As one of Charlotte Joko Beck’s Dharma Successors, Geoff Dawson talks about her background, her teachings, and her founding of the Ordinary Mind School. He describes how she transformed Zen teaching in the West, and explains her methods of Working with emotions as practice, and Working with core beliefs. This talk was given by Geoff Dawson of the Ordinary Mind Zen School
Before Ma-tsu became a teacher, he was training at Nan-yueh’s monastery, one of several hundred monks lost in the crowd. A senior monk noticed how diligent he was and mentioned him to Nan-yueh, who found him alone in the zendo and asked, ‘What is your purpose in doing zazen?’ When Ma-tsu replied, “I seek to become a Buddha’, Nan-yueh picked up
Will explores our relationship between our problems and our practice, and our attitude to our problems. This teisho draws upon several koan examples that involve problems and our approach to our practice. This includes… The Iron Flute case 33: ‘Yueh Shan solves the monk’s problem’ Blue Cliff Record case 6: ‘Every day is a good day’ Gateless Barrier, case 30:
Subhana gives meditation instructions for Silent Illumination, also known as Just Sitting or Shikantaza. Zen master’s Hongzhi illuminated Silent Illumination as both method and realisation of mind. She gives a guided meditation of 15 mins, sitting in open expansive spacious awareness and letting go of identification with body and mind. This talk was given by Subhana Barzaghi at Autumn sesshin
Subhana gives meditation instructions, an introduction and guided meditation practice on Silent Illumination. Silent Illumination is a both a practice and the direct realisation of mind. It was developed by Chinese Zen master Hongzhi and has its roots in Shamata Vipassana practice of early Buddhism. It was later called Shikantaza in Japanese Zen &/or Just Sitting. This teisho was given by Subhana Barzaghi
In a couple millennia’s worth of meditation instruction we find a wealth of shared experience that has allowed teachers to craft useful teachings that help point students in the right direction. In our inherited traditions of Buddhism, Taoism and Ch’an, various approaches to guidance arose out of the insights these traditions collectively experienced. The most obvious approach, which resonates most
Jane Andino discusses Torei Zenji’s Bodhisattva’s Vow in the context of climate change and space junk. How do we realise for ourselves that all forms are the ‘sacred forms of the Tathagata’s never-failing essence’? This talk was given on day 3 at Rohatsu sesshin 2019
Jane Andino explores the term ‘The Buddha Way’ and what it means to embody it. She also looks at koan study as a practice method. This talk was given on day 2 of the Rohatsu sesshin 2019
No doubt many of you are feeling a range of emotions in the face of the long summer drought and devastating fires that have scorched and ravaged our beautiful vast and wide sunburnt home. Our house is indeed on fire, these are the biggest out of control fires any country in the world has ever known.Our large semi-arid country is
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 the Rohatsu sesshin 2019
