“… It’s about entering the moment in a more immediate, intimate and clearer way …” Description: In the koan, “Sound” and “Color,” Master Unmon is essentially talking about the main emphasis of Zen—the experience of waking up. This can be suddenly triggered by one of our sense channels. What is a sense experience? When we are […]

“… Ordinary experience is extraordinarily miraculous. It is “as vast and boundless as the great empty sky …” Description: This talk focuses on a teaching story from very early in Master Jôshû’s training with his teacher, Master Nansen. Nansen tells Jôshû that the ordinary mind is the Way. What is ordinary mind? What is the Way? Ordinary […]

“… At the deepest level, nothing is separate from the Dharma …” Description: This talk focuses on Henry’s trip to Germany, beginning in Nuremberg, then on to Benediktushof, a former Benedictine monastery, now a spiritual center, then to Sonnenhof Zen Center in the Black Forest, and, finally, to Domicilium, a joint hospice and Zen center. […]

“… We can drop our construction of self and world, space and time …” Description: This talk begins with the sound of rain and gentle rolling thunder. It is a continuation of the exploration of Case 81, with a focus on Gensha’s comment at the end of the story. Gensha is trying to help us […]

“… This world is one single act of love …” Description: Koans can open up the potential of a human being. Case 81 is a Dharma dialogue between Gensha and Shôtô. They converse about a party the day before—all the revelry is right here, right now. The point of Zen training is to experience this […]

“… How incredible to wake up into the heart of this moment …” Description: Koans are not confined by our typical assumptions about reality. Case 80 refers to the story of Bodhidharma, who is credited with bringing Zen from India to China. What did Bodhidharma bring? In this koan, Ryûge is asking Suibi and Rinzai […]