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February 2015

February 15, 2015

Dogen Did Not Practice Shikantaza and Even Had a Gaining Idea

More bad news for the orthodox Soto position that Dogen was opposed to koan introspection...

February 09, 2015

Practicing Through Snow and Cold (or Whatever Afflictions May Visit)

We are having one snowy and cold winter here in Portland, ME. Recently, a friend...

January 2015

January 29, 2015

On Receiving Inka Shomei from James Myoun Ford Roshi

On Friday afternoon, January 23, a small group of us gathered in Worcester, MA, in...

January 27, 2015

The Deeply Settled Heart: Home-based Practice Period Invitation

Sunday, February 15 – Saturday, May 9 Background: Practice periods go back to the time...

January 17, 2015

A Goose in a Bottle – How Will You Be Free?

"A woman raised a goose in a bottle. When the goose had grown, she wanted...

January 12, 2015

Nothing is Concealed

Once Shishuang was in his room and a monk just outside the room's window called...

January 03, 2015

If Dogs Run Free

I'm enjoying a quiet day off here - no zazen or other scheduled activities. Since...

December 2014

December 31, 2014

Happy New Year and May All Conditions Be Favorable

May all conditions be favorable! So ends our dedication at the end of "Wake-The-Heck-Up Morning...

December 29, 2014

Radical Vulnerability: The Three Sicknesses and Two Lights

In a recent New York Times' opinion piece, Against Invulnerability, Todd May takes a stand...

December 22, 2014

A Review of Kaz Tanahashi’s “The Heart Sutra: A Comprehensive Guide to the Classic of Mahayana Buddhism”

Kaz Tanahashi's new book is a treasure trove of Heart Sutra material, delightfully diverse and...

December 19, 2014

Is Zen a Religion?

When I was about sixteen, I confronted the Catholic priest in my little northern Minnesota...

November 2014

November 26, 2014

A Thanksgiving Prayer

May we all attain the way by giving the way to the way. May we...

November 18, 2014

Top Ten Issues for Zen Today

We've been settling into Portland, ME, since our move here in July. For one thing,...

November 08, 2014

On the Embalming Fluid of Orthodoxy

To the left you see Sengai's wonderful rendition of the old masters Linji and Mazu....

November 01, 2014

On Putting Unitive Awareness to Work in an Online Community

We're in the middle of a twelve-week practice period...

October 2014

October 13, 2014

Review of “Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion”

That's by Sam Harris and it's on the "New York Times Bestseller List" which I...

September 2014

September 30, 2014

Twelve Points for Zen Practice

The Buddha’s great discovery can be realized in this life....

September 23, 2014

A Letter from Low Tide

Dear blog reader, A few days ago, Tetsugan and I met our friends Melissa and...

September 02, 2014

Compassionate with Others, Strict with the Self

Today was the first day for morning zazen (aka, "Wake the Heck Up! Morning Zazen")...

August 2014

August 25, 2014

Guidelines for Studying the Way: Online Course Begins September 15th

Vine of Obstacles: Online Support for Zen Training is a new way of integrating zazen, dharma study...

August 18, 2014

Thirty Years a Zen Priest

Thirty years ago today, Nonin (front), Dokai (middle), and I went under with shukke tokudo...

August 15, 2014

How To Lose Friends & Alienate People: My On-going Failing Efforts to Express the Truth of the Shikantaza Koan

Myo Lahey, a San Francisco Zen trained Soto priest, has entered the shikantaza-koan fray with admirable spirit, offering a...

August 11, 2014

Dogen and Koan: The Ultimate Truly Definitive Unquestionable Smoking Gun

There is a long-standing debate in Soto Zen circles about Dogen and the use of...

August 07, 2014

Great Tides Zen Fall Program Offerings (and Beyond)

We've been enjoying the summer here in Portland, ME. One of the big highlights has...

August 05, 2014

Green Tea, Udon Noodles and Zen Study

In my last post I addressed the issue of why we've chosen to place "Guidelines...

August 04, 2014

Guidelines for Studying the Way – Why?

"...The code is more what you'd call 'guidelines' than actual rules." - Barbossa comment on the...

July 2014

July 27, 2014

We Are Alone, Snow All Over: Commentary on Dogen’s “Plum Blossoms” (Part 6)

What follows is the last installment of the "Plum Blossom" series based on talks that...

July 18, 2014

What is Earnest Vivid Sitting, How it’s Often Missed in American Zen, and Why it Matters

Big life event - retired in early June from a thirty-some year education career...

July 14, 2014

Settling Into Portland, Maine

Yeah, I really love that dog - face licks, though, I try to avoid. We're...

July 05, 2014

New Morning in Portland, Maine, the Great Perfection, Etc.

After a wiggly and leisurely trip from Moorhead, MN (where those people do talk a...