Podcasts about Zoketsu Norman Fischer

Recorded on November 6, 2024 at Boundless Mind Temple in Brooklyn, NY. A reading to launch two new poetry books by BZC friends and acclaimed poets: Granny Cloud by Farnoosh Fathi and Through a Window by Zoketsu Norman Fischer. BZC Administrative Director Ryan Lee Wong reads from a new short story and the three discuss Zen, poetics, and Eihei Dogen's “grandmotherly” or “parental” mind. The BZC Podcast is offered free of charge and made possible by the donations we receive. You can donate to Brooklyn Zen Center at brooklynzen.org under ‘Giving.' Thank you for your generosity!

04/28/2024, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. In this talk Zoketsu discusses case 19 of Mumonkan, Nanchuan's Everyday Mind. Our practice is very plain and ordinary, and yet, the plain and ordinary world is also vast and wide, and when we practice zazen regularly we can begin to live in it with that appreciation. To end his talk Zoketsu quotes at length from a commentary to this story by his late teacher Sojun Weitsman, from his new posthumous book Seeing One Thing Through.

An Interview with Zen Teacher Eihei Peter LevittEihei Peter Levitt is the founder and guiding teacher of the Salt Spring Zen Circle on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, where he resides with his wife, poet Shirley Graham. He was authorized as a Zen teacher in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi by Zoketsu Norman Fischer, founder of the Everyday Zen Foundation, and received Preceptor Transmission in the White Plum Lineage from Roshi Egyoku Nakao.Salt Springs Zen Circle:https://saltspringzencircle.org/Simplicity Zen Podcast: https://simplicityzen.com/

David Hinton, one of the world's foremost translators of ancient Chinese poetry and philosophy, presents The Way of Ch'an: Essential Texts of the Original Tradition. David is in conversation with renowned Zen teacher/author/poet, Zoketsu Norman Fischer. David Hinton has published numerous books of poetry and essays, and many translations of ancient Chinese poetry and philosophy—all informed by an abiding interest in deep ecological thinking. This widely-acclaimed work has earned Hinton a Guggenheim Fellowship, numerous fellowships from NEA and NEH, and both of the major awards given for poetry translation in the United States: the Landon Translation Award (Academy of American Poets) and the PEN American Translation Award. Most recently, Hinton received a lifetime achievement award by the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Norman Fischer is a Zen teacher, poet, translator, and director of the Everyday Zen Foundation. A beloved figure in the Buddhist world, he is also well-known for his efforts at interreligious dialogue. His numerous books include The World Could Be Otherwise: Imagination and the Bodhisattva Path, What Is Zen?: Plain Talk for a Beginner's Mind, and Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong.

09/10/2023, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. This talk is about the uncertainty of the effects of climate change, and how the practice of zazen can help us to be prepared for uncertainty.

Banyen Books & Sound converses with Zoketsu Norman Fischer on his new book 'When You Greet Me I Bow: Notes and Reflections from a Life in Zen'. Norman Fischer is a Zen priest, poet, and translator whose writings, teachings, and commitment to interfaith dialogue have supported and inspired Buddhist, Jewish, and other spiritual practitioners for decades. 'When You Greet Me I Bow' spans the entirety of Norman Fischer's career. Broken into four sections--the joy and catastrophe of relationship; thinking, writing, and emptiness; cultural encounters; and social engagement--this book allows us to see the fascinating development of the mind and interests of a gifted writer and profoundly committed practitioner.

06/19/2022, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. On the day of the funeral ceremony for Sojun Mel Weitsman Roshi, Senior Dharma Teacher Norman Fischer offers a tribute and shares words from Sojun's writing.

Rev. Shinmon Michael Newton began Zen practice in 1983 as a university student in Japan, with a Rinzai priest at an ancient temple on Mount Tsukuba, later moving to Kyoto and practicing Soto Zen with Shohaku Okumura. Since returning to Vancouver in 1987 he has practiced with Zoketsu Norman Fischer. He received priest ordination from him in in 2003 and dharma transmission in 2011. He was installed as a guiding teacher of Mountain Rain Zen Community in May 2017.Michael teaches Asian studies and religious studies at Simon Fraser University. He is committed to supporting Mountain Rain as a lay practice community in connection with the wider community, the arts, and the natural world.

05/22/2022, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. In this dharma talk, Senior Dharma Teacher Norman Fischer tells stories about his time living at Green Gulch in the mid-1980's, and reflects about the past and present moments, and how real or unreal they are.

Rev. Myoshin Kate McCandless began Zen practice in 1983 as a university student in Japan, with a Rinzai priest at an ancient temple on Mount Tsukuba, later moving to Kyoto and practicing Soto Zen with Shohaku Okumura. Since returning to Vancouver in 1987 she has practiced with Zoketsu Norman Fischer. She received priest ordination from him in in 2003 and dharma transmission in 2011. She was installed as a guiding teacher of Mountain Rain Zen Community in May 2017.Kate has worked as an organic farmer, ESL teacher, translator and as a clinical counselor in women's health and hospice/bereavement care.

04/30/2022, Kanshin Ruth Ozeki, dharma talk at City Center. Rev. Kanshin Ruth Ozeki, novelist and Zen priest ordained by Zoketsu Norman Fischer, talks about the Buddhist foundations of her new novel The Book of Form and Emptiness, and the interplay between spiritual and creative practice.

Ruth Ozeki is a filmmaker, novelist, and Zen Buddhist priest, whose novels have been described as “witty, intelligent and passionate” by The Independent, and as possessing “shrewd and playful humor, luscious sexiness and kinetic pizzazz” by the Chicago Tribune. Ozeki is the author of several award-winning novels: My Year of Meats (1998), All Over Creation (2003), and A Tale for the Time Being (2013), which was a New York Times bestseller and shortlisted for the 2013 Man Booker Prize. In this podcast, we discuss her most recent novel The Book of Form and Emptiness (2021) and how her writing and life have been influenced by Zen Buddhism. At the heart of the book is the poignant story of Benny Oh, an adolescent boy who begins to hear voices after the tragic death of his father, and his mother Annabelle, who struggles to stay afloat amid an ocean of grief. This novel is a brilliant, heartfelt story that addresses many challenges facing modern society, including consumerism, climate change, mental illness, hoarding, and homelessness. Ozeki was born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut, by an American father and a Japanese mother. She studied English and Asian Studies at Smith College and traveled extensively in Asia. She received a Japanese Ministry of Education Fellowship to do graduate work in classical Japanese literature at Nara University. She currently teaches creative writing at Smith College, where she is the Grace Jarcho Ross 1933 Professor of Humanities in the Department of English Language and Literature. She serves on the advisory editorial board of the Asian American Literary Review and on the Creative Advisory Council of Hedgebrook. She practices Zen Buddhism with Zoketsu Norman Fischer, and is the editor of the Everyday Zen website. She was ordained as a Soto Zen priest in June 2010.SparkZen is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to SparkZen at sparkzen.substack.com/subscribe

What is it to live this human life in a spiritual way? Zoketsu Norman Fischer, Zen teacher, author, and poet, shares stories and reflections that offer insights and teaching helping us to define what is really spiritual practice and what supports us in living our best life.

In this Awake in the World podcast guest teacher Zoketsu Norman Fischer explores metta practice and how it compliments and supports insight (Vipassana) practice, as well as allowing us to open to dukkha so we can see its origins and free ourselves. Recorded on June 4, 2010.

Zoketsu Norman Fischer, former abbot of San Francisco Zen Center and founding teacher of Everyday Zen reads and reflects on passages from the "What Is the Body?" chapter of his new book, "When You Greet Me, I Bow." 07/03/2021, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, dharma talk at City Center.

Zoketsu Norman Fischer reads and reflects on passages from the "What is the Body?" chapter of his new book, "When You Greet Me, I Bow." 06/27/2021, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm.

In his talk, “What Is Your Body?” Zoketsu Norman Fischer delves deeply into the essential mystery of the body — of our body — and its relationship with Zen practice in all its many forms. He brings up excerpts from three of his books to more fully illuminate the conversation, namely his two most recent […] The post Talk by Zoketsu Norman Fischer, “What Is Your Body?” first appeared on The Village Zendo.

Zen priest and poet, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, returns with Raghu to discuss God, death, time, and relationship at the intersection of Buddhism and Judaism.Zoketsu Norman Fischer is a poet and Zen Buddhist priest. For many years he has taught at the San Francisco Zen Center, the oldest and largest of the new Buddhist organizations in the West, where he served as Co-abbot from 1995-2000. He is presently a Senior Dharma Teacher there as well as the founder and spiritual director of the Everyday Zen Foundation, an organization dedicated to adapting Zen Buddhist teachings to Western culture. His new book, When You Greet Me I Bow: Notes and Reflections from a Life in Zen explores practice, relationship, social engagement, and spiritual creativity.

Jaune Evans was originally ordained as a priest in the White Plum Lineage by Bernie Glassman and Taizan Maezumi Roshi in 1983 at the Zen Community of New York. She is now a priest and senior teacher in the Bay Area Everyday Zen lineage of Zoketsu Norman Fischer, and leads the Heart of Compassion Zen Sangha in Point Reyes, California. She is reading from a guided meditation by the Buddhist teacher and author, Stephen Levine who was devoted to being with people who were ill, the dying and bereaved. We hope you will draw solace and some peace from it as we have, and thank Jaune for allowing us to share it with you. Listen to  Jaune’s  full dharma talk at: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1731807/8391704-hoc-april-23-2021-this-healing-time-by-jaune-evans

On the first day of a three-day sesshin, Zoketsu Norman Fischer shares with us Dogen Zenji's Book 4, Section 7 of the Zuimonki, with commentary on the themes of the true nature of mind, home leaving, and encouragement to choose practice and uphold the precepts as an "ancient and natural way" of life. 03/18/2021, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, dharma talk for City Center and Green Gulch Farm.

In this Dharma talk during week 2 of the 3-week March Intensive, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, continues to explore Dogen's Shobogenzo Zuimonki with an exploration of Correct View from a Dharma prespective. The exploration "view" from a practice perspective. Clinging or not clinging is much more than an intellectual matter. Zazen as a key element of knowing deeply who we are. 03/13/2021, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, dharma talk at City Center.

In this talk Zoketsu Roshi brings up passages from Dogen's text Shobogenzo Zuimonki about the difference between lay practice and monastic practice, and, especially, about faith in karma -- that to do good unselfishly is the only way to live. 03/07/2021, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm.

First talk of a 3-week Intensive on Dogen's work Zuimonki. 03/03/2021, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, dharma talk at City Center.

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, we feature a pre-recorded conversation with Zoketsu Norman Fischer and Ken McLeod framed by two key questions. The first is whether mystics or mystically inclined practitioners have responsibilities to society and the World, and if so, what might those responsibilities be. Out of this question comes an extended exploration of what it means to be a mystic, the nature of the world in which we practice, the distinction between direction and goal in spiritual practice, and spiritual practice as learning how to die. The second question is of the great spiritual questions, for which ones have we found the answers and for which ones do the questions remain? Out of this comes reflections on the role of questions themselves, the nature of divinity, the mystery of the passage of Time, the impending meeting we all have with Death, and how to prepare for Death as the cessation of all conceptualization. Zoketsu Norman Fischer is an American poet, writer, and Soto Zen priest, teaching and practicing in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki. He is a Dharma heir of Sojun Mel Weitsman, from whom he received Dharma transmission in 1988. Fischer served as co-abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center from 1995–2000, after which he founded the Everyday Zen Foundation in 2000, a network of Buddhist practice group and related projects in Canada, the United States and Mexico. Fischer has published more than twenty-five books of poetry and non-fiction, as well as numerous poems, essays and articles in Buddhist magazines and poetry journals. His most recent book is The World Could Be Otherwise: Imagination and the Bodhisattva Path. After learning Tibetan, Ken McLeod translated for his principal teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, and helped to develop Rinpoche's centers in North America and Europe. In 1985, Kalu Rinpoche authorized Ken to teach and placed him in charge of his Los Angeles center. Faced with the challenges of teaching in a major metropolis, he began exploring different methods and formats for working with students. He moved away from both the teacher-center model and the minister-church model and developed a consultant-client model. Ken is the founder and director of UnfetteredMind.org. He is the author of Wake Up to Your Life: Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention, The Great Path of Awakening, An Arrow to the Heart, Reflections on Silver River, and his most recent book, A Trackless Path. More information about Norman Fischer and Ken McLeod's work can be found at: Norman Fischer's website: www.normanfischer.org, Ken McLeod's website: unfetteredmind.org.

Rev. Nomon Tim Burnett is the Guiding Teacher of Red Cedar Zen Community in Bellingham, Washington.  Tim was ordination teacher for our own Chikyo Ewan Magie.Tim has been a student of Zoketsu Norman Fischer since 1987 when he was a resident at San Francisco Zen Center's Green Gulch Farm. After sitting practice periods at Green Gulch and Tassajara Zen Monastery, Tim helped found the Bellingham Zen Practice Group in 1991. Tim was ordained as a Zen Priest by Norman in 2000, received Dharma Transmission in 2011, and was installed as Guiding Teacher of the sangha in April, 2017.A person of wide-ranging professional interests, Tim has been a botanist, carpenter, elementary school teacher, writer, and computer programmer. In addition to his work at the Guiding Teacher of Red Cedar Zen Community, Tim is also Executive Director of Mindfulness Northwest where he offers the Dharma in the form of secular mindfulness to many in local communities and professions.

Kotatsu John Bailes began his practicing Zen in 1972 at the age of 19 at the San Francisco Zen Center. He was ordained a Zen Priest by Richard Baker Roshi in 1977, spending time at Tassajara, Green Gulch Farm and the San Francisco Zen Center until 1984 when he moved to the Boston area to study and work. In 2004, John returned to community dharma practice and received dharma transmission from Zoketsu Norman Fischer. John is the founding teacher of One Heart Zen in Somerville, MA and serves as the Buddhist chaplain at Wellesley College and the guiding teacher of Monmouth Zen Circle in Monmouth, NJ. You can find out more by visiting the website for One Heart Zen at http://oneheartzen.org/ Sit, Breathe, Bow is hosted by Ian White Maher. https://www.theseekerstable.com/ Sit, Breathe, Bow is sponsored by the Online Sangha of the International Kwan Um School of Zen https://kwanumzenonline.org  

A conversation between Zoketsu Norman Fischer and Shoken Michael Stone. Recorded in October 2014.

Case 91: Blue Cliff Record. 05/24/2020, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, Dharma Talk at Green Gulch Farm.

05/23/2020, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, Dharma Talk at City Center.

May 17, 2020 - Guest speaker Norman Fischer uses the story of Zhaozhou's Dog to speak on the quandary of our imperfection in perfectly-created world. This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattlesotozen.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1177

This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattleinsight.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1178

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, we feature a pre-recorded conversation with Zoketsu Norman Fischer and Ken McLeod exploring key questions in contemporary Buddhist Dharma, Western spiritual practice in general, and the potential for transformation in multiple directions inherent in the modern crises of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Climate Change. Among the topics considered are how senior spiritual teachers are dealing with the challenges of the current pandemic, the commodification of spiritual technology in the contemporary Western world, and the distinction between seeking results within the horizontal dimension of life versus the cultivation of depth within the vertical dimension. In addition we touch on the growing importance of technologies such as Zoom in maintaining spiritual connectivity, and we conclude with reflections on what we have come to value and reevaluate after decades of spiritual practice. Zoketsu Norman Fischer is an American poet, writer, and Soto Zen priest, teaching and practicing in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki. He is a Dharma heir of Sojun Mel Weitsman, from whom he received Dharma transmission in 1988. Fischer served as co-abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center from 1995–2000, after which he founded the Everyday Zen Foundation in 2000, a network of Buddhist practice group and related projects in Canada, the United States and Mexico. Fischer has published more than twenty-five books of poetry and non-fiction, as well as numerous poems, essays and articles in Buddhist magazines and poetry journals. His most recent book is The World Could Be Otherwise: Imagination and the Bodhisattva Path. After learning Tibetan, Ken McLeod translated for his principal teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, and helped to develop Rinpoche's centers in North America and Europe. In 1985, Kalu Rinpoche authorized Ken to teach and placed him in charge of his Los Angeles center. Faced with the challenges of teaching in a major metropolis, he began exploring different methods and formats for working with students. He moved away from both the teacher-center model and the minister-church model and developed a consultant-client model. Ken is the founder and director of UnfetteredMind.org. He is the author of Wake Up to Your Life: Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention, The Great Path of Awakening, An Arrow to the Heart, Reflections on Silver River, and his most recent book, A Trackless Path. As sometimes happens with energetic conversations with spiritual practitioners transmitted over electronic media, we had an unusual number of unexpected cell phone calls and Zoom breakdowns throughout the recording. Some of this has been edited for continuity and some left as we all experienced it. However, these interruptions do not detract from the quality of the discussion. More information about Norman Fischer and Ken McLeod's work can be found at: Norman Fischer's website: www.normanfischer.org, Ken McLeod's website: unfetteredmind.org.

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, we feature a pre-recorded conversation with Zoketsu Norman Fischer about his 2019 book The World Could Be Otherwise: Imagination and the Bodhisattva Path. More prescient than Fischer could have known when he wrote it, the book offers an imaginative approach to spiritual practice in difficult times, through the Buddhist teaching of the six pāramitās or "perfections"--qualities that lead to kindness, wisdom, and an awakened life. Fischer points out that in frightening times, we wish the world could be otherwise. With a touch of imagination, it can be. Imagination helps us see what's hidden, and it shape-shifts reality's roiling twisting waves. In this inspiring reframe of a classic Buddhist teaching, Zen teacher Norman Fischer writes that the pāramitās, or “six perfections”—generosity, ethical conduct, patience, joyful effort, meditation, and understanding—can help us reconfigure the world we live in. Ranging from our everyday concerns about relationships, ethics, and consumption to our artistic inspirations and broadest human yearnings, Fischer depicts imaginative spiritual practice as a necessary resource for our troubled times. Zoketsu Norman Fischer is an American poet, writer, and Soto Zen priest, teaching and practicing in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki. He is a Dharma heir of Sojun Mel Weitsman, from whom he received Dharma transmission in 1988. Fischer served as co-abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center from 1995–2000, after which he founded the Everyday Zen Foundation in 2000, a network of Buddhist practice group and related projects in Canada, the United States and Mexico. Fischer has published more than twenty-five books of poetry and non-fiction, as well as numerous poems, essays and articles in Buddhist magazines and poetry journals. We spoke with Fischer previously on The Mystical Positivist about an earlier book: Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong. More information about Norman Fischer's work can be found at: Norman Fischer's website: www.normanfischer.org, Everyday Zen Foundation website: everydayzen.org, Norman Fischer on Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org, Norman Fischer on The Mystical Positivist: mysticalpositivist.blogspot.com.

03/18/2020, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, dharma talk at City Cener.

Zoketsu Norman Fischer Dharma Talk and book signing. Zoketsu Norman Fischer is the Abiding Teacher of Everyday Zen, and a Senior Dharma Teacher of San Francisco Zen Center.

Mark Adams's path in Zen began in earnest in 1989 with the winter residential practice (Ango) period at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center and his first teacher, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, who set him on a 30 year path. In 2009, Mark received the Jukai precepts and lay ordination from Eiko Carolyn Atkinson, a dharma heir of Jikoji founder Kobun Chino Otagowa Roshi. In 2018 Shoho Michael Newhall, Jikoji's guiding teacher, ordained Mark as a Zen priest in Kobun's Phoenix Cloud lineage. Taizan Mark's talk will be on “Pain, Suffering, and the Noble Truths," and will also tie in with his Science & Buddhism discussion at 2 pm that afternoon.

This week on the Mindrolling Podcast, Raghu is joined by Zen priest Zoketsu Norman Fischer for a conversation about the ways that we can bring balance and compassion into our lives.Zoketsu Norman Fischer is a poet and Zen Buddhist priest. For many years he has taught at the San Francisco Zen Center, the oldest and largest of the new Buddhist organizations in the West, where he served as Co-abbot from 1995-2000. He is presently a Senior Dharma Teacher there as well as the founder and spiritual director of the Everyday Zen Foundation, an organization dedicated to adapting Zen Buddhist teachings to Western culture.

Susan Moon is a writer, editor, and lay teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She leads Buddhist retreats and teaches writing workshops in the U.S. and abroad. Her books include "This Is Getting Old: Zen Thoughts on Aging with Humor and Dignity," "The Hidden Lamp: Stories from 25 Centuries of Awakened Women," with co-editor Florence Caplow, and most recently, "What Is Zen? Plain Talk for a Beginner's Mind," with Zoketsu Norman Fischer. 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

Zoketsu Norman Fischer is an American poet, writer, and Soto Zen priest, teaching and practicing in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki. He is a Dharma heir of Sojun Mel Weitsman, from whom he received Dharma transmission in 1988. Fischer served as co-abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center from 1995–2000, after which he founded the Everyday Zen Foundation in 2000, a network of Buddhist practice group and related projects in Canada, the United States and Mexico. Fischer has published more than twenty-five books of poetry and non-fiction, as well as numerous poems, essays and articles in Buddhist magazines and poetry journals. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:Special New Year Zazenkai SATURDAY 1/5 with Zoketsu Norman Fischer »

My path in Zen began in earnest in 1989 with the winter residential practice period at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center and my first teacher, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, who set me on this ~30 year path. In 2009 I received the Jukai precepts and lay ordination from Eiko Carolyn Atkinson, a dharma heir of Kobun. And here/now at Jikoji, my dharma teacher Shoho Michael Newhall is guiding me on the path to priest ordination. My talk will be on “Wild country zen, the peaceful mountain and subtle way leading to the tiger’s cave.”

(Reigetsu) Susan Moon is a writer, editor, and lay teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She is the author of a number of books about Buddhism, including the humor book The Life and Letters of Tofu Roshi and This Is Getting Old: Zen Thoughts on Aging with Humor and Dignity. For many years she was the editor of Turning Wheel, the journal of socially engaged Buddhism. Her short stories and essays have been published widely. Sue has been a Zen student since 1976, practicing in the lineage of Suzuki Roshi at Berkeley Zen Center, Tassajara Zen Mountain Monastery, Green Gulch Farm, and now with Zoketsu Norman Fischer’s Everyday Zen sangha. She received “entrustment” as a lay teacher in 2005. She is a serious student of photography and the mother of two grown sons and the grandmother of three granddaughters. She lives in Berkeley, California. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum:ATTENTION: Special Zazenkai SATURDAY 8/4 with Author/Zen Teacher SUSAN MOON »

Known for the warmth, humor, clarity, and depth of his teachings, Zen teacher Peter Levitt is also the author of fourteen books of poetry and prose. Legendary poet Robert Creeley wrote that Peter Levitt’s poetry “sounds the honor of our common dance.” Town Hall is thrilled to welcome Peter to the stage for an evening sharing his recent works of poetry that explores our connection to the natural world and sing the sacred in the everyday. After the readings, he was joined in conversation with poet Shin Yu Pai, Town Hall’s Inside/Out Neighborhood Resident representing Phinney/Greenwood. Sit in with Peter and Shin Yu for an intimate discussion of the complexities of human relationships and the notion of coming home to ourselves—to who and what we naturally and truly are. Peter Levitt began his Zen practice in the late sixties in San Francisco, and he received lay entrustment from Zoketsu Norman Fischer, which authorized him to teach in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki-Roshi. He is the founder and guiding teacher of the Salt Spring Zen Circle on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. Peter edited Thich Nhat Hanh’s classic, The Heart of Understanding, and he served as Associate and Translation Editor of Treasury of the True Dharma Eye: Zen Master Dogen’s Shobo Genzo, edited by Kazuaki Tanahashi. His ten poetry books include Within Within, One Hundred Butterflies, and Bright Root, Dark Root. In addition, he published Fingerpainting on the Moon: Writing and Creativity as a Path to Freedom. His publishing career includes fiction, journalism and literary translations from Chinese, Japanese and Spanish. In 1989, Peter received the prestigious Lannan Foundation Award in Poetry. Shin Yu Pai is Town Hall Seattle’s 2018 Inside/Out Resident representing the Phinney Greenwood neighborhoods. Shin Yu is a poet, cross-media artist, and curator for the collaborative global exploration project Atlas Obscura. Her poetic origins inform an artistic style that has grown beyond the written word—manifesting in photography, installation and public art, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and sound. She encourages us to reflect upon the essential questions of our own lives, and to explore how we see that interrogation expressed or mirrored around us. Recorded live at Phinney Center by Town Hall Seattle on Thursday, March 22, 2018. 

Susan Moon is a writer, editor, and lay teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She leads Buddhist retreats and teaches writing workshops in the U.S. and abroad. Her books include "This Is Getting Old: Zen Thoughts on Aging with Humor and Dignity," "The Hidden Lamp: Stories from 25 Centuries of Awakened Women," with co-editor Florence Caplow, and most recently, "What Is Zen? Plain Talk for a Beginner's Mind," with Zoketsu Norman Fischer. 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

Susan Moon is a writer, editor, and lay teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She leads Buddhist retreats and teaches writing workshops in the U.S. and abroad. Her books include "This Is Getting Old: Zen Thoughts on Aging with Humor and Dignity," "The Hidden Lamp: Stories from 25 Centuries of Awakened Women," with co-editor Florence Caplow, and most recently, "What Is Zen? Plain Talk for a Beginner's Mind," with Zoketsu Norman Fischer. 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

Susan Moon is a writer, editor, and lay teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She leads Buddhist retreats and teaches writing workshops in the U.S. and abroad. Her books include "This Is Getting Old: Zen Thoughts on Aging with Humor and Dignity," "The Hidden Lamp: Stories from 25 Centuries of Awakened Women," with co-editor Florence Caplow, and most recently, "What Is Zen? Plain Talk for a Beginner's Mind," with Zoketsu Norman Fischer. 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

Poet and Zen Buddhist priest Zoketsu Norman Fischer joins Yogacharya O'Brian for a practical and inspiring conversation on practices for training the mind—drawn from the Tibetan Buddhist teachings of Lojong, then viewed through the lenses of Zen and Yoga! Pithy and sage instruction such as, “This time, get it right!” can provide an opening for greater awareness and joy in the moment.

Poet and Zen Buddhist priest, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, joins Yogacharya O'Brian for an experiential exploration of the power of poetry to open our hearts and minds. As an art form, poetry can use words to take us where words cannot go. A conversation and some poems to reflect on writing as art, as encounter, as spiritual practice, as a way to connect, and a way to separate.  

Susan Moon is a writer, editor, and lay teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She leads Buddhist retreats and teaches writing workshops in the U.S. and abroad. Her books include "This Is Getting Old: Zen Thoughts on Aging with Humor and Dignity," "The Hidden Lamp: Stories from 25 Centuries of Awakened Women," with co-editor Florence Caplow, and most recently, "What Is Zen? Plain Talk for a Beginner's Mind," with Zoketsu Norman Fischer. 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

Susan Moon is a writer, editor, and lay teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She leads Buddhist retreats and teaches writing workshops in the U.S. and abroad. Her books include "This Is Getting Old: Zen Thoughts on Aging with Humor and Dignity," "The Hidden Lamp: Stories from 25 Centuries of Awakened Women," with co-editor Florence Caplow, and most recently, "What Is Zen? Plain Talk for a Beginner's Mind," with Zoketsu Norman Fischer. 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

Enter into an exploration of C.G. Jung’s personal transformation as recorded in the Red Book and viewed from Buddhist perspectives. To learn what the Red Book may mean to us know, the C.G. Jung Institute of San Francisco, together with the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, hosted a series of “Red Book Dialogue” between Jungian Analysts and leading teachers, writers, and artists. These conversations, brought together people who have challenged themselves to engage with their own depths, are designed to appeal to people both in and out of the psychological professions. In this way, the meaning of Jung’s journey can come to life in each of us. Our first dialogue, between Zoketsu Norman Fischer of San Francisco Zen Center and Jungian analyst Richard Stein, was held at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley on October 22, 2010. An audio-only version of the dialogue is also available. Originally recorded October 22, 2010 at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in the Jodo Shinshu Center, Berkeley, Ca. Copyright © 2010 the Institute of Buddhist Studies

Enter into an exploration of C.G. Jung’s personal transformation as recorded in the Red Book and viewed from Buddhist perspectives. To learn what the Red Book may mean to us know, the C.G. Jung Institute of San Francisco, together with the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, hosted a series of “Red Book Dialogue” between Jungian Analysts and leading teachers, writers, and artists. These conversations, brought together people who have challenged themselves to engage with their own depths, are designed to appeal to people both in and out of the psychological professions. In this way, the meaning of Jung’s journey can come to life in each of us. Our first dialogue, between Zoketsu Norman Fischer of San Francisco Zen Center and Jungian analyst Richard Stein, was held at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley on October 22, 2010. This is an audio-only version of the dialogue. A video version is also available. Originally recorded October 22, 2010 at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in the Jodo Shinshu Center, Berkeley, Ca. Copyright © 2010 the Institute of Buddhist Studies

Susan Moon is a writer, editor, and lay teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She leads Buddhist retreats and teaches writing workshops in the U.S. and abroad. Her books include "This Is Getting Old: Zen Thoughts on Aging with Humor and Dignity," "The Hidden Lamp: Stories from 25 Centuries of Awakened Women," with co-editor Florence Caplow, and most recently, "What Is Zen? Plain Talk for a Beginner's Mind," with Zoketsu Norman Fischer. 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

Susan Moon is a writer, editor, and lay teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She leads Buddhist retreats and teaches writing workshops in the U.S. and abroad. Her books include "This Is Getting Old: Zen Thoughts on Aging with Humor and Dignity," "The Hidden Lamp: Stories from 25 Centuries of Awakened Women," with co-editor Florence Caplow, and most recently, "What Is Zen? Plain Talk for a Beginner's Mind," with Zoketsu Norman Fischer. 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

Susan Moon is a writer, editor, and lay teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She leads Buddhist retreats and teaches writing workshops in the U.S. and abroad. Her books include "This Is Getting Old: Zen Thoughts on Aging with Humor and Dignity," "The Hidden Lamp: Stories from 25 Centuries of Awakened Women," with co-editor Florence Caplow, and most recently, "What Is Zen? Plain Talk for a Beginner's Mind," with Zoketsu Norman Fischer. 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

Susan Moon is a writer, editor, and lay teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She leads Buddhist retreats and teaches writing workshops in the U.S. and abroad. Her books include "This Is Getting Old: Zen Thoughts on Aging with Humor and Dignity," "The Hidden Lamp: Stories from 25 Centuries of Awakened Women," with co-editor Florence Caplow, and most recently, "What Is Zen? Plain Talk for a Beginner's Mind," with Zoketsu Norman Fischer. 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

Norman Fischer reflects on the importance of practice in the context of everyday life. He encourages us to embrace the ordinary, explaining how the most profound teachings often come through simple, daily experiences. By bringing our attention to the present moment, we open ourselves to understanding life more deeply. Norman emphasizes that practice isn't about achieving some future state but about being fully engaged with what is happening now.He highlights the importance of:Patience: Practicing patience with ourselves and others is a key element of the path.Trust in the process: Even when things seem unclear, we must trust that our efforts will bear fruit over time.Letting go of expectations: Releasing our attachment to outcomes helps us stay grounded in the present.Community (Sangha): Norman highlights the support we find in practicing with others and how it strengthens our resolve.[Recorded August 31, 1996]______________Zoketsu Norman Fischer is an American poet, writer, and Soto Zen priest, teaching and practicing in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki. He is a Dharma heir of Sojun Mel Weitsman, from whom he received Dharma transmission in 1988. Norman served as co-abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center from 1995–2000, after which he founded the Everyday Zen Foundation in 2000, a network of Buddhist practice group and related projects in Canada, the United States and Mexico. He has published more than twenty-five books of poetry and non-fiction, as well as numerous poems, essays and articles in Buddhist magazines and poetry journals. ______________ 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