The Star
Rohatsu means the 8thday of December, the date traditionally commemorated as the day of the Budhha’s awakening. In this talk, Jane Andino looks at different versions of the enlightenment story, the sight of the Morning Star, and the significance for our practice. This talk was given on Day 1 of
Wise Hope
Lately a Mountains dharma buddy has been signing her email “Towards wise hope”, and it made me consider how Wise Hope is a wonderful paramita for modern times. The phrase comes to us from the writings of Joan Halifax in which she explores suffering from the Buddhist perspective, and looks
The Whole World is Medicine
Gillian Coote, roshi explores Yunmen’s koan in light of the pressures and stresses of our lives, especially the climate emergency, and ways we may awaken to these dharma gates. This talk was given at the SZC Spring sesshin in 2019
Honouring our Ancestors
Gillian Coote, roshi tells the stories of some of our ancestors who appear in the dedications we chant in our sutra service, including Choro Nyogen and his internment poems (written in the USA during WWII). She offers the koan ‘Mu’, and reflects on this monk’s – and our – doubt
Ordinary Mind – Nothing in the Way
Settling into samadhi on the zafu at sesshin on the first day is often attended by a jungle of thoughts, fleeting or solid – daydreams, schemes – and here lies our greatest challenge. In this teisho, Gillian talks about different ways to gather focus by using koans, breath counting or
Old age, sickness & death
“In all of the worlds, what is most wondrous? That no man, no woman, though they see people dying all around them, believes it will happen to them” King Yudhisthira, Mahabharata, Hindu epic poem. Jill Steverson talks about the privilege and challenges she experienced being with her mother through her
Don’t Find Fault with the Present
Brendon Stewart reflects on his work with homeless men to explore the concept of Wise Hope.
Dogen, Zen & Creativity
The second aspect of Dōgen’s view of Buddha Nature has to do with us personally, as its realization requires a commitment on our part as Zen practitioners. Dōgen states: Unless we risk ourselves to choose to act the Buddha nature never becomes visible, audible, tangible. Buddha Nature and becoming a