Freeing Ourselves from the Grindstone January 10, 2019 Our country was founded by rigid, competitive strivers, and we still act like them now, especially when we make our New Year’s resolutions. Let’s stop. Let’s be grateful for what is, and strive to be awake.

The World is Vast and Wide December 20, 2018 Enkyo Roshi opens up the Verse of the Kesa to encourage us to embody benefaction, to respond to suffering through practice. Thus we change the world.

In this talk, the last of our 2018-19 winter retreat, Ryotan Sensei starts by thanking the many Sangha members who work hard to create our retreat. He then mentions growing up in the same town as Dr. Timothy Leary, who’s famous slogan was “Tune in, turn on and drop out.” Ryotan sees a connection here […]

In this talk, during our 2018-19 winter retreat, Shinryu Sensei says “welcome home” to those attending the retreat and sees coming home itself as a way of expressing our practice. He then states his admiration for the poems of Ryokan and reads a few, interspersed with a few poems of his own. Shinryu then gives […]

In this talk, during our 2018-19 winter retreat, Kaku Hoshi looks deeply into the poetry and life of Zen master Ryokan. With our study text “Sky Above, Great Wind” as his guide, Kaku contrasts his own life with the voluntary poverty of Ryokan. Kaku marvels at Ryokan’s freedom and non-conformity but wonders if any of […]

In this the second talk of the Winter Ango sesshin, Joshin Sensei talks about the sense of lack that is customary for the small self to experience and how this gives rise to the thirst for affirmation not to mention greed, anger and ignorance. And how Ryokan, Zen poet of the 18th century, in choosing […]

Roshi Enkyo O’Hara gives the first talk of our 2018-2019 winter retreat. Roshi starts by recognizing the efforts our retreat organizers, and our Winter Ango practice leader Gessho Randolph. Roshi recites a short poem from our study text by the Zen poet Ryokan. She states that in our meditation practice we can all experience the […]

A Bodhisattva of compassion reaches back for a pillow in the middle of the night. Bernie Roshi groping in the dark transforms the world. November 18, 2018, Zazenkai

~ or ~ “How I Became an Asshole While Cycling New York City Streets” In this talk Fusho explores how dealing with the fear in our lives requires embracing fearlessness. But, through loving-kindness practice, Fusho discovers how fearlessness cannot be embraced without embracing fear itself.

Bokushu Hoshi reflects on a startling encounter with three mailboxes that revealed him to himself. December 13, 2018