Practicing With Householder Koans Dharma Talk given on March 19, 2021 at the Empty Moon Zen Inaugural Zoom Sesshin by the Rev. Janine Seitetsu Larsen Senior Dharma Teacher with the Empty Moon Zen Sangha, and Resident Priest with Bright Cloud Zen practice groups of Seattle & Woodinville, WA   It is good to be with you today, this first full day of our Empty Moon Zen Spring Sesshin. Zen retreats like this, even on Zoom, and no matter if... Read more

  YOUR BEST SEASON A Zen Meditation on Spring Edward Sanshin Oberholtzer Delivered on March 20th, 2012 at Empty Moon Zen‘s Inaugural Zoom Sesshin   Good evening, my name is Edward Keido Sanshin Oberholtzer. I’m the resident priest here at the Joseph Priestley Zen Sangha in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. We’re an affiliate of Empty Moon Zen. “Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this sun of York.” And it has been a winter of our discontent, perhaps... Read more

  THE ZEN PRACTICE OF KOAN INTROSPECTION A Dharma Talk at Empty Moon Zen‘s Inaugural Zoom Sesshin 20 March 2021 Maureen Myokan Weinhardt Senior Dharma Teacher Empty Moon Zen   The Case Elder Ting asked Lin Chi, “What is the great meaning of the Buddhist Teaching?” Chi came down off his meditation seat, grabbed and held Ting, gave him a slap, and then pushed him away. Ting stood there motionless. A monk standing by said, “Elder Ting, why do you... Read more

      Every once in a while I feel it important to pause and to assess where my heart is, what I believe, what guides me, what sustains me, and what pushes me forward. Hoping, possibly, this current edition of my confession might be of some small help to others on the intimate way. My Confession. James Ishmael Ford When I was a youth I wanted to know God. Desperately. With all my heart. I even prayed that if God... Read more

  I’ve captured these mostly for our small community, but it occurred to me that others might find these videos helpful, as well. I include links to the communities producing the videos. Also, if this subject is of interest, an invaluable resource for Soto Zen liturgy in English is the Soto Zen Scriptures for Daily Service & Practice. Thanks to Sensei Sanshin Oberholtzer, here’s a brief script for the Eiheiji style basic morning service. clappers once clappers once clappers once Doan... Read more

        I have been practicing well past fifty years. My skin is wrinkling. My hair is a different color than it was in my youth and maturity. I’m shorter than I was. And I need to go to the bathroom when I need to go to the bathroom. Admittedly, I still am not worried about buying green bananas. But I know that day is right around the corner. I’m in a new season. And there are new... Read more

    I’ve been thinking of late about Zen and the intimate way in the West. It goes in bunches of directions depending on one’s perspective and the perspective of one’s teachers. In Japanese Zen one spends time in the monastery, usually between one and three years, and usually then trundle off to the family temple and a life as a parish minister. Some stay and dig in. In Soto schools they pay less attention to the moments of clarity,... Read more

    Wuzu said Shakyamuni and Maitreya are servants of another. Tell me, who is that other? Gateless Gate, Case 45 This koan is a simple as pie. And as complicated. Wuzu, who has a fondness for this sort of brief, and yet endlessly haunting question, tells the assembly that the Buddha and the Buddha to come both are servants to another. And then he asks the question. Who is that other? One of the foundations of Buddhist thought is... Read more

    The renowned Unitarian theologian, Professor James Luther Adams, once observed how nothing sells, I think he said is quite as marketable, as egoism wrapped in idealism. I’ve always found that a challenging comment, applicable as it is to so many forms of spirituality. Of course, it turns out one can even jettison the idealism. In our rising secularism, it turns out we don’t even need to clothe our egoism. Now the shape of this focus on the self... Read more

      (I wrote this in 2018, and stumbled on it while searching for references to Ash Wednesday. With the most minor of tweaks, I thought it worth sharing here again…)   We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time. Through the unknown, unremembered gate When the last of earth left to discover Is that which was the beginning;... Read more