“… Our whole body is all things. Our entire existence is one practice …” Description: This talk centers on the koan, “Stepping Forward From the Top of a Pole,” Case 46 of The Gateless Gate. Henry discusses the teachings of Master Chosa, relevant to this koan. Chosa points to the fact that our own body, our […]

“… “Just this” is waiting in the middle of our lives, of our existence …” Description: The focus of this talk is the koan, “Misshi and the White Rabbit,” Case 56 of The Book of Equanimity. Master Tozan enters straight into dharma dueling with his student, Uncle Misshi. Tozan wants him to show him what he […]

Description: This talk focuses on the sutra, “On Opening the Dharma,” which reads: The Dharma, incomparably profound and minutely subtle, Is rarely encountered Even in hundreds of thousands of millions of ages; We now can see it, hear it, receive and maintain it; May we completely realize the true meaning of the Tathagata. What are we saying […]

“Coming to what has grown up in the nursery of the mighty tree of Buddha’s awakening…to a refuge of practice…we are being taught how to live as helpful humans.” Description: This talk continues the arc of Tokusan’s life by looking at the last koan in his biography, Case 14 of the Shôyôroku (Book of Equanimity), “Attendant […]

“All we really have to do is get out of the way and the beautiful energy of the practice will just take over.” “… we learn to let go and let it do the work …” Description: This teisho is the fourth of the Spring 2017 sesshin. Henry begins by discussing how the practice of sesshin gets […]

“The alchemy of slow-cooking—that’s also zen…” “When the mind is quiet, we notice so much more…the things we encounter are the teachings.” Description: This teisho is the third of the Spring 2017 sesshin. Henry begins by discussing how we all start to simmer down, as sesshin progresses. “When the mind is quiet, we notice so much […]

“We know we are really practicing because we are OK even when it’s difficult…” “… who was ripe, was freed of the vine. Body and mind gone …” Description: This teisho is the second of the Spring 2017 sesshin. Henry encourages everyone to stay with their practice, as the sesshin continues and we learn to mind less. […]

“This is a practice of allowing and loving.” Description: This teisho is the first of the Spring 2017 sesshin. Traditionally, the first talk, during sesshin, is about the first koan, Mu, or “Jôshû’s Dog.” Henry begins by discussing prostrations and poses the questions, what does the term “buddha” mean?, which leads into why do we do […]

We are born into this life, and we can decide that we know certain things about it. We can become convinced that we know enough… and therefore stop noticing that we have absolutely no idea what this is. Consciousness is Zen’s realm.     ~ Henry Shukman Description: What is this experience called life? What is […]

I don’t say there is no Zen, just no Zen Teachers. ~ Obaku     If you think you are going to get something through effort, you won’t get anywhere or anything, you are still in the midst of craving.     ~ Henry Shukman Description: Henry introduces the verses that are attached to each Koan […]