Events

5 Monday Eves ZOOM link – Limited to 16. Taking up the vows as koans, exploring the relationship between the vows and our life is a way of becoming more intimate with who we are and gives us a glimpse of not trying to control outcomes, feelings or even our identity.

Register for Online Zen – David will lead koan meditation & give a dharma talk followed by conversation. BYO tea.

Zoom Zen – I often feel caught in my worst manifestation on zoom – a cardboard puppet of myself appearing in a tiny room, on mute. Even in the midst of the covid 19 epidemic I think about how I am appearing!

So how is this a good day? Does a good day require that I feel good? That I not be worried? I guess not. I think I’m learning a lot about myself, my tendencies, my tolerances. I’m learning about my capacity for leadership at home and at work during challenging times. I’m witnessing the realities of these times create positive disruption and innovation in a way that doesn’t seem to happen in normal times.

I think there are a lot more crows lately. They irritate me and I don’t know why. Perhaps this koan will help me
understand the crows in my life.

ONLINE – At times like this, when there is a threat facing everyone, perhaps we are more in touch with the threat that has been facing us all since the day we were born, our days are numbered, one way or another, and in that heightened awareness there is a heightened kindness, toward others and even toward ourselves.

ONLINE – ZOOM Link HERE. I enjoy the company of nonhuman animals for that reason. Xuefeng’s friend is a little annoying, like someone who you share viewing a sunset with and their response to my comment about the beauty of the sunset is their comment about the source of the beauty being pollution in the air. A big scratch in the sunset.

The very first Zen meditation instruction I received, after being instructed in sitting posture, was “Don’t try to think, and don’t try not to think.” What on earth was I supposed to do with my mind?

Register for Online Urban Retreat- What is the last word of Zen? The last word of Zen would be the last word that could be said about Zen. The definitive word, the word beyond which no other words would add anything. How is it that Xuefeng’s teacher didn’t know that word?

In response to the continued interest in practicing with the vows as koans since the end of our six-week investigation into the pure vows, we are going to offer two, five week, Monday night gatherings to look into the ten remaining vows. Drop-ins and first timers are welcome.