I see that it was on this day in 1702 that the first issue of the Daily Courant, according to Wikipedia, “England’s first national daily newspaper” was published. While I am less concerned about the decline of the print newspaper, in our current parlance, as a platform for the distribution of news and opinion than some of my friends, I am with all who see the intelligent, fair-minded collection, curation, and publication of news as critical to a free society.... Read more

Sensei Josh Bartok, in addition to being a Zen teacher in the Boundless Way Zen school, is also a senior editor at Wisdom Publications. He may be the best read Zen teacher in the West. Certainly one could make that argument. A couple of years ago he compiled a reading list. I suspect if he had time, he might update it. I’m thinking of a couple of books that have come out since the list, such as the lovely anthology... Read more

I was saddened to learn that the Reverend Fred Craddock died two days ago, while I was deep in retreat. I never had the pleasure of meeting the old master preacher, but his book Preaching was my textbook in seminary, and it exercised a profound influence on me as a speaker, at least in a meta sense. Many of the details in his instruction proved irrelevant to someone neither lectionary nor even scripturally oriented. But the larger view, oh my.... Read more

An old and dear friend sent me a link to a reading of Wallace Stevens’ the Snow Man, suggesting here’s some winter Zen. I replied that I’d seen it used in the liturgy at at least one, and if I recall correctly two Western Zen communities. One must have a mind of winter To regard the frost and the boughs Of the pine-trees crusted with snow; And have been cold a long time To behold the junipers shagged with ice,... Read more

I was talking with a friend about the mistakes we sometimes make in Zen, and I recalled something on the subject I’d read in the Three Pillars of Zen. When I found it I saw it was actually a reflection on Guifeng Zongmi’s (called Keiho Zenji for Great Master Keiho Shumitsu in the book) classification of five styles of Zen, contained in some lectures by Hakuun Yasutani Roshi. And in fact it isn’t five mistakes in Zen, but rather five... Read more

And who doesn’t, from time to time? It was on this day in 1933 that the film opened at Radio City Music Hall in New York City… Read more

The wonderful Theodor Seuss Geisel, Dr Seuss, was born on this day in 1904. Cause for celebration all by itself, but also, the National Education Association has designated his birthday as Read Across America day. So, get on it! Read a book. Or, better yet, Help a child read a book. Or, if you can’t do that, At least Make some green eggs & ham… Read more

HEAVEN AND HELL A Love Story 1 March 2015 James Ishmael Ford First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Text One day while walking quietly together, out of the silence the Buddha’s attendant Ananda declared, “Teacher, to have companions and comrades on the great way is so amazing! I have come to realize that friendship is fully half of an authentic spiritual life.” They proceeded along quietly for a while more, before out of that silence the Holy One responded. “No,... Read more

One day while walking quietly together, out of the silence the Buddha’s attendant Ananda declared, “Teacher, to have companions and comrades on the great way is so amazing! I have come to realize that friendship is fully half of an authentic spiritual life.” They proceeded along quietly for a while more, before out of that silence the Holy One responded. “No, dear one. Without companions and comrades, no one can live into the deep, finding the true harmonies of life,... Read more

In the wake of noted actor Leonard Nimoy’s death, people may have missed that the Reverend Canon Malcolm Boyd has also died. An Episcopal priest, he first gained public attention in the nineteen sixties as the “espresso priest” named for his participation in San Francisco’s poetic scene, frequently giving readings at the Hungry I, and later for his book “Are You Running With Me, Jesus?” He was an activist, particularly focused on the Civil Rights movement. There’s a small intersection... Read more