Podcasts about shunryu suzuki

You don't need a degree—or a perfect plan—to lead with vision. In this episode, I'm joined by Jackie Peters, startup founder and longtime tech innovator, for a powerful conversation on how to lead boldly, build something meaningful, and move forward—even when you don't feel 100% ready. With 25+ years of experience across mobile gaming, AI-powered healthcare, and privacy-preserving data analytics, Jackie brings a rare mix of visionary thinking, human-centered leadership, and strategic clarity. We talk about building confidence in uncharted territory, trusting your instincts, and turning complex ideas into user-first innovation.

Trechos de gravações de Adyashanti.Adyashanti (nascido em 1962), é um autor e professor espiritual americano.Por 14 anos Adyashanti estudou o Zen budismo com professores da linhagem de Shunryu Suzuki.Quando começou a experimentar uma série de transformações espirituais, Adyashanti foi convidado a ensinar sobre o processo de iluminação. Desde então, há mais de 25 anos, ele oferece reuniões, palestras, cursos de estudos e retiros.Seu ensino é um convite aberto para parar, investigar e reconhecer o que é verdadeiro e libertador no âmago de toda existência. Suas palavras apontam para o despertar de nossa real natureza, sem vinculação a nenhuma tradição ou ideologias específicas.“O despertar total surge quando você olha sinceramente para si mesmo, mais fundo do que imaginou e questiona tudo”, ensina Adyashanti.

DC reads all extant Shunryu Suzuki on Beginner's Mind, discusses the origins and its spread far beyond the  sphere of Buddhism.

https://littleboxofquotes.com/ — Each day's quote is available as a podcast and by email from my Little Box of Quotes. A long time ago I began collecting inspirational quotes and aphorisms. I kept them on the first version of my web site, where they were displayed randomly. But as time went on, I realized I wanted them where I would see them. Eventually I copied the fledgeling collection onto 3×5 cards and put them in a small box. As I find new ones, I add cards. Today, there are more than 1,500 quotes and the collection continues to grow. Hello

Upasama (formerly Reuven be Yuhmin) was a student of Shunryu Suzuki, a great gardener at Tassajara , who's been living in a Theravada monastery near Perth, Australia, for  the last twelve years. This is the second podcast with Upasama.

Rinso Ed Sattizahn first came to the SF Zen Center in 1970, had a few memorable experiences with Shunryu Suzuki, and returned in 1972. He lived at Tassajara for years, was VP and president of the SFZC, went into the high tech world for over seventeen years, returned to the SF Bay area, got ordained, co-founded Vimala Sangha in Mill Valley with Lew Richmond, was a co-abbot then center abbot of the SFZC for nine years. In this podcast he talks about that and much more.

A reading of selected passages from the classic text, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunrya Suzuki. This text, along with Philip Kapleau's The Three Pillars of Zen (1965), is one of the two most influential books on Zen in the West. Even today, many Zen meditation centers still use "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" as a teaching manual because it bridges Eastern Zen thought and Western modern life. This modern interpretation not only promoted the cross-cultural dissemination of Zen Buddhism, but also had a wide influence on fields such as educational theory and psychology.Shunryu Suzuki (1904-1971) was born into a family of Buddhist monks in Japan. He received spiritual education of the Soto School since childhood and served as the abbot of a temple during World War II. In 1959, he moved to San Francisco and discovered the growing interest of Americans in Zen Buddhism. In 1962, he founded the Old Jinshan Zen Center and subsequently established the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, which was the first Buddhist temple outside Asia specifically for Western practitioners. Through his books and doctrines, Suzuki translated the complex Zen philosophy into a language that is easier for Western readers to understand.

Send us a textIn this episode I explore some of my favorite ideas from the book "Not Always So: Practicing the True Spirit of Zen," by Shunryu Suzuki (edited by Edward Espe Brown). What does it mean to be oneself? How does being oneself relate to the Buddhist notion of emptiness? What is the ultimate goal or purpose of spiritual practice? I'll address these questions and more while also reflecting (yet again) on how these ideas apply to interpersonal process groups.

Jiryu Mark Rutschman-Byler is the abbot of Green Gulch Farm as a co-abbot of the SF Zen Center. In the podcast he talks about Becoming Yourself, an upcoming book of Shunryu Suzuki lectures that he worked on with Mel Weitsman. First he talks briefly about Nicole Baden and Richard Baker's recent stay at the City Center and Green Gulch and Baker's stroke of a week ago. He reads selections from Becoming Yourself: Teachings on the Zen Way of Life and we talk about that and more. Most enjoyable. 

Has someone ever told you that you should try meditation? What's the point of meditation? Danny and Randy discuss Shunryu Suzuki's “Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind.” Subscribe to ESP's YouTube Channel! Thanks for listening!  Do you have a question you want answered in a future episode? If so, send your question to: existentialstoic@protonmail.com Danny, Randy, and their good friend, Russell, created a new podcast, CodeNoobs, for anyone interested in tech and learning how to code. Listen to CodeNoobs now online, CodeNoobs-podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

05/17/2025, Zentatsu Richard Baker Roshi, dharma talk at City Center. Former Abbot Zentatsu Richard Baker Roshi discusses lessons from a life of practice, and from close observation of Shunryu Suzuki's life and teachings.

How does a Buddhist make use of the aphorism "Let go and let God?"Liên Shutt shares a deeply personal and reflective talk centered around the phrase "Let Go and Let God," inspired by a cross-stitch left by her adoptive mother. Drawing from both her Buddhist and Christian influences, Liên explores how this phrase bridges her upbringing with her Zen practice. She reflects on the pain and insight of not resonating with Christianity while appreciating how her mother's deep faith comforted her.Liên uses this as a springboard to delve into the spiritual dynamics of “letting go”—not in a passive sense, but as a practice of releasing control and embracing a deeper trust in the unknown, often referred to in Zen as the absolute. This becomes a metaphor for spiritual maturity and balance between effort and surrender.She further enriches the talk by introducing key Buddhist ideas:Relative vs. Absolute: The “G” (relative, rational thinking) and the “Re” (absolute, intuitive knowing).Sandokai teaching: A Zen poem describing the harmony between difference and equality.Hand-wringing metaphor: A symbol of inner turmoil that contrasts with the calming practice of presence and receptivity.Cosmic mudra: A meditation hand gesture that balances tension and ease.Through touching stories—including coming out to her parents—Liên models how negotiation between personal truth and inherited beliefs can lead to healing and connection. The talk wraps with a heartfelt tribute to her mother, affirming the universal longing for connection through love, whether it's God, Dharma, or simply being seen.______________Liên Shutt (she/they) is a priest lineage holder in the Shunryu Suzuki tradition. Born to a Buddhist family in Vietnam, she received her meditation training in the Insight and Soto Zen traditions in the U.S., Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. She was a founding member of the Buddhists of Color in 1998 and currently is the guiding teacher of Access to Zen, an inclusive, anti-oppression sangha and non-profit in the SF Bay Area. She lives on Ohlone land, currently called San Francisco, with her partner, exploring waterways and forests as often as they can.Visit https://accesstozen.org/ for ways to connect and practice together. ______________ 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

Jean Ross began studying with Shunryu Suzuki very soon after he arrived in San Francisco. In this podcast, the second of two on her, I read more from her accounts in the Wind Bell publication of the SFZC about her experience studying Zen in Japan in the early sixties - and more. The podcast concludes with a piece I wrote about her for the Wind Bell in 1997.

Jean Ross began studying with Shunryu Suzuki very soon after he arrived in San Francisco. In this podcast, the first of two on her, I read from what's in Crooked Cucumber and what she wrote about her experience studying Zen in Japan in the early sixties - at Eiheiji, Sojiji, and more.

Wendy Pirsig was for thirty years an archivist and writer featuring extensive web-based history for small Old Berwick Historical Society's Counting House Museum in Maine. She's a student of Myozen Joan Amaral at the Zen Center North Shore in Beverly, Massachusetts. She's done extensive work for Cuke Archives working on verbatim and minimum edit Shunryu Suzuki lectures and carefully scrutinizing DC writings and making sage suggestions. A few years ago she compiled and edited a posthumously published a book of her late husband Robert Pirsig's works: On Quality: An Inquiry Into Excellence: Unpublished and Selected Writings. See more at cuke.com/people/pirsig-wendy including a long piece on her and Robert's six weeks with the SFZC following the murder of her stepson Chris's murder in the neighborhood.

Andy Karr began his formal Buddhist practice in 1971 at the SF Zen Center with Shunryu Suzuki after having devoured Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind many times. In early 1972 he began studying with Chogyam Trungpa. He has written three books, the latest one being Into the Mirror: A Buddhist Journey Through Mind, Matter, and the Nature of Reality. He has been teaching Tibetan Buddhism for years focusing on clearly understanding Mahamudra, Yogachara, Madhyamaka, and so forth. Learn more about him and his teaching at andykarrauthor.com 

Are We Part of It or the whole or what? Reading two Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts and commenting then talking about what I'm going to do when this podcast is loaded.

This is the second podcast reading examples of Shunryu Suzuki's use of the phrase "most important." He often used the phrase "most important.," usually in "the most important point" or "the most important thing." Reading from a page on cuke.com that includes every instance of  these words in Suzuki  lectures as found in the 2010 transcript collection. There have been additions to the Suzuki lecture archive since then, so this collection should be updated.  You can find it at cuke.com/Cucumber%20Project/lectures/most-important.htm

Bob Watkins and his wife Sandy arrived at Tassajara not long after we bought it and were there for nine months. We hated to see them go. Bob was the work leader in the first practice period and until he departed. Later he was ordained by Kobun Chino and with Kobun co-founded Hokkyoji in Arroyo Seco above Taos, NM. In this podcast I read a piece I wrote on Bob after he died in 2016. It includes many of his memories of Shunryu Suzuki and Kobun Chino.

Shunryu Suzuki often used the phrase "most important.," usually in "the most important point" or "the most important thing." In this podcsat DC reads from a page that includes every instance of  these words in Suzuki  lectures as found in the 2010 transcript collection. There have been additions to the Suzuki lecture archive since then, so this collection should be updated.  You can find it at cuke.com/Cucumber%20Project/lectures/most-important.htm

Eiheiji monks chant the Heart Sutra. Shunryu Suzuki's basic meaning of the  kanji from the Sokoji chant care. I play it for a bed-ridden Japanese man raised Soto-shu  in a retirement home.

Is your team culture prepared for the challenges of modern remote work?Lav Crnobrnja, co-founder and CEO of Vacation Tracker, shares his journey from building a leave management tool to scaling a fully remote, thriving startup. Learn how Lav's team grew from a small experiment in Slack to a 19-person global operation, his hiring philosophy, and how he cultivates confidence and gratitude in his team.Key Takeaways:Delegation is about accountability, not micromanagement. Lav explains how shifting from overseeing tactics to focusing on outcomes allows teams to take ownership and deliver results.Hiring for attitude over experience. Lav emphasizes identifying “diamonds in the rough” with intelligence and the right attitude, guiding them to develop their skills and grow within the company.Customer support with a human touch. Despite advances in AI, Lav insists on maintaining excellent, human-first customer service to ensure customers feel valued and understood.Key Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:03:17 - The first $2500:06:11 - Why Vacation Tracker integrated with Slack00:09:27 - Evolving the ideal customer profile00:11:11 - Lav's hiring philosophy: diamonds in the rough00:16:56 - Balancing jack-of-all-trades vs. specialists00:19:25 - How Lav identifies talent00:22:32 - Definition of excellent customer support00:23:42 - Learning delegation during COVID00:27:12 - The importance of building confidence in teams00:29:01 - Lav's tacos of gratitudeKey Topics Discussed:remote work, Vacation Tracker, hiring strategies, customer support, employee confidence, delegation, team culture, Slack integration, bootstrapped startups, HR solutionsMentions:Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_Mind,_Beginner%27s_MindBuild Stronger, Connected, More Engaged Teams:Use Coupon Code: AMAZINGTEAMS for 15% off for the first 3 months.About the Amazing Teams Podcast:We started this podcast because we love teams, especially amazing ones. Michael Jordan said it best, "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships." This is what we're all about!Our mission is to help others build amazing teams by having authentic conversations with remarkable people who are building amazing teams. We will explore the tactics, strategies, and frameworks that have helped them succeed.The Amazing Teams Podcast is produced by HeyTaco and edited by Lifetime Value Media.Learn more about LTV at: https://www.lifetimevaluemedia.com

Peter Schneider began sitting at Sokoji in 1963. He was ordained as a priest by Shunryu Suzuki in 1970 and received transmission from Mel Weitsman. He was at Tassajara for the first years as office manager, then director for a few years, Suzuki's attendant. He and his wife Jane got together there. They lived in Japan many years and on their return to America, founded the Beginner's Mind Zen Center in Northridge, CA, part of LA. Peter, born in 1937, died on January 4, 2025. Go to their cuke page for more and for links to the cuke podcasts with them. cuke.com/people/schneider-jane-peter.htm

Michael Stusser founded the Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary in Freestone CA with it's hot cedar enzyme baths. In this podcast he talks about being an apprentice with master gardener Alan Chadwick and with the head gardener of Myoshinji in Kyoto, meeting Shunryu Suzuki, studying with Kobun Chino and Chogyam Trungpa, gardening for years at the Farallones Institute in Occidental CA and more.

This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on Oct 11, 2023. In this talk Do'on Sensei begins with a reading from Shunryu Suzuki and follows with a discussion of the 25th case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as The Sermon of the Third Seat. If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org. Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

This Teisho was given by the Reverend Karen Do'on Weik Roshi at the Buddhist Temple of Toledo on Oct 6, 2023. In this talk Do'on Sensei begins with a reading from Shunryu Suzuki and follows with a discussion of the 24th case from the Mumonkan (aka The Gateless Gate) known as Abandon Words and Speaking.   If you would like to learn more about the Buddhist Temple of Toledo or to make a donation in support of this podcast please visit buddhisttempleoftoledo.org.   Part of Reverand Do'on's Teisho on the Mumonkan series.

Betty Warren started practicing with Shunryu Suzuki shortly after he arrived from Japan and continued her practice till she died at 89 in 2006. She was a science teacher, anti-war activist, and vision quester. In this podcast I read an interview I did with her thirty years ago - and more. - dc

Della Goertz began her practice with Shunryu Suzuki soon after he arrived in America in 1959. Herein we read from a notebook she kept with brief quotes and paraphrases from his talks and her encounters with him. There's a great deal on her at cuke.com/people/goertz.htm.

Susan Ross is an illustrator and artist who worked on Be Here Now. In this podcast she takes us from her native Ohio to Smith College to Woodstock to New Mexico, to Shunryu Suzuki's funeral with Gary Snyder and David Padwa, to Colorado studying with Trungpa Rinpoche. She's in Mexico now still being an artist, practicing Tibetan Buddhism, and working on turtle rescue. Here website is susanrosscreative.com.

This podcast is a talk I gave and meeting with the All Beings Zen Sangha in Washington DC. On October 19th. Inryu Ponce-Barger is the teacher of this group and their website is allbeingszen.org. The focus of the group right now and therefore of the talk is the Sandokai, an ancient Chinese Zen poem that is chanted at the SF Zen Center. I talk about being at Tassajara when Shunryu Suzuki lectured on it and studying it with him. There's a page on cuke.com for the Sandokai: cuke.com/Cucumber%20Project/lectures/sandokai.htm  - DC

Silas Hoadley began studying with Shunryu Suzuki in 1964. He was highly involved with the founding of Tassajara. Suzuki had Silas giving lectures when Suzuki was ill toward the end of his life. He would have received transmission from Suzuki if Suzuki hadn't died too soon. Silas was a much beloved priest in the SFZC. In this podcast I read a 1994 interview with Silas and a scene with him from the upcoming Tassajara Stories. Check out more about Silas at cuke.com/people/hoadley-silas.htm

In this Best of Awake in the World episode, Michael explores practicing without an idea of gain, the Universal Self, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the Buddha and Shunryu Suzuki. How can you blend your breath with the larger self? Moksha Westshore, B.C. Recorded February 18, 2017. The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

Ryuten Paul Rosenblum was a student of Shunryu Suzuki and is the vice abbot of Johanneshof, Richard Baker's retreat in the Black Forest. He lives half time in Germany and half time in Northern California. His website is ryutenpaulrosenblum.com. This is an encore presentation of a podcast from July 2020.

Jane and Peter Schneider are the founding teachers of the Beginner's Mind Zen Center in Northridge, a part of greater Los Angeles. They were students of Shunryu Suzuki. This is the third podcast with both of them and the third with Peter. In this podcast we focus on Jane's way-seeking mind story and then branch out to other reminiscences.

Stephan Bodian runs an annual school for awakening. In this podcast he talks about his spiritual path, his teachers including Shunryu Suzuki, Kobun Chino, Taizan Maezumi, Sogyal, and Jean Klein. He's a marriage and family therapist but mainly a teacher of awakening. His website is stephanbodian.org.

Suzanne Suarez Hurley heard Shunryu Suzuki give lectures in 1969 then joined Steve Gaskin as a founding member of the Farm in Tennessee. In 1975 she practiced with Dainin Katagiri in Minneapolis then headed back to SF to practice at the SF Zen Center with Richard Baker. With Baker's blessing she started a sitting group in Florida where she practiced law defending midwives. Through the years she has continued her connection to Zen and the Farm. She talks about all this and more in her podcast.

A student struggling with his practice once asked the zen master Shunryu Suzuki to boil down Buddhism into a single phrase. Suzuki thought for a moment, then he responded: everything changes.  This is part two of my conversation with Cory Richards about his memoir, The Color of Everything. Cory is bipolar and at different moments in his life he has been famous, homeless, institutionalized and an addict. He has climbed Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, he won the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year award and he has traveled the planet adventuring and shooting for Nat Geo. Then he started over as a writer.  Healthy, sick, good, bad, rich, poor, famous, homeless. Everything changes.  A great book is one you can't put down that you miss when it's over. The Color of Everything is such a book and I highly recommend reading it.  This episode is brought to you by The Better Lab. Good sleep amplifies health, wellness and performance. Getting good sleep can be hard and many people struggle to consistently take the actions that support solid sleep.  That's why I co-founded The Better Lab, the app that helps active people like you to mindfully build conscious, science-backed practices to sleep better that stick. It's just what works to help you get great sleep and you can get started today at www.thebetterlab.io and the app is live in the Apple App Store. Check it out and send a DM to @hardwaypod to let me know what you think.  Choose the Hard Way is the podcast about how hard things build stronger humans who have more fun. The purpose of this podcast is not for you to envy, admire or imitate the stories people like Cory share here. This podcast is here to hopefully inspire and empower you to fully embrace being the writer of your own story. It's a great one, you're the author and you bring it into being every moment. Find Cory @coryrichards on Instagram and pre-order The Color of Everything here. Watch on YouTube Sign up for the Hard Way Newsletter- - - - - - - - - -  Choose The Hard Way Website | Instagram Andrew Vontz LinkedIn

Can we find meaning and pride in our ordinary lives? In this talk, Liên Shutt contrasts the extravagant events in our lives with the everyday moments and asks us to consider if we can drop our expectations of how things should be and instead allow them to exist just as they are. This is the definition of Buddhist wisdom or Prajña, which translates as "knowledge of things as they are."She quotes Sekkei Harada Roshi in "The Essence of Zen:""Things that we can see and hear do not exist because we believe they do; they exist apart from a person's thought. That which exists separately from the thoughts of the ego self... is the dharma." Liên helps us see that individuals and groups exist independent of whether or not we think they should.  ______________Liên Shutt (she/they) is a priest lineage holder in the Shunryu Suzuki tradition. Born to a Buddhist family in Vietnam, she received her meditation training in the Insight and Soto Zen traditions in the U.S., Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. She was a founding member of the Buddhists of Color in 1998 and currently is the guiding teacher of Access to Zen, an inclusive, anti-oppression sangha and non-profit in the SF Bay Area. She lives on Ohlone land, currently called San Francisco, with her partner, exploring waterways and forests as often as they can. Visit https://accesstozen.org/ for ways to connect and practice together. Support the Show.______________ To participate live and be notified of upcoming speakers in advance, please Like us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/gaybuddhistfellowship) or visit https://gaybuddhist.org/calendar/ To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit www.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

Can Zen meditation improve your leadership skills? How can meditation improve and develop your mental toughness & lead you to become a more effective leader? Welcome to The Matt Phillips Podcast! In this episode, we welcome back Mark Divine, a distinguished former Navy SEAL, author, entrepreneur, and expert in leadership and mental toughness. In this podcast episode, Mark talks how leaders can apply Zen principles to improve their leadership skills and personal growth. He also touches on how eastern philosophy can help you accomplish work-life balance, all while bringing a more focused, compassionate, and effective leadership style. Books by Mark Divine: the "Unbeatable Mind" and "The Way of the SEAL." "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" by Shunryu Suzuki, a book that influenced Mark early in his Zen practice. We will touch on the following topics: The importance of self-discipline How taming one's ego can broaden one's ability to lead effectively How meditation can enhance focus and decision-making Applying the 80-20 rule in life and in commitments Effective leadership involves continuous personal development P.S. Subscribe, rate, and review Here. READY TO UP-LEVEL AS A LEADER AT WORK AND HOME? If you're looking to step up your leadership game and be part of something that's about real growth and making an impact, I'd love for you to join us on this journey. It's a big step towards being the leader you dream of being, one ready for anything the future holds. Check out the details here. Additional Resources: Connect with us on social at: Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/mattphillips15 Instagram: @mattphillipscoaching Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MattPhillipsCoching/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattphillipsleadershipcoac3976/featured Website: https://www.mattphillipscoaching.com/

In the last UnMind segment on “Election Year Zen,” we stressed Zen's emphasis on thinking independently and acting interdependently, as a kind of rule of thumb for approaching the quadrennial campaign and politics in general. Returning to the main theme running through the UnMind podcast, the intersection of design thinking and Zen, the importance of independent thought and interdependent action to the future of Zen in America, and the world at large, takes on an even more central role. Especially in the context of Buddha's teaching of the codependent origination of all things sentient – the comprehensive model of the Twelvefold Chain. Physics might agree that even the insentient universe is co-arisen, despite the singularity of the “Big Bang.” The following thoughts were first shared in my opening remarks for the Silent Thunder Order's annual conference in 2022, themed “Clarifying Interdependence.” The title of my address was “Future Zen: Thinking Independently; Acting Interdependently” Buddha himself was clearly an independent thinker, the original Order of monks and nuns, an example of interdependent action, choosing to relinquish their place in the social order and hierarchy of the time, with its rigid caste system. Buddha was also a problem-solver of the highest order, having defined the problem of existence itself in terms of suffering, and prescribed a solution based on the real-world context, articulated as the Middle Way, and modeled as the Four Noble Truths, including the Eightfold Path as the plan of action. Simply stated, the propagation of genuine Soto Zen practice in America is the logical extension of that plan, but in order to realize that potential, we must adapt the design intent of the Zen mission to the cultural and technological evolution that has taken place over two-and-a-half millennia. Nevertheless, the basic challenge to practice has remained the same. As we chant in the Dharma opening verse: The unsurpassed, profound and wonderous Dharma is rarely met with even in a hundred thousand million kalpas. Now we can see and hear it, accept and maintain it. May we unfold the meaning of the Tathagata's truth. Accepting that the unsurpassed Dharma is rarely realized, even under the best of circumstances, we proceed with the Zen mission with lowered expectations, commensurate with geometrically expanded distractions currently on offer. These days, Buddha would not draw the typical crowd that attends a professional sports venue, nor even smaller concert venues. He might attract a considerable following online, however. Seeing and hearing the Dharma is now often first encountered online, via searching the plethora of web sites devoted to posting the teachings of Buddha and his successors, by following podcasts, or downloading audiobooks. “Doing your research,” as we say. For my generation, television may have been the medium in which one first discovered the hoofprints of the ox, in the form of the “Kung Fu” series of the 1970s. Seeing and hearing the true Dharma – as well as accepting and maintaining it – is still, however, a low-tech enterprise, requiring only the instrument of the human body, sitting upright and still in meditation. Unfolding the meaning of it, however, is another matter altogether, a near-impossible order of difficulty. In effect, it has to reveal itself to us. Meanwhile, we face a variety of conflicting interpretations of Zen, from the cultural milieu and idioms of today. For example, Zen is not really, or merely, a social program, as many of its proponents seem to feel. Interdependent action certainly entails the recognition of suffering in the form of social injustice, and the principle of karmic retribution does not explain or justify ignoring the suffering of others. The teachings of Buddhism are meant, first and foremost, to provide a mirror to ourselves, reflecting the good, bad, and the ugly without discrimination; focusing our attention upon our own follies, foibles, and foolishness; definitely not to be held up to criticize others. Our implementation of the “design of Zen” to-date – including the incorporation of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center (ASZC) in 1977, and the umbrella organization of the Silent Thunder Order (STO) in 2010 – has been intended to establish and maintain a stable training center, along with a service organization as we attracted affiliate centers, to facilitate the process of propagating what is called “Dogen Zen,” with the same intent of its 13thcentury founder, and his successors, especially Keizan Jokin Zenji. I use the term “design,” as this has been an intentional design process. ASZC is the home temple & training center of the STO network of affiliates, resulting from a group process of the individual efforts, financial support, and community service of hundreds of people over the past half-century or so. In carrying out this design intent, we are extending the legacy and lineage of our founding teacher, Matsuoka-roshi, who would frequently remind us that “Zen is always contemporary.” In a book surveying the origins of Zen in America, “Zen Master Who?” (2006), by James Ishmael Ford, we learn: Soyu Matsuoka ranks with Nyogen Sengaki and Sokei-an as one of the first teachers to make his home and life work in North America. He also seems to be the first teacher to clearly and unambiguously give Dharma transmission to Western students. I would add that these pioneers of American Zen also belong in the rarified ranks of those ancestors who traveled great distances and crossed cultural boundaries to bring the genuine practice to another country, a whole other continent, like Bodhidharma, and Dogen Zenji. Sensei, as he modestly asked us to call him, also is credited with opening the first Zen meditation hall, or zendo, for westerners. Needless to say, I was one of those Western students he transmitted, though he did so informally, rather than by the formal standards of Soto Shu, the headquarters in Japan. We inherit his estimable legacy and lineage, as well as those of the Kodo Sawaki-Uchiyama lineage, thanks to Shohaku Okumura-roshi. We also enjoy a link to that of Shunryu Suzuki-roshi through Seirin Barbara Kohn-roshi, who graciously agreed to be my Preceptor for my formal Transmission, or “Shiho” ceremony, after hosting my 90-day training period at Austin Zen Center in 2007. We may be somewhat unique in the American Zen cohort, having received formal recognition from three recognized priests, including pre- and post-WWII generation Japanese patriarchs, as well as an American Zen matriarch. Let us do what we can to honor our predecessors. We honor them most appropriately by thinking independently and acting interdependently. Before considering the future of Zen in America, we could do worse than to take a look at its past. In the Shobogenzo Zuimonki, collected and compiled under the direction of one of his dharma successors, Koun Ejo Zenji, some of Master Dogen's more offhand comments and spontaneous inspirations are recorded, apparently with little editing, much like our publications of “The Kyosaku” and “Mokurai,” the collected talks of O-Sensei. Dogen instructed, 4 — 13It is said in the secular world that a castle falls when people start to whisper words within its walls. It is also said that when there are two opinions in a house, not even a pin can be bought; when there is no conflict of opinions, even gold can be purchased. Even in the secular world, it is said that unity of mind is necessary for the sake of maintaining a household or protecting a castle. If unity is lacking, the house or the castle will eventually fall. Much more, should monks who have left home to study under a single teacher be harmonious like the mixture of water and milk. There is also the precept of the six ways of harmony.* Do not set up individual rooms, nor practice the Way separately either physically or mentally. [Our life in this monastery is] like crossing the ocean on a single ship. We should have unity of mind, conduct ourselves in the same way, give advice to each other to reform each other's faults, follow the good points of others, and practice the Way single-mindedly. This is the Way people have been practicing since the time of the Buddha. Echoes of Honest Abe's house divided against itself… a footnote explains the “six ways” reference: *The unity of the three actions – those of body, mouth, and mind, keeping the same precepts, having the same insight, and carrying on the same practice. This same precepts, insight and practice includes the harmony of sameness and difference, not an absolute identity. The milk-and-water bit reminds me of Sri Ramakrishna's expression that, like the swan, you have to be able to drink only the milk, mixed with water, to grasp the truth of this existence. This is the nonduality of duality. So here is the great unifying principle underlying Zen practice from the time of Buddha and Dogen down to the present. The past is prologue to the present, as is the present to the future, of Zen. This may not be true of our contemporary cultural and political institutions, however, as we are witnessing. Let us turn to Zen for something more substantial to hang our hopes on for the future. We will have to leave it here for now. Be sure to join us for the next three segments of UnMind, which will round out this contemporary take on the design intent of future Zen.* * * Elliston Roshi is guiding teacher of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center and abbot of the Silent Thunder Order. He is also a gallery-represented fine artist expressing his Zen through visual poetry, or “music to the eyes.”UnMind is a production of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center in Atlanta, Georgia and the Silent Thunder Order. You can support these teachings by PayPal to donate@STorder.org. Gassho.Producer: Shinjin Larry Little

04/27/2024, Kyoshin Wendy Lewis, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk, given at Beginner's Mind Temple, Kyoshin Wendy Lewis discusses the Zen text "Harmony of Difference and Equality". Written in the 8th century in China, the "Harmony of Difference and Equality" holds significant importance in Zen history. It is chanted daily in many Zen temples and at the memorial ceremonies of founding teachers. The tone of the poem is an examination of the interactivity of the relative and absolute truths. In his commentary on the poem, Shunryu Suzuki says "The capacity of the human mind has three aspects: potentiality, interrelationship, and appropriateness. ... [T]he 'interrelationship between someone who helps and someone who is helped' is called jihi [which] is usually translated as ‘love.'"

00:02:00 - A short reading from ‘Not Always So: Practicing the True Spirit of Zen by Shunryu Suzuki 00:03:50 - Reading from: Seeds for a Boundless Life: Zen Teachings from the Heart by Zenkei Blanche Hartman 00:05:33 - The Niagara River By Kay Ryan (see below) 00:08:50 - The Fourth Sign of the Zodiac by Mary Oliver 00:15:47 - Peonies by Mary Oliver 00:21:37 - Ann Invites Questions The Niagara River By Kay Ryan 1945 – As thoughthe river werea floor, we positionour table and chairsupon it, eat, andhave conversation.As it moves along,we notice—ascalmly as thoughdining room paintingswere being replaced—the changing scenesalong the shore. Wedo know, we doknow this is theNiagara River, butit is hard to rememberwhat that means. The Fourth Sign of the Zodiac by Mary Oliver

Ned Hoke was on Esalen Inst. staff when Shunryu Suzuki led a two day workshop there in 1968. After that, Ned came to Tassajara in the summers as a student. He's been an acupuncturist for forty years. In this podcast he talks about that, we talk about Bolinas, he tells about bringing Suzuki's headstone up to the hogback.

Everything changes. There is nothing to stick to. That is the Buddha's most important teaching.' - Shunryu Suzuki you need a break from tech & people take more quiet time just to yourself offline take a week at a time of not returning texts right away spending time away from your desk is what can work best for a new mind next level year be mindful of what you spend time looking at - is it really necessary? Embrace the women that give a multitude of opportunity - and thus do the same for them xx ck

Thomas and Panu took stock of their feelings about the world as 2023 came to a close, and invited listeners to do the same. Thomas reflected on two quotes that are important to him and changing ways he has interpreted their meaning over the years: “In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few” (Shunryu Suzuki); and “Find your place on the planet. Dig in, and take responsibility from there” (Gary Snyder). Panu described a ritual he participated in for the International Remembrance Day for Lost Species, celebrated on November 30. He and Thomas contemplated the importance of rituals, ceremonies and the arts including the recent Future Landscapes project.  The idea of taking stock at the end of the year is echoed in the recent COP 28 meeting and 1st Global Stocktake—a process for countries to see how they're collectively making progress towards meeting the goals of the Paris Climate Change Agreement. We know global warming will not be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius / 2.7 Fahrenheit. We need to adapt to a hotter world, take care of the most vulnerable, and keep working to cool the planet down by all means necessary.  

Breathe, Pray, Live. Sitting on a beach in Maui. How the Christian tradition of contemplative prayer intersects with Zen Buddhism. Notes on healing from the Desert Fathers to Shunryu Suzuki. Methods of counting to 108. Lessons on the 10,000 Things. Breathing from the bodily core, not the neck. Antidotes to our screen-based, desk-bound civilization. Training in posture, stepping out of our own heads. Physics and mysticism. Host vignettes on family adventures in Hawaii. Snorkeling, surfing and sitting. Matt Dunn of Backbone Radio guest-hosting the Randy Corporon Show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“If it's not a paradox, it's not true.” So says today's guest Marc Lesser, long-time mindfulness teacher and business leader. In his latest book, he considers what would happen if Homer Simpson, the Buddha, and Alice in Wonderland walked into a proverbial bar. How would each react to tricky situations? What would be the integrated way forward? We also talk about being asked to leave his previous company, Brush Dance, after fifteen years and how he navigated a new phase of his career as a result. More About Marc: Marc Lesser is a speaker, facilitator, workshop leader, and executive coach. He is the author of five books, including the Zen of Business Administration, and his latest, Finding Clarity: How Compassionate Accountability Builds Vibrant Relationships, Thriving Workplaces, and Meaningful Lives. Marc's podcast Zen Bones: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times features interviews, supportive tools for creating more meaningful work, and potent mindfulness practices to develop yourself, influence your organization, and change the world.

In this episode, William Green chats with famed author Pico Iyer about how to create a life that's truly richer, wiser, & happier. Pico has written 15 books & delivered 4 TED Talks that have received nearly 12 million views. Here, he shares profound & practical insights drawn from his vast range of personal experience: he's spent decades as a travel writer; befriended everyone from the Dalai Lama to Leonard Cohen; lost everything he owned in a wildfire; & built a remarkably peaceful & productive life in a tiny apartment in Japan.IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:00:00 - Intro04:41 - Why Pico Iyer relishes the calm simplicity of his tiny, uncluttered home in Japan.08:01 - Why he doesn't use a cell phone & does most of his work without a computer.13:45 - What advice he gives to youngsters on making a life & not just making a living. 22:37 - Why going slow has become the ultimate luxury in a world of speed.26:34 - Why leading business executives are so receptive to his teachings on stillness.29:55 - How he structures his day to be most productive.43:57 - Why billionaires like Ray Dalio have embraced meditation.52:03 - What Pico discovered when a wildfire destroyed everything he owned.1:17:02 - How Howard Marks applies the Buddhist teaching that everything is impermanent.1:21:56 - What Pico has learned from decades of friendship with the Dalai Lama. 1:35:55 - How travel shows Pico the limits of what we can ever truly know.2:03:55 - What the singer & Zen monk Leonard Cohen taught him about inner riches. Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences.BOOKS AND RESOURCESPico Iyer's website.Pico Iyer's TED talk on the Art of Stillness.The Half Known Life by Pico Iyer.Autumn Light by Pico Iyer.The Man Within My Head by Pico Iyer.The Art of Stillness by Pico Iyer.The Open Road by Pico Iyer.Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki.Guy Spier interviews William Green.William Green's book, “Richer, Wiser, Happier” – read the reviews of this book.William Green's Twitter.NEW TO THE SHOW?Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs.Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here.Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool.Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services.Stay up-to-date on financial markets and investing strategies through our daily newsletter, We Study Markets.Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. P.S The Investor's Podcast Network is excited to launch a subreddit devoted to our fans in discussing financial markets, stock picks, questions for our hosts, and much more! Join our subreddit r/TheInvestorsPodcast today!SPONSORSInvest in Bitcoin with confidence on River. It's the most secure way to buy Bitcoin with 100% full reserve custody and zero fees on recurring orders.If you're aware you need to improve your bitcoin security but have been putting it off, Unchained Capital's Concierge Onboarding is a simple way to get started—sooner rather than later. Book your onboarding today and at checkout, get $50 off with the promo code FUNDAMENTALS.Get your super sorted. Save money by consolidating multiple accounts, check out your investment options to see which is right for you, and see how extra contributions can make a big difference over time.Have the visibility and control you need to make better decisions faster with NetSuite's cloud financial system. Plus, take advantage of their unprecedented financing offer today - defer payments of a full NetSuite implementation. That's no payment and no interest for six months!Send, spend, and receive money around the world easily with Wise.Experience real language learning for real conversations with Babbel. Get 55% off your Babbel subscription today.Choose Toyota for your next vehicle - SUVs that are known for their reliability and longevity, making them a great investment. Plus, Toyotas now have more advanced technology than ever before, maximizing that investment with a comfortable and connected drive.Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors.HELP US OUT!Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tim Burkett joins Raghu to chat about his journey and the lessons along the way of writing his book, Enlightenment Is an Accident.Tim joins Raghu to shine light on:Stories of studying zen with Suzuki Roshi The various perceptions of the term, “enlightenment”“Idiot compassion,” spiritual bypassing, and authentic generosity The amygdala's role in our behavior The Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, and manifesting non-dual feelingCheck out Enlightenment Is an Accident hereExplore Suzuki Roshi's books hereAbout Tim Burkett:Tim Burkett began practicing Zen Buddhism in San Francisco in 1964 with renowned teacher Shunryu Suzuki (author of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind). After completing his BA at Stanford University, Tim and his family moved to Minnesota.Tim's first book, Nothing Holy About It, discusses how Zen's core teachings unfold within the ordinary comedies and tragedies of everyday life. In his books, as in his life, Tim reveals how to live in the world with a deep joy that comes from embracing the work and play of this very moment.Tim is the former CEO of the largest non-profit organization in Minnesota for individuals with mental illness. He is a psychologist, a Zen Buddhist priest, and the Guiding Teacher of Minnesota Zen Meditation Center. He and his wife, Linda, have two grown children and two grandchildren.“Compassion begins with embracing the flaws of others. Healing begins with embracing our flaws.” - Tim BurkettSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.