Stoep Zen

Zazen can not be mastered by the practising self. It can only be enfolded in the Dharma of Infinite Connection. When the meditating self is resolved in this way, it becomes the expression of our interconnectedness.

When we meet with others, we bring some kind of judgement, complication and confusion with us. This is part of our life as self. But everything becomes very simple when we drop everything and step into the meeting with only pure presence. This is part of our life as Dharma itself, as

People ask how to deal with environmental problems and climate change. In Zen we practice on this very earth where we sit. That is where we begin and where we end. And our environmental repsonses come from this.

Instead of seeing Zen as a training of the mind, it is helpful to consider it as essentially the practice of embodiment - to begin in the body, with its particular intelligence, memory and straighforwardness.

Our practice is not about finding the right words. It is finding freedom in our life, then the words will shine by themselves.

Even when we face a situation where we long to help but cannot, our practice remains the same - to take that helplessness into our life and allow it to transform us. Then, on the day we are able to help, we can.

People often express their helplessness at not being able to help the suffering in the conflicts raging around the world. This is one response from the clarity and purity of our original compassion.

We all find ourselves in a particular landscape and it is here we live, as part of it and with respect and gratitude.

The old texts say life is suffering, that the world is burning, that the world is in trauma. Our practice is not to discuss the merits of this statement but to take the next step, to make it real. Insofar as there is suffering, how will I respond? In the same way, other texts say life is beautiful; how will I respond? Then Zen goes beyond slogans and comes to life.

We practice Zen to make our life real, not to fit in with any words or