It was on this day in 361 that the emperor Constantius II died. Just before his death he was baptized and also named Julian as his sole successor. A golden child of the Constantinian dynasty, Julian had been serving as Caesar of the western provinces. His army had proclaimed him Augustus the year before. Now, with the death of his rival Constantius he was acknowledged universally. Julian would rule for two years. Most notably Julian was the last non-Christian emperor... Read more
I’ve been invited to give a talk. I’m invited mostly because I’m a Zen priest, author, & meditation teacher, and maybe someone of a certain age and presumably with some actually useful experiences to draw upon. But that said I’ve been offered a couple of directions to go. One was to explore how I occupy two spiritual traditions, or, probably, how two spiritual traditions have a place in my heart. They meant that Zen Buddhism, but also... Read more
Rohatsu: The Celebration of the Buddha’s Awakening Sesshin: To Touch the Heart Mind The Blue Cliff Zen Network announces our next sesshin, a three-day intensive Zen meditation retreat. Our program will feature zazen, liturgy, zazen, talks, zazen, spiritual direction interviews, zazen, meals, zazen, work practice. And some more zazen. The sesshin starts on Thursday evening the 6th of December, 2018, and concludes about noon on Sunday the 9th. Our lead teacher will be the Reverend James Myoun Ford. Myoun Roshi... Read more
Sensei Domyo Burk maintains the highly respected Zen Studies Podcast. Here are two, actually two parts of a single reflection on Zen and race in North America. Well worth the listen… Western Zen Grows Up and Faces the Koan of Race, Part One and Part Two. I highly recommend them and the podcast series… Domyo Burk is one of the exciting new generation of Zen teachers in North America. She began Zen practice in 1996. She was ordained in the Soto tradition... Read more
The good folk at Wikipedia set today in 312 as that day when Constantine, later called the Great, purported to have a vision of a cross in the sky and heard the words “With this sign, conquer.” What we know with certainty is that conquer he did. Of course this also sealed the deal for Christianity. Already an important cult with a significant following, with his hand on the wheel it would within a few years become the official religion... Read more
So, eleven days until our American midterm elections. I notice as of this moment the geeks at Fivethirtyeight currently give the Democrats five out of six (84.4%) odds of taking the House, and the Republicans basically the same five out of six (82.5%) odds of retaining the Senate. I find how I read each of these stats and my emotional response to them. First, my general comfort with the one, feeling pretty confident. And with the other thinking well, just... Read more
Ida B. Wells was born a slave in Holly Springs, Mississippi, on the 19th of July, 1862. Her father after obtaining his freedom was able to further his education and even briefly attended Shaw University. Later, Ida attended the same school. But telegraphing something of her future life, she was expelled following a confrontation with the college’s president. However, after a time, she readmitted. Although when her parents died from Yellow Fever she went to work as a school... Read more
Within some branches of the Eastern family of Christian churches, today is celebrated as a festival in honor of a Saint Nestorius. I’ve written of him before, and this reflection is based on a couple of those. But, with addition reflections out of this moment. Nestorius was a sometime archbishop and most importantly, Patriarch of Constantinople. And so, whatever else one may think about him, a terribly important figure. For me, I’ve reflected on this festival celebrated... Read more
Alexandra David-Need is one of the singular figures at the dawn of European Buddhism. All of us, whatever school of the great way we embrace, if we were raised in the West and came to the dharma as adults, her fingerprints are all over what we encounter. I would add, for ill as well as for good. But, I also believe, genuinely, most of all for the good. So, the story… Louise Eugenie Alexandrien Marie David was born... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In