There are many who help to carry us to the farther shore. Juan de Yepes y Alverez was born into a Converso family near the town of Avila on the 24th of June, 1542. He died in the Discalced Carmelite monastery in Ubeda on the 14th of December in 1591. We generally know him as John of the Cross, or more properly St John of the Cross. From my Zen perspective a true teacher of the intimate way. And one... Read more
No. No.. Not that movie franchise… The day. You know, today. And a bit of what comes with it. According to my go to first check, good old Wikipedia, most scholars say this is a superstition of relatively recent origin. While some like to find origins in the Middle Ages, apparently there’s little to support this assertion. Probably it isn’t a thing any earlier earlier than the nineteenth century. And it doesn’t get big ’till the twentieth century… On the... Read more
According to the story a Mexican indigenous peasant, Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin had a series of encounters with a wondrous woman between the 9th and 12th of December, in 1531. He reported this to the bishop Juan de Zumárraga, who was at first suspicious. Naturally enough. But eventually was convinced of the reality of the vision when the woman ordered Juan Diego to carry a poncho filled with roses to the bishop, really an archbishop. When the peasant opened the poncho... Read more
The 3rd of December has been declared a feast or saint’s day for Francis Xavier. He was one of the first Jesuits, a co-founder of the order. Eventually, he becamea Catholic missionary to Japan. Which is where I find him interesting. Now, he was fervently hostile to nonChristian religions, and with that, if indirectly, there’s some blood on his hands. But also, I believe he is the first Westerner to write a moderately accurate report of Zen in a European... Read more
Dorothy Day died on the 29th of November, in 1980. If she were officially recognized as a saint, and more than a few people believe she was, this would normally be her feast day. I mean to note this when the day rolls around. I’ve not been as successful in this aspiration as I wish. This year, I’ve caught it. And I offer the cumulative reflections I’ve gathered. In my youth there were two Catholic Christians who particularly influenced me.... Read more
I try to offer a few words on our American Thanksgiving from a Zen Buddhist perspective when the holiday rolls around. What follows is that, tweaked, and then tweaked again. Eventually, I hope, I’ll get this mess right. After all, every day is a good day… Our first American Thanksgiving was proclaimed by George Washington on the 26th of November, 1789. It might be worth noting it was not connected to the Pilgrim story. Washington called out for a day... Read more
Keiji Nishitani died on the 24th of November, in 1990. I mean to mark this day as it rolls around and take advantage of it to remind those who knew of his work, and to introduce him to those who were unfamiliar with this remarkable person and the “school” with which he is closely associated. I’m sorry I’ve not been quite as faithful to this intention as I could or should be. But, at least this year, I’ve caught the... Read more
Alan Watts died on the 16th of November. in 1973. For many reasons, some good, some less so, he continues to be a presence at that edge of North American spirituality where what has long been called East and West meet. Watts had a significant place in the earlier years of my spiritual life, and even today remains, if not so central, still significant. Again, for good reasons, and not so good. And, perhaps more important I believe he stands... Read more
What is now many years ago when Jan & I first moved to New England’s rocky and lovely soil, Jan wanted to go to the Cambridge cemetery to put a rose on Henry James’ grave. I was more than happy to join her as I wanted to put a flower on William’s grave. You know the brothers, one wrote like a psychologist, the other like a novelist… After consulting some guides we bought a small bouquet of roses and drove... Read more
Hugo Enomiya-Lassalle was born into a Huguenot family on this day, the 11th of November, in 1898 in Gut Externbrock, in Westphalia. I try to remember this remarkable person as his birthday rolls around. Although I’m also aware as a remarkable spiritual figure perhaps his death date would be the most appropriate time to pause and reflect and celebrate his life. Actually some years I do both. On the 11th of November in 2024 he would have been 126 years... Read more
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