Subhana explores what sprinkling Holy Water on the Dragon’s Tail might mean. The Christian legend of Martha and the Dragon reveals a beautiful teaching of cultivating compassion to those parts that we don’t like; pain, jealousy, judgemental reactivity and old unworthy beliefs the “dragon” parts of ourselves. Instead of slaying the dragon or hating ourselves, we offer it compassion and
Wu Wei is a Chinese Taoist expression that means ‘doing nothing’ or non-doing. Equanimity has strong associations with the spirit of Wu Wei. Wu Wei – non-doing has easily been misunderstood and falsely interpreted as a passive acceptance of life or resignation or literally sitting on the cushion and doing nothing. Wu Wei is an attitude and approach to meditation and life itself; it
Subhana explores the deep and profound teachings of ‘emptiness’ the selfless dimension or the self-forgotten and its misunderstandings. What does it mean to cultivate that which is already our inherent true nature, which cannot be cultivated, yet it can be realised. This Dharma talk inquires into the aspects of the liberated nature of mind: of infinite space, unification of mind and body,
Subhana focuses on the healing capacity to be with, respond and alleviate the pain and suffering in our lives.Rather than turning away from the pain and disavowing the; hurt, shame, fear, anger, grief, we can turn towards these feelings with the healing power of compassion.We take up a wonderful Case 89 in the Blue Cliff Record of Kannon Bodhisattvas many
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
The Dharma talk explores the Four Great Bodhisattva Vows and how they have their roots in the Four Noble Truths and hence the four great related tasks in walking the path of liberation from suffering. What does it mean to live by and embody these aspirational vows and noble intentions for the benefit of all being. This teisho was given by
There are three primary practices in Zen training – Mindfulness of breathing, Koan practice which is working with an existential question and silent illumination practice.Silent illumination is both a practice method and realisation of mind. We need to make a distinction between silent illumination which is the direct realisation of mind and silent illumination that entails a practical practice. What
This is one of the primary Koans in Zen training used to open and awaken the mind. Zen Master Bassui, who was passionate about this koan urged his students throughout his life to take up this question. Our practice of Who’s hearing has strong resonances with the indigenous practice of Dadirri. Dadirri is a word that comes from the language of
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
How do we meet the challenges of our times? And how does zazen change or save our world? Subhana Barzaghi, roshi explores the relationship between our inner and outer work in the world and the relationship between our mind and the environment. She draws on Case 32 from the Book of Serenity. This talk was given at Autumn sesshin 2019
