There is, and appropriately so, a great interest in living into the Dharma through the interwebs. Lots going on. Many people offering what they have to offer. And, of course, people should be wary and careful. The web is wide open. Anyone with a computer and a modem… So, pirates and frauds. People with more notions than skills. And, credentialed guides with differing skill sets. All equally far and equally near.
The one spot I consistently recommend people looking for access to the Zen Dharma on the web is Zen teacher Dosho Port’s Vine of Obstacles.
Of course there are others. I’m sure there are good ones among the others. But, Dosho, I know. And I can recommend without hesitation. He’s a long time Zen practitioner, a Dharma successor to the Soto pioneering missionary to the West, Dainin Katagiri, who has continued his training in Japan and America, as well as completing the Harada Yasutani koan curriculum, working with Boundless Way teachers Melissa Blacker, Josh Bartok, David Rynick and myself. He has also been around the block a couple of times, has seriously screwed up, has doggedly bowed, and has over the years continued to dig into the great matter; and has come out of it all as one of the most interesting and compelling Zen teachers I know.
You can do vastly worse than connecting with Dosho’s Vine. But you’re not likely to do a lot better…
This small unsolicited pitch was inspired by the fact the Vine is kicking off a new session running for eleven weeks starting on September, 15th.
The description at his blog reads:
Guidelines for Practicing the Way is a primer on Zen practice that focuses on intention, practice-enlightenment, body practice, and receiving and actualizing the fundamental. This course includes a text of comparative translations of Dogen’s work, supplementary readings, audio and reflection work that is shared with Dosho, forums for cohort dharma conversations, and three thirty-minute practice meetings with Dosho via Google Hangouts.
Guidelines requires a commitment to ongoing awakening, carrying out daily practice on one’s own. The study portion of the course will take 60-90 minutes each week.
If this calls to you, I encourage you to check it out.
For expectations, feeds, etc, go to Vine of Obstacles…
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