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 today, the 14th of December in 1591. We generally know him as John of the Cross, or more properly St John of the Cross. Juan’s father died when he was three and the family struggled to survive. He was able to attend a school dedicated to... Read more

          Daiun Sogaku Harada died on this day, the 12th of December in 1961. He is a central figure in the establishment of what would become my spiritual path. And, for many more as well, both in Japan and eventually in the West. The roshi was born in Obama, Fukui Prefecture on the 13th of October, 1871. He was tonsured as a Soto monastic at seven. At twenty, although Soto, he entered the Rinzai monastery Shogenji.... Read more

    DOUBT & FAITH A Zen Meditation James Ishmael Ford “The opposite of faith is not doubt; it is certainty. It is madness. You can tell you have created God in your image when it turns out that he or she hates all the same people you do.” Anne Lamont With Buddhism like with all religions doubt is considered a problem. And there are aspects to doubt which can make it count as one of the great hindrances along... Read more

      Today, the 10th of December in 1968, the American Trappist monk, mystic, spiritual writer, social justice activist, and advocate of interreligious dialogue, Thomas Merton died. The Episcopal church marks this date as a feast for a saint. And in my own way I try to keep this small feast, as well. What follows is part of my ongoing celebration of his life, together with a small recollection of my pilgrimage to the site of his death. At... Read more

I have been told that in Japanese tradition today, the 9th of December is marked as the moment that Huike presented his arm to Bodhidharma as evidence of his desire to enter the intimate way. This is one of foundational moments in the mythic origins of the Zen way. The event is captured as a koan, number 41 in the great anthology, the Gateless Gate. A while back I offered a retelling of the event, including something of the back story.... Read more

      Some years ago the Zen priest Tom Hawkins wrote: We have arrived in Bodghaya. Thousands of other pilgrims, us, and then two thousand Tibetan monastics for a special gathering. Beyond words to be at the bodhi tree in the evening with such a crowd. And to make offerings and devotional gestures. Yet, even in Buddha’s enlightenment place, there’s the shadow side. Two of our group had their shoes stolen, I fended off a pickpocket while we were... Read more

        The Bodhi Tree in Fayette, Maine A Dharma Talk for Rohatsu Edward Sanshin Oberholtzer Resident priest and guiding teacher at the Joseph Priestly Zen Sangha Empty Moon Zen Despite the lateness of the hour, I’d like to put in a plug for the coming dawn. I know it’s late, trust me, it’s later here in Pennsylvania, dawn is separated from us by a welcome night’s sleep and still it’s coming up all too soon. All the... Read more

      AWAKENING A Zen Reflection 2021 Zoom Zen Retreat Empty Moon Zen Tom Daimon Wardle Senior Dharma Teacher     True confession: I do not want to give this talk today. Actually, I’ve had several months to savour the dread of today’s talk since “awakening” was chosen as the theme for this sesshin. We always select a theme for our longer retreats, something to give the various dharma talks a bit of a throughline, and awakening is an... Read more

      Evelyn Underhill was born in Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands, on this day, the 6th of December, in 1875. She would grow to become a poet and novelist, as well as one of the most important interpreters of mystical Christianity in modernity. I’ve written about her and her importance to me personally, elsewhere. Here I thought I’d just let her speak for herself. I shared the Poetry of Mysticism a few years ago. If you missed it,... Read more

    Faustus Socinus, also known as Faust Paolo Sozzini and sometimes as Faust Socyn was born in Siena in Tuscany on this day, the 5th of December in 1539. He was educated at home and quickly fell under the influence of his uncle Celso, who encouraged the boy’s searching intellect, as well as another of his uncles, Lelio a full on Renaissance humanist, intellectual, and increasingly anti-Trinitarian thinker. When he inherited a small fortune Faustus began more formal studies... Read more