure finding mind, I see that there is another way to view the series of events I call my life. It is possible to see each seeming mishap, embarrassing moment, failed relationship, broken dream, emotional scar as the terrain my soul needed to journey to arrive here.In each of the scenarios my mind calls failures, I can see that I was doing the best I could given the thoughts, perspectives, emotional reactions and insight I had available to me in the moment.Our lives also have a kind of mythos. If we continue to zoom out and see the totality of our lives, we can begin to catch wind of the mythic dimension to our living.I recently encountered the fairytale The Maiden King. In this story, the main character reaches a kind of crisis point, he can no longer abide in the old way of being. He has left behind the false comfort of fractured relationships and beliefs he had about himself and the world. Stumbling around in the dark of the wood, feeling perhaps like a failure, an imposter, not quite up to the task, he comes to the house of Baba Yaga who asks him:Did you come here of your own free will, or by compulsion?I love this question. It rings like a koan.Did you come here of your own free will, or by compulsion?Here right here.In the catastrophe of your life.In the mystery of this embodiment.How did you arrive?What brought you here?The hero responds, I came mostly by free will and twice as much from compulsion.Ah, the truth of it.Where we stand, where we sit, in the heart of our lives—can we really say how we got here? A dream, a desire, a heartbreak, a crisis, a response—is it anyone's fault? What is free will when so much of life, the circumstances we encounter, the people we meet, the thoughts and sensations that arise in our experience are out of our control?Sometimes the inner critic wants to blame us for the circumstances of our lives. In a desperate attempt at clawing at some semblance of certainty in this ever-changing field of existence we call the world—the critic says, it's your fault, you failed, you're not good enough, you did something wrong.But life is often more mysterious than that. Our lives twist and turn and intersect with the lives of hundreds of thousands of millions of beings. Our life is part of this great web of interconnected life.And yet, it seems that we can orient our hearts in a particular direction. As we meet the circumstances, the people, the events, the inner landscape of our living we can orient the heart-mind towards kindness, openness, generosity, understanding.We call this orientation vow.We call this orientation practice.Practicing with failure invites us to feel our lives.To feel our fears.To awaken a compassion that can companion any emotion or feeling.It invites us to take responsibility for our lives—by meeting ourselves right where we are.—in the dynamic non-dual truth of this— mostly free will, twice as much compulsion existence.—in this— the failure is wonderful indeed— embrace.There is no better life.This life is our one life.Could it really be—wonderful indeed?…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 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.Summer Read— The Hidden Lamp: Stories from 25 Centuries of Awakened WomenJoin me starting on the Summer Solstice, Friday June 20th for a summer read of the Hidden Lamp. I hand selected 15 stories from the book that we will explore over the course of the summer.Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring supportive practice forms for engaging the dharma in life outside of retreat.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKZen Practice opportunities through ZCOGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth Sesshin—August 11 - 17, in-person at Great Vow Zen Monastery (this retreat is held outdoors, camping is encouraged but indoor dorm spaces are available)In-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaInterdependence Sesshin: A Five Day Residential Retreat Wednesday July 2 - Sunday July 6 in Montrose, WV at Saranam Retreat Center (Mud Lotus is hosting its first Sesshin!)Weekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 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

Sesshin Day 1 - Working with Emotions in Practice by Ordinary Mind Zen School

Sesshin Day 2 - Working with the Precepts in Practice by Ordinary Mind Zen School

Sesshin day 5. Teisho by Sangen Salo sensei during the April 5-day sesshin 2025 at Sanneji Zen Temple in Karjaa, Finland.

I have been contemplating being stuck. You know that feeling that something else should be happening. Something more, or different, or better. The sense that whatever is happening is somehow wrong, or bad, or amiss in some way.The sense of being stuck can even manifest as an over-identification with the hope for growth or healing in a particular area of life.I want to share a koan from the mumonkan. It's an old buddhist folktale, that offers some playfulness and insight to this dynamic of being stuck and trying to get unstuck.Mumonkan CASE 42: Stuck in SamadhiCase: Once in the ancient days of the World-Honored One, Manjushri went to the place where Buddhas were assembled and found that all the Buddhas were departing for their original dwelling places. Only a young woman remained, sitting in samadhi close to Shakyamuni Buddha's throne. Manjushri asked the Buddha, “Why can that woman be near the Buddha's throne while I cannot?” The Buddha said, “Just awaken her and raise her up out of samadhi and ask her yourself.”Manjushri walked around the woman three times, snapped his fingers once, took her up to the Brahman heaven, and exerted all his supernatural powers, but he could not bring her out of samadhi.The World-Honored One said, “Even a hundred or a thousand Manjushris would not be able to bring her out of samadhi. Down below, past twelve hundred million lands as innumerable as the sand of the Ganges, is the Bodhisattva Mômyô (Delusive Wisdom). He will be able to arouse her from her samadhi.”Instantly the Bodhisattva Mômyô emerged out of the earth and made a bow to the World-Honored One, who then gave his command. The Bodhisattva went before the woman and snapped his fingers once. At this, the woman came out of samadhi.Mumon's Commentary: Old Shakya plays a country drama on stage, but people of shallow realization cannot appreciate it. Just tell me: Manjushri is the teacher of the Seven Buddhas; why can't he bring the woman out of her samadhi while Mômyô, who is the bodhisattva of delusive wisdom, can? If you can grasp this completely, you will realize that surging delusive consciousness is nothing other than greatest samadhi.Like all koans, there are many ways to read this. And we are often invited to take the perspective of all of the characters in the koan. So, who in the koan actually thinks the woman is stuck? She doesn't seem to. The Buddha doesn't seem to. Manjushri is quite bent out of shape by this woman's samadhi.Now, the point of the koan isn't to analyze who is right and wrong here, or think too much about what it is about. Koans are meant to be brought inside. So one way of working with this is to see all these characters as parts of us.I think we all have a part like Manjushri. A part that is good at finding the problem, of diagnosing, of trying to fix.There might be aspects of your life or spiritual practice that this part is keeping track of. Where it feels you are stuck. If we were to inquire where in your life you are feeling stuck (could be in your relationships, in you career, in your spiritual practice, in your home life, in your experience right now?) We would meet this inner Manjushri.It starts with a seeming commonplace thought—this shouldn't be happening, something is wrong!Manjushri is a wise part, as the koan goes, he is the teacher of the past seven buddhas. This part of us knows a lot of spiritual maneuvers, a lot of tricks to get you unstuck.for example: take deep breaths, practice metta, imagine your body is made of light, see it as a dream, feel the space around the feelingManjushri knows all of the tools in the spiritual toolkit. And, he's operating with that belief— that this shouldn't be happening, you shouldn't be feeling this way.That you need to fix it, get rid of it, change it.This koan is showing us, an experience that we probably all know: that when we are trying to get something that we don't like to go away or change using spiritual practice, it often appears to grow stronger.So the Buddha here, that wise and compassionate aspect of being, says even 100 thousand wise Manjushri's wouldn't be able to get her unstuck.But there is a being, the bodhisattva of delusive wisdom, who lives in the depths of the earth, they will be able to do it.So who is this being, bodhisattva means awakening being, so we have the awakened energy of delusive wisdom.But, what is delusive wisdom?The zen the teachings say you must become like a fool, an idiot.Forget all that accumulated knowledge.Forget even the names for things.Slip below all thoughts and distinctions.To the place before right/wrong, good/bad, success/failurebefore buddha/delusion, wise one / idiot, woman/man.What is this place?Out before ideas of right and wrong there is a field, i'll meet you there—RumiThis is a place of true, fundamental acceptance.Spaciousness.This being isn't outraged that a woman is sitting near the buddha's throne, nor does it have an issue with her being stuck in samadhiDelusive wisdom is meeting her as she is. Momyo doesn't have some big agenda about what is supposed to be happening.Momyo is the aspect of our mind that just is.We sometimes call it the mind ground.Openness.When we meet our stuckness from a place of spacious acceptance, its allowed to change on its own.And so, the woman comes out of samadhi at the snap of delusive wisdoms fingers.It's hard for the thinking mind to believe that it can trust the simplicity of awareness itself, that there is medicine here.The mind thinks if we stop feeding our thoughts, or stop all of our doing—that we'll be stupid or inadequate in someway. There is wisdom in being no one special, in the openness of being itself—which is never stuck.…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 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.Summer Read— The Hidden Lamp: Stories from 25 Centuries of Awakened WomenJoin me starting on the Summer Solstice, Friday June 20th for a summer read of the Hidden Lamp. I hand selected 15 stories from the book that we will explore over the course of the summer.Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring supportive practice forms for engaging the dharma in life outside of retreat.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKZen Practice opportunities through ZCOGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth Sesshin—August 11 - 17, in-person at Great Vow Zen Monastery (this retreat is held outdoors, camping is encouraged but indoor dorm spaces are available)In-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaInterdependence Sesshin: A Five Day Residential Retreat Wednesday July 2 - Sunday July 6 in Montrose, WV at Saranam Retreat Center (Mud Lotus is hosting its first Sesshin!)Weekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 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

Perguntas e respostas com Monge Kōmyō Sensei - Sensei, existe um tempo mínimo para meditação diária? - Sensei, às vezes ocorre de uma das minhas pernas adormecer. Em casa, mudo de posição e sento em Seiza. Mas num Sesshin, podemos mudar de posição ou é melhor evitar? ------ Site: daissen.org.br Instagram: @zendaissen e @mongegensho Youtube: Zen Budismo por Monge Genshō Aplicativo do Daissen na Play Store e App Store: Zen Daissen https://linktr.ee/zendaissen

Greetings Friends,I am returning from a 10-day stay at my former home—Great Vow Zen Monastery. While I was there I had the opportunity to co-lead a sesshin (weeklong silent meditation retreat). The sesshin's theme was The Light of the Ancestors.Yunmen said to the assembly of practitioners, “Everyone has a light. When you look for it, its dark, dark, hidden. What is this light that everyone has?”What is this light that everyone has?I find this to be a wonderful question. One I carry around with me, dropping it into my heart-mind as I walk through the glenn, as I meet seeming strangers at the grocery store or read the news, when I am talking to friends or family members, when I look in the mirror, meet a client or talk to my cat.What is this light that everyone has?Can I “see” it?During the sesshin we practiced opening to the help and support of the Zen + Buddhist ancestors. In the tradition I am a part of we can trace our lineage back generation by generation to the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. To do this awakens a sense of wonder and awe, its about 83 generations over the last 2500 years. We have a name for each generation. At the monastery we would chant this list of names everyday, saying the names of the ancestors in an act of gratitude for their generosity and practice.Having spiritual ancestors reminds me that my life and practice are deeply supported. It also reminds me that people have been doing this for a long time, since before the time of the buddha. We could imagine that perhaps throughout all time people have sat in some form of silent contemplation and awakened to their true nature.They too had support from their ancestors, which included other humans as well as the mountains, great earth, open sky, plants, animals and flowers.This is true for us too. Who supports your life and practice? What lineages of healing and awakening are you a part of? What qualities are you cultivating in your own spiritual journey that your ancestors, mentors, friends and family members, or the natural world embody?Maybe instead of imagining a line going back to our early ancestors, we could imagine trees with deep roots and many branches, or circles of support.Yesterday, my partner Kennyo and I went for a hike in Mohican State Park, a fertile forest of hemlocks in a more hilly part of Northeastern Ohio. Returning to the forest feels like a homecoming, like going to church, each foot step felt like a prayer or a remembering. As we met and greeted many other humans making their way to the waterfall I felt a kinship with them. We may all go to the forest for different reasons but I think on some level we are transformed, we are healed.Our ancestors are part of us, they speak through tree and star, through rushing river and wind. Through the stary sky and the life force that animates us.Our life is a shared life. We too our ancestors to this earth and all who live here and for all the future generations. May we take this responsibility seriously, may we remember that we are not alone.In the audio above I offer a short talk and then a guided practice for opening to the support of the ancestors, asking for their help and opening to their awakened hearts.I'm curious to hear from you:* What is your experience of opening to the help of ancestors and guides?* Have you considered or learned about any of your spiritual ancestors?* What qualities are you cultivating in your dharma practice or in your life?* Why do you go to the forest or into the natural world?Summer Read— The Hidden Lamp: Stories from 25 Centuries of Awakened WomenJoin me starting on the Summer Solstice, Friday June 20th for a summer read. Every two weeks we will read one of the koans from the Hidden Lamp as well as the commentary. We will spend two weeks reflecting on the koan and commentary and bringing it into our own lives. I will offer dharma talks during my weekly Monday night practice, and there will be opportunities to share your practice here through the comments section and live on Monday nights.I will publish a reading schedule soon. If you would like to participate, consider purchasing a copy of The Hidden Lamp or checking it out from the Library.…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 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.I currently have a couple of spaces open in my Spiritual Counseling practice for the Summer.And my books are open for June if you would like to book an astrology reading. It's quite an interesting year astrologically and I do natal readings as well as solar return and year ahead readings.Below you can find a list of weekly and monthly online and in-person practice opportunities.Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring Dogen Zenji's Instructions for Zazen.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKZen Practice opportunities through ZCOGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth Sesshin—August 11 - 17, in-person at Great Vow Zen Monastery (this retreat is held outdoors, camping is encouraged but indoor dorm spaces are available)In-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaInterdependence Sesshin: A Five Day Residential Retreat Wednesday July 2 - Sunday July 6 in Montrose, WV at Saranam Retreat Center (Mud Lotus is hosting its first Sesshin!)Weekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 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

Sesshin day 4. Teisho by Sangen Salo sensei during the April 5-day sesshin 2025 at Sanneji Zen Temple in Karjaa, Finland.

Spring Sesshin Opening Talk by Eran Junryu Vardi Roshi of Eiryu-ji Zen Center in Wyckoff, NJ, USA on 5/15/2025.

Sesshin day 3. Teisho by Sangen Salo sensei during the April 5-day sesshin 2025 at Sanneji Zen Temple in Karjaa, Finland.

Sesshin day 2. Teisho by Sangen Salo sensei during the April 5-day sesshin 2025 at Sanneji Zen Temple in Karjaa, Finland.

In this opening talk for the Spring Practice Period Sesshin, Senseis Monshin, Ryotan, and Shinzan offer their remarks and suggestions to make the most of the deep quiet and practice of sesshin. Sensei Shinzan explains […]

In this talk during the Spring Practice Period Sesshin, Sensei Ryotan explores the first of Dogen's Four Methods of Guidance: Dana (generosity). Dogen himself lived in a tumultuous era of social upheaval, war, […]

In this second full day of Spring Practice Period Sesshin, Sensei Shinzan explores the Four Bodhisattva Vows as expressions of what Suzuki Roshi described as an “inflexible determination to carry out one's will […]

In this third full day of Spring Practice Period Sesshin, Sensei Monshin explores the concepts of beneficial action and identity action from Dogen's Bodhisattva's Four Methods of Guidance. She identifies beneficial action as “skillfully […]

In this talk during the fifth full day of Spring Practice Period Sesshin, Sensei Cynthia Ryotan explores the fourth of the bodhisattva's methods of guidance: kind speech. She fames the importance of […]

In this closing talk from the last day of Spring Practice Period Sesshin, the faculty of the practice period weave together final reflections on the vows and actions of true bodhisattvas. Sensei […]

Sesshin day 1. Teisho by Sangen Salo sensei during the April 5-day sesshin 2025 at Sanneji Zen Temple in Karjaa, Finland.

Are you dreaming? How is your experience, like a dream?In one sense, the words you are reading, the sounds you are hearing, the thoughts racing through your mind and the ones seeming to linger in the background, the worries, and any other emotion that you might be experiencing, including experience itself—all are un-pin-down-able, you can not grasp them, you can not even find a single unchanging sensation that you can call yourself.All appearance is as ephemeral as a dream.In Zen practice we are encouraged to inquire into this dream-like experience. To really taste and know experientially the empty-yet-apparent nature of all experiences.Such an inquiry can revitalize wonder in our living.For if this were a dream, then these characters, these people you seem to meet, the environments that you traverse, the feelings and thoughts that arise—are all part of the dream.Blue Cliff Record Case 40: Nan Chuan's As a DreamAn officer from the monastery was talking with Nan Ch'uan and said, “The Great Teacher Chao said, ‘Heaven, earth, and I have the same root; myriad things and I are one body.' This is quite marvelous.”Nan Ch'uan pointed to a flower in the garden. He called to the officer and said, “People these days see this flower as a dream.We can practice seeing the dream-like nature of reality and open to the oneness of experience. If heaven, earth and yourself have the same root, if the myriad things and you are one body. What is this root, what is this body?What is our shared nature?Meeting the Characters in This DreamI want to share a practice I have been exploring as a way of meeting the characters in this waking dream, as if they were characters in a night-time dream. I have found that when I entertain that this is a dream, and meet the characters and myself fresh, with compassion and curiosity. I can step outside of my projections and strategies of protection, and see the mystery of who and what we are.I would like to share the practice here. If you would prefer to listen to the guided meditation version. Click the link above. Today's audio is just the guided meditation of this exercise. You may want to have a journal as you listen or read along.* Recall a situation in your life where it feels stuck, this could be a relational conflict, work situation, impasse, your experience of the political situation.* See the different characters in this waking dream, see the environment where this situation is occurring from a zoomed out position. Remind yourself that this is a dream and notice if anything changes in how you are seeing and experiencing the situation.* Now see the dream of yourself in this situation, notice what feelings, beliefs are alive in you—what do you want? What are you afraid of?* Zoom out again and see the whole scene. Next imagine stepping into one of the other characters in the dream, this could be a person with a different belief or position, someone who is not you. What do you see from their vantage point? What feelings and beliefs are alive in them? What do they want? What might they be afraid of?* Zoom out again and see the whole scene. Now see if there is another perspective, maybe that of a third character, a pet, or part of the landscape of the dream (sky, chair, wall, floor) What is it like to step into their position? What do you see from their vantage point? How do they feel about this situation? What might they want for you? What wisdom might they have?* Come back to seeing the whole dream, the whole scene in this situation. Notice if you see anything you didn't notice before. What is it like to come back to the situation itself, after having stepped into the dreams of the various characters?Notice if you feel curious or open or more compassionate?* Come back to this dream, feel your body here, connect to your senses, look around your space. Take a moment to write down or draw anything you learned or observed.I'd be curious to hear about your experience. Feel free to leave a comment.* What was it like to see this situation as a dream?* What did you learn from stepping into the other characters in this waking dream?* Are you aware of anything that you weren't aware of before?I'm also curious to hear from you. We have been diving into the exploration of the dream-like nature of reality, are there other topics that you are interested in hearing more about or focusing on? I'm considering doing a Summer Read of The Hidden Lamp. This is a collective of koans/stories from the women ancestors with commentary from contemporary teachers. I would share the koans we are focusing on throughout the summer, and you could read along or listen to my talks on the koans. We could share thoughts and experiences with the koan live on zoom on Monday nights and through the comment section here on Substack. 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 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.I currently have a couple of spaces open in my Spiritual Counseling practice for the Summer. And my books are open for June if you would like to book an astrology reading. It's quite an interesting year astrologically and I do natal readings as well as solar return and year ahead readings.Below you can find a list of weekly and monthly online and in-person practice opportunities.Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring Zen and Dreams.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKZen Practice opportunities through ZCOLight of the Ancestors Sesshin—May 12 - 18, in-person at Great Vow Zen Monastery16 Bodhisattva Precepts Class—May 4 - June 8, online class series exploring the ethical teachings of Zen BuddhismGrasses, Trees and the Great Earth Sesshin—August 11 - 17, in-person at Great Vow Zen Monastery (this retreat is held outdoors, camping is encouraged but indoor dorm spaces are available)In-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaInterdependence Sesshin: A Five Day Residential Retreat Wednesday July 2 - Sunday July 6 in Montrose, WV at Saranam Retreat Center (Mud Lotus is hosting its first Sesshin!)Weekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 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

Sesshin Day 5 - The Wonderful Emptiness of Everyday Life. by Ordinary Mind Zen School

Sesshin Day 1 - Stuckness and Flow by Ordinary Mind Zen School

Sesshin Day 2 - No Fixed Self by Ordinary Mind Zen School

Sesshin Day 3 - Transform Bad Circumstances into the Path by Ordinary Mind Zen School

Sesshin Day 4 - Love in Zen by Ordinary Mind Zen School

April 2025 Sesshin, Day 2 A commentary on Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away (Ajahn Chah). High ideals and daily frustrations- a story; Comments on Ajahn Chah's meditation instructions; and Keep at it. Dharma Talk by Ven. Trueman Taylor.  Automated Transcript The post Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

April 2025 Sesshin, Day 1 Commentary on Throw Yourself into the House of Buddha (Tangen Harada Roshi) and Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away (Ajahn Chah). Tips on zazen posture & practice; Working with pain in sesshin; Biography of Ajahn Chah; Comments on impermanence and practice. Dharma Talk by Ven. Trueman Taylor.  Automated Transcript The post Throw Yourself into the House of Buddha appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Shuso Laura Trippi gives the sixth talk of the Villa Maria Del Mar 2025 Sesshin on "Already Forgiven." Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Sesshin-Villa-Maria-del-Mar-2025-Talk-6-Already-Forgiven-Shuso-Laura-Trippi.mp3

Norman gives the seventh and last talk of the Villa Maria del Mar 2025 Sesshin on "Dogen's Ocean Mudra Samadhi Part 2." Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Sesshin-Villa-Maria-Del-Mar-2025-Talk-7-Dogens-Ocean-Mudra-Samadhi-Part-2.mp3

03/29/2025, Abbot Dōshin Mako Voelkel, dharma talk at City Center. Abiding Abbot Dōshin Mako Voelkel explores how the spirit of Dogen's “Tenzo Kyokun” extends beyond sesshin, inviting us to discover how zazen mind manifests in our homes and workplaces.

This Dharma talk was given by Hogen, Roshi at Great Vow Zen Monastery during Sound Sesshin on March 15th, 2025. In this talk Hogen Roshi discusses the foundation of Sesshin, The Platform Sutra and Bodhidharma. ★ Support this podcast ★

03/28/2025, Doshin Dan Gudgel, dharma talk at City Center. Doshin Dan Gudgel explores the idea of a ‘caretaker' as it relates to the Parental Mind that Dogen encourages in his Tenzo Kyokun text.

March 2025 Sesshin, Day 6 Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript The post Shoyoroku (Book of Serenity) #4, “The Buddha Points to the Ground” appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Shuso Laura Trippi gives the third talk of the Villa Maria Del Mar 2025 Sesshin on her "Way Seeking Mind" journey to entering the practice. Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Sesshin-Villa-Maria-Del-Mar-2025-Talk-3-Shuso-Way-Seeking-Mind-Laura-Trippi.mp3

Norman gives the fourth talk of the Villa Maria del Mar 2025 Sesshin  "On the Meal Chant Part 2." Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Sesshin-Villa-Maria-Del-Mar-2025-Talk-4-On-the-Meal-Chant-Part-2-Living-by-Vow-2025-Tallk-10.mp3

March 2025 Sesshin, Day 5 Commentary on “An Experience of Enlightenment” by Flora Courtois. The Theosophical Publishing House, 1986. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript The post “An Experience of Enlightenment” #5 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Norman gives the second talk of the Villa Maria del Mar 2025 Sesshin  "On the Meal Chant." Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Sesshin-Villa-Maria-Del-Mar-2025-Talk-2-On-The-Meal-Chant.mp3

March 2025 Sesshin, Day 4 Commentary on “An Experience of Enlightenment” by Flora Courtois. The Theosophical Publishing House, 1986. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript The post “An Experience of Enlightenment” #4 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

Norman gives the first talk of the Villa Maria del Mar 2025 Sesshin on "Dogen's Ocean Mudra Samadhi. Suggested donation: $7 https://bit.ly/donate-edz-online-teachings We cannot continue offering teachings online without it. Thank you! https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/edz.assets/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Sesshin-Villa-Maria-Del-Mar-2025-Talk-1-Ocean-Mudra-Samadi.mp3  

March 2025 Sesshin, Day 3 Commentary on “An Experience of Enlightenment” by Flora Courtois. The Theosophical Publishing House, 1986. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript The post “An Experience of Enlightenment” #3 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

March 2025 Sesshin, Day 2 Commentary on “An Experience of Enlightenment” by Flora Courtois. The Theosophical Publishing House, 1986. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript The post “An Experience of Enlightenment” #2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

March 2055 Sesshin, Day 1 Commentary on “An Experience of Enlightenment” by Flora Courtois. The Theosophical Publishing House, 1986. Teisho by Sensei Dhara Kowal.  Automated Transcript The post “An Experience of Enlightenment” #1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

In this final talk of the Winter Practice Period Sesshin, Senseis Wendy Johnson, Kozan, Kodo, and Roshi Joan Halifax weave together teachings on practicing with sincerity and innocence. Beginning with reflections on practicing “without aiming,” they […]

In this talk from the third full day of the Winter Practice Period Sesshin, Sensei Wendy Johnson explores Yunmen's teaching “rice in the bowl, water in the bucket” through Case 158 of the […]

In this talk from the Winter Practice Period Sesshin, Sensei Kozan explores Case 24 of Dogen's collection, “The Great Kalpa Fire,” where Zen Master Dasui teaches about the nature of impermanence and attachment. […]

In this teaching from the first full day of the Winter Practice Period Sesshin, Roshi Joan Halifax explores the profound wisdom found in everyday practice through the lens of the koan “Wash Your […]

In this talk from the second full day of the Winter Practice Period Sesshin, Sensei Kodo explores the nature of non-conceptual presence through Case 249 of the Shobogenzo, “The Dharma That Has Never […]

February 2025 Sesshin, Day 2 In part two of her overview of working with koans, Jissai Prince-Cherry emphasizes the importance of engaging the heart and mind and the need to feel and live with the koan. Dharma Talk by Ven. Jissai Prince-Cherry.  Automated Transcript The post Tips for Working on Koans, Part 2 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

February 2025 Sesshin, Day 1 In the first of her two talks about koan work, Jissai Prince-Cherry also discusses breath practices and shikantaza. Dharma Talk by Ven. Jissai Prince-Cherry.  Automated Transcript The post Tips for Working on Koans, Part 1 appeared first on Rochester Zen Center.

This talk was given by Kisei Sensei at Great Vow Zen Monestary on February 6th, 2025 during Parinirvana Sesshin. In this talk Kisei discusses the many deaths that we experience encounter during Sesshin, in our lives and how we find freedom in this moment. ★ Support this podcast ★