In this compelling Wednesday Night Dharma Talk, writer and activist Rebecca Solnit explores how the Buddhist understanding of interconnection and interdependence offers a vital antidote to what she calls “the ideology of isolation,” which is shaping our current political moment. Drawing on Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of “the single garment of destiny,” contemporary ecological science…

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In this Wednesday Night Dharma Talk, Sensei Kozan takes a Buddhist stance on the current barrage of political actions and cultural chaos we are sitting in. Pulling form Buddhist wisdom and contemporary insights from addiction psychiatrist Dr. Anna Lemke, Kozan explores how radical honesty and genuine trust can serve as antidotes to our collective addiction to self. Through personal stories and…

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In this powerful talk from the Awareness in Action series, diplomat and climate activist Christiana Figueres speaks directly to the interconnected nature of the climate crisis. Amid the overwhelming climate and ecological challenges facing our planet, we are reminded to find beauty in the world as a way to sustain ourselves. Figueres emphasizes the importance to stand firmly against environmental…

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In this profound dharma talk from the Awareness in Action series, meditation teacher and scientist Jon Kabat-Zinn explores how mindfulness practice can help us navigate our current global poly-crisis. Through guided meditation and dialogue with Roshi Joan Halifax, he examines how we can meet this moment of unprecedented planetary challenges—from climate change to democratic instability—with…

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In this session of Awareness in Action, Roshi Joan Halifax, Sensei Kozan, and Dr. Wendy Lau explore how direct engagement with social issues emerges naturally from Buddhist practice. The discussion examines Buddhist practice not as a means of escape, or quietism, but as a path toward addressing systemic violence and injustice in contemporary society. The teachers emphasize that genuine practice…

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In this zazenkai day talk during the Winter Practice Period, Senseis Kozan and Kodo explore and clarify the meaning of “not knowing” through Case 171 of Dogen’s Shobogenzo, also known as “Not Knowing is Most Intimate.” Through the encounter between two Zen masters, Dizang and Fayan, we learn how true intimacy with life emerges when we release our attachment to knowing and certainty.

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In their first talk as Senseis, Fushin and Dainin offer a collaborative talk on Silence and Gathering the Heart/Mind. Fushin begins by talking about his lifelong relationship with silence, from childhood experiences on a mountain rock to Catholic holy hours and Jesuit retreats. He revisits Case 141, where Buddha sits in silence on his teaching seat, and Mahakashyapa strikes a mallet declaring the…

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In this moving Dharma talk, Wendy Johnson commemorates the third anniversary of her teacher Thich Nhat Hanh’s death, celebrating his legacy as a peace activist and founder of the Order of Interbeing during the Vietnam War. She weaves together Hanh’s teaching that “meditation is not an escape” but rather “the courage to look at reality” with the joyful news of two new dharma teachers’ transmission…

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In this intimate Winter Practice Period talk, Sensei Kozan examines of Case 172 from Dogen’s Shobogenzo, where a monk asks “what is Buddha” and Dongshan responds “three pounds of flax”. Through exploring various responses to “what is Buddha?” – from “this very mind is Buddha” to “not mind, not Buddha” – Kozan guides us to recognize that the heart of practice lies not in seeking answers elsewhere…

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In this Winter Practice Period talk, Roshi Joan Halifax explores the rich intersections of everyday life and deep practice, using the evolution of Buddhist monastic traditions as a lens to understand contemporary practice. Through personal reflections and historical perspectives, she illuminates how Buddhism has adapted across cultures while maintaining its essential teachings.

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