It was on this day in 1863 that one hundred seventeen men and officers of the Massachusetts 54th died in a failed assault on a Confederate stronghold at Fort Wagner just outside of Charleston. While it would take some years for him to receive it, one of the survivors, Sergeant William Carney, would be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his part in this conflict. Because of the delay Sergeant Carney would not be the first black man to... Read more

Walter Cronkite was a fixture of my growing up. I recall being so taken with his signature sign off. Later I would think of it as rather “zen.” Goodbye Uncle Walter… And, of course. That’s the way it is. Read more

I just want to point out a wonderful new resource for people interested in Zen in the west. The anonymous blog Sweeping Zen and its connected website is, among other things, attempting to list and provide biographical materials on all Zen teachers in the West. There are probably too many for this project to succeed. But what a wonderful failure it is already shaping up to be. I’ve been aware for sometime of the writer working as “Mind Meal,” as... Read more

I notice that Disneyland opened for business on this day in 1955. Also that on this day in 1744 Elbridge Gerry the 5th Vice President of the United States, in 1776 John Jacob Astor fabulously successful capitalist, in 1899 James Cagney the actor, in 1917 Phyllis Diller the comedian, in 1935 Peter Schickele of NPR and JDPQ Bach fame, were all born. As was I, sixty-one years ago. I now feel fully established in my seventh decade. And, my goodness,... Read more

Happy birthday, Ginger… Read more

On this day in 1838, Ralph Waldo Emerson delivered a talk to the six graduating members of Harvard’s Divinity School. He had resigned his pulpit as a Unitarian minister six years before, although he remained a faithful, if critical attender of his local parish. Over the objections of some faculty the graduating class had invited Emerson to be their commencement speaker. This talk is a central marker in the next step of Unitarianism’s evolution. What might best be called “classical”... Read more

Of course the storming of the Bastille on this day in 1789 was a symbol. The fortress-prison held seven inmates. However they were there at the royal pleasure, as it were, and so stood for all those who suffered under the heel of absolute monarchy. I suggest the liberation of that prison stands for all such struggles past, present and future. The French revolution is a complicated affair, showing the ravages of unintended consequences, as well as demonstrating humanity’s yearning... Read more

Happy birthday, Henry! Read more

A wonderful weekend in Clatskanie is winding down… This was perhaps the smallest of the American Zen Teacher’s Association gatherings in recent years. Still twenty-five teachers representing Soto, Rinzai, Harada-Yasutani, Chogye and mixed lines gathered at the Great Vow monastery to visit, to reflect and to renew. We had wonderful Dharma presentations from Genjo Marinello, a Rinzai priest from Washington State and Taihaku Gretchen Priest, a Soto priest teaching in Vermont. Our final speaker will be my collaborator David Dayan... Read more

I’ve driven Jan to the Portland airport and am now waiting to pick up my friend and co-conspirator in the Boundless Way Zen project, David Rynick. We will be driving out to Clatskanie and the Great Vow Zen temple to join with about twenty-five other Zen teachers for our annual American Zen Teacher’s Association gathering. This is an only in the West, perhaps an only in America sort of thing. The AZTA membership accounts for nearly every Zen lineage in... Read more