Thanks to all who commented on the previous post. I like Steve’s idea for a video conference and just got off Skype talking with him about it. Seems like there’s a lot of energy and different perspectives surfacing so let’s see what would happen to continue the conversation with some video conferencing, Saturday, 10/17, at 11:15am CDT (UMT -5) – 12:15pm. The idea is for a “fish bowl conversation” where everybody swims and everybody shits – and through our listening,... Read more

We are always trying to live our way. When you get into spiritual life, intellectually you want to have freedom, but when you get into [spiritual life] you don’t like it.– Katagiri Roshi “Our way.” The last few days I’ve been re-struck by this “our way” key point of dharma practice. As I talk with potential students and peruse various blogs, I see quite a lot of air being used to champion the notion of self-styled (a.k.a., buji) Zen. If... Read more

Here’s an excerpt of a talk by the old dog, Katagiri Roshi, that Gary Shodo transcribed and I’ve edited: We are always trying to live our way. When you get into spiritual life, intellectually you want to have freedom, but when you get into [spiritual life] you don’t like it. When you don’t do it, how can you create a productive life in the process of action, so called jumping into ocean? If you create beautiful form, this is nothing... Read more

What did the monk see that he expressed by bowing? We’re digging into this question during this 100 day period and cultivating the empty field of mind and heart by reflecting on aspects of the Genjokoan: Actualizing the Fundamental Point that are essential to see what the monk saw. Here is one such passage: Firewood becomes ash. Ash cannot turn back into firewood again. However, we should not view ash as after and firewood as before. We should know that... Read more

Tonight we did our first online zazen instruction and I had a delightful time. I hope you enjoy it too. Click here for the Webex recording. After you get it rolling, click View and then Video. Tomorrow morning we have another webinar, the third in this 100 days on the Genjokoan. That’ll be posted tomorrow and I’ll be writing more for the blog again soon too. I have a nagging sense that I’ve been neglecting regular old-fashioned blogging. Comments or... Read more

7pm CDT (UTC/GMT -5 hours) – 8pm. I’ll offer zazen instructions for body, breath, and mind and explain the difference between mindfulness of the body or breath and shikantaza. The second half hour will be for your questions and issues that you’re having with zazen. This session is appropriate for beginners and others who would like a review of the basics from my Katagiri Soto Lineage viewpoint (seasoned with various other influences). Send me an email ([email protected]) by Friday at... Read more

Last night we watched Zen, the Japanese-made movie about the life of Dogen and I’ve been crabby about it ever since. First, though, the positive: T liked it, “Just a movie,” she said and I did manage to stay awake, although it was a struggle. Now the negative: the plot line vaguely resembles the life of Dogen as does the teaching. It’s an Oliver-Stone-ish effort, seeming to be historical but far from the mark in crucial details, like the movie’s... Read more

Here’s the link for the Moon Reflected in the Water 100 Days, Webinar #2 (click here). Once you get it rolling, click View and then Video if you want to see my mug jawing away. We’ve been working with the fanning/bowing koan from Genjokoan so the talk includes a number of thoughts about how to work with such a question and the normal flow of greed, anger and ignorance that first appears to be a barrier to this work. I... Read more

While preparing for the Thursday night Dogen study session, I dug into Zen’s Chinese Heritage for another rendition of the genjokoan we’ve been digging into: Mayu was fanning himself. A monk approached and said, “Master, the nature of wind is permanent and there is no place it does not reach. Why then do you fan yourself?” “Although you understand that the nature of the wind is permanent,” Mayu replied,” you do not understand the meaning of its reaching everywhere.” “What... Read more

The Zen snare is also a fulcrum. Here’s the main one (snare and fulcrum) in the Genjokoan: Mayu was fanning himself. A monk approached and said, “Master, the nature of wind is permanent and there is no place it does not reach. Why then do you fan yourself?” “Although you understand that the nature of the wind is permanent,” Mayu replied,” you do not understand the meaning of its reaching everywhere.” “What is the meaning of its reaching everywhere?” asked... Read more