On the 1st of December, 2010, the Reverend Eido Shimano wrote a letter addressed to the NY Times, although not published there, stating that he had not resigned as abbot of the Zen Studies Society and its affiliate organizations as a result of his embroilment in a series of sexual misconducts. As a result a number of Zen teachers have written to the Zen Studies Society requesting that he not be allowed to continue in any capacity that allows him... Read more

@font-face { font-family: “Times New Roman”;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }a:link, span.MsoHyperlink { color: blue; text-decoration: underline; }a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { color: purple; text-decoration: underline; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } 30 December 2010 The Rev’d James Ishmael Ford Boundless Way Zen Mugendo-Ji 1030 Pleasant StreetWorcester, MA 01602 Joe Soun DowlingZSS Board PresidentNew York Zendo Shobo-Ji223 East 67th StreetNew York, NY, 10065 Dear Mr Dowling,... Read more

Baizhang’s Fox is one of the great koan, collected as the second case in the Wumenguan, the Gateless Gate. It goes like this in my loose adaptation of the text. The master Baizhang Huaihai gave a series of talks on the Dharma. Among those who attended was an old man who sat near the back of the hall. One day he lingered after the talk and the master approached him, asking, “Who are you?” The old man replied “Many aeons... Read more

Today in 1170… Sometimes it takes sock puppets to put it together… Read more

Congrats to Elton John & his spouse David Furnish on the arrival of their baby son Zachary.,, While I’m generally wary of older people having babies (Sr Elton is 62 and David is 48). The fact is serious money mitigates many of the problems & at 48, David at least should be around to celebrate their child’s High School graduation… And as I watch how this has been received in the media, it shows this is an important event in... Read more

On this day in 1831 Charles Darwin embarked upon his wondrous voyage in the HMS Beagle. The world has never been the same. I stumbled upon a nice list of songs about Darwin and Evolution. Worth a visit… Read more

The storm rolls up the coast… Read more

Here I am… It’s early Christmas morning. I’m sipping my coffee and checking emails. Last night was a blast. The early “family service” was wonderful. One of the younger ones broke away from her family when the children’s choir was singing, toddled her way up to the platform, climbed up and stood with the kids singing. Soon to be followed by a still younger child. I think if it weren’t so near the end of the song we would soon... Read more

Are you in or near Providence, Rhode Island? If so… Here’s an invitation to the faithful And to those of little faith And to those of no faith Come and hear a story… With comments from the liberal tradition… Sing some old songs… Light candles and recall hope in the midst of the night… 5pm Our Family Service featuring our Youth Music and Occasional Drama Ensemble 8:45 Musical Prelude to the Nine o’clock service 9:00 Our Contemplative Service with choir... Read more

Christmas Eve Eve… While a Unitarian Universalist Buddhist, my natal tradition, a lineage deep in hurt and healing calls to me in this darker season. In fact the good of the tradition is nowhere more obvious, as I see it, than in this season hidden amidst the crass and trash of longing of darkness of hope I read somewhere this song could actually been an early Hanukkah hymn… That would work for me, as well… Wandering in the dark night,... Read more