In this talk, Jogen explores the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh on signlessness and interbeing, reminding us that calmness alone is not true liberation. Through vivid examples and guided contemplations, he invites us to look beyond labels like life and death, self and other, to experience reality more directly. Weaving together insights from zazen, koans, and daily life, Jogen emphasizes the importance of inquiry and wonder in practice. Ultimately, he shows how these explorations open us to a deeper flow with existence and a more boundless sense of being. This talk was given during the Sunday Night Program at Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple on July 27th 2025.

This talk explores how boredom and fear of missing out often derail meditation practice and how facing them directly can deepen our path. Jogen emphasizes the unique value of sustained practice in bringing clarity of mind, calming the nervous system, and reshaping our habitual patterns. Through stories, reflections, and humor, he shows how boredom may actually signal progress rather than failure. We are invited to stay steady, embrace stillness, and rediscover the diamond-like clarity hidden beneath busyness and distraction.
This talk was given by Jogen during the Wednesday night program at Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple in Portland, OR on July 30th, 2025.

In this talk Bansho discusses many different aspects of the famous poem Affirming Faith in Mind. This talk was given by Bansho as the 3rd talk of 2025 July Sesshin. 

In this talk, we explore how disappointment, though often unwelcome, can be a profound teacher. By meeting life’s letdowns with openness, we discover the tender ground of vulnerability that reveals our interconnectedness. The stories and reflections point to a shift from resisting what is to receiving it as part of the path. In the space where expectations dissolve, something truer and more spacious can quietly emerge.

This talk was given on the Wednesday night program at HoW Zen Temple on July 23rd 2025.

In this episode, we reflect on the Beginner’s Mind retreat, exploring the courage it takes to meet each moment without clinging to certainty. Through a Rilke poem, a timeless Zen story, and the shared experiences of retreat participants, we discover the power of “not knowing” as a doorway to intimacy with life. The talk invites us to let go of our assumptions, soften our habits of mind, and return to the freshness of direct experience. Coming home, we find, is not a destination but the living presence of this moment.

This talk was given on July 13th 2025 during the GVZM Sunday Program.

This talk invites us to rest in the still point where the breath begins, letting the mind settle into spacious awareness. Through stories of mountain walks, quiet gardens, and the tender bonds between beings, we explore how the world lives within us as much as we live within it. The reflections point toward a deep intimacy with life — one that does not separate self from earth, or heart from sky. In returning to this quiet knowing, we discover a home that has always been here.

This talk was given on July 6th at the Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple Sunday Night Program.

 Exploring interconnection, our desire to be right and mind-stopping moments through the story of Bhadda Kundalakesa.

In this talk Bansho discusses vow and aspiration on the spiritual path. What is it that brings us to practice? It's less about what we want to be, but instead how we are being called to be in the world. He also discusses his personal vows and the bodhisattva vows, in particular, the vows of Jizo Bodhisattva. 
This is the 5th talk of the 2025 July Sesshin at GVZM.

In this episode, we explore the difference between concern and worry, and how spiritual practice can free us from the endless cycle of anxious thoughts. Through stories of daily life, karmic cause and effect, and the power of our mental states, we consider how inner clarity seeds future change. The talk reflects on spiritual activism, the “fragrance of love,” and how even small acts of awareness can ripple outward. Listeners are invited to discover their own quiet influence in a world full of noise and fear.
This talk was given on July 16, 2025 at Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple.

This talk explores the koan “The Old Woman of Mount Wutai,” a story that opens up questions about pilgrimage, practice, and how wisdom often appears in ordinary forms. We reflect on what it means to be a pilgrim rather than a wanderer, and how sacredness and devotion can show up in everyday life. Along the way, we meet Jizo Bodhisattva—the guardian of travelers—and consider what it means to go “straight ahead” even when the road curves.