Wild Fox Zen Annual Appeal

Once a year I put out the cyber begging bowl and ask for donations to support this practice here at Wild Fox Zen.

I haven’t run out of things to say yet – delusion is endless, I guess – so you can expect more here about what Zen can offer the world in our present rough spot, the dance of earnest-vivid sitting and koan, and some Dogen and Katagiri thrown in for good measure.

I’m a long-time Soto Zen shikantaza guy but really into Harada-Yasutani koan study. Your donations will help defray the costs of travel and sesshin for koan study as well as support the Wild Fox teaching activities here in White Bear and elsewhere.

You’ll find the PayPal link over on the right sidebar. Wild Fox Zen is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, recognized by our friends at the IRS.

Below is a video from a monastery that I trained at in Japan, still begging the old school way. You’ll notice these monks have socks and straw sandals and are walking in wet snow.

I had the privilege of doing this practice almost 20 years ago. I remember going on one snowy takuhatsu with completely numb feet but a soaring heart, doing what seemed impossible together with the other monks, supported by the open hearted gratitude of the villagers. They loved that we did the practice even though it had snowed. Whether the circumstances are good or bad, continuing the work of this moment.

When we got back to the temple, the women in the neighborhood had spontaneously put together a special lunch of soup and wheat rolls (rare at the time in that ricey country) with coffee on the side, especially for the Western monks.

I’m still nourished by them today.