Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Wild Fox Zen

Home
Buddhist

2009-06-21T15:14:00-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A Snapper on the Road and Big Mind

Last updated on: June 21, 2009 at 3:14 pm By Dosho Port

This morning I sipped coffee on the deck and waited for the kids to get up to make Fathers’ Day breakfast. I picked up the Summer 2009 issue of Tricycle that a student had left for me. There I found a couple interesting letters to the editor about Big Mind, one from Seigaku Kigen Ekeson Osho and a response from Genpo Merzel. In about 1990, I participated in a week-long priest training with Maezumi Roshi at Dogen’s original temple, Koshoji,... Read more

Uncategorized

2009-06-21T09:04:00-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Whitewater Rafting

Last updated on: June 21, 2009 at 9:04 am By Dosho Port

On Saturday my kids and I went whitewater rafting on the St. Louis River up north near where I grew up. I have fond memories from my days as a boy on this river and so wanted to expose my kids to it. You can’t step in the same river twice, of course, but we had a great time. The top photo shows a small rapids, btw, with me cringing in the front. The Google Earth shot is of a... Read more

Uncategorized

2009-06-18T11:00:00-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Like an Egret Reflected in the Water … and Self Hatred

Last updated on: June 18, 2009 at 11:00 am By Dosho Port

I’m back into it today after a wonderful sesshin. Some reflections about that below. It’s my first day of summer break (wholehearted Whoopee!) so I get to focus work on some dharma projects, futz with the house, enjoy time with my rapidly growing kids (including the advanced practice of dodging teenager mud balls [or getting hit in the back of the head with “equanimity!”] ), connecting with some old friends, and taking a couple vacations too. Ahhh, sweet life. During... Read more

Uncategorized

2009-06-12T15:09:00-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Just Go Straight Ahead Sesshin

Last updated on: June 12, 2009 at 3:09 pm By Dosho Port

It’s been a transitional week here. The school year ended and I offered a meditation training for educators for the first time as part of my “coming-out-as-a-Zen-teacher party” in my work. And in a few hours we begin a five-day sesshin. Much of the prepatory work is done, including my selecting the teaching focus. I’ll be encouraging the participants to work with a classic Mahayana system that I discovered quite a while back while studying with Katagiri Roshi. Especially in... Read more

Uncategorized

2009-06-10T15:14:00-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

e-Interview on Sweeping Zen

Last updated on: June 10, 2009 at 3:14 pm By Dosho Port

Sweeping Zen The Definitive Site“A broad resource covering Zen and Buddhist topics: Biographies, glossary, Dharma videos, meditation instruction, Zen practice, history, quotes, and more!” Here’s a resource that I just learned about. It seems to be just getting started and shows promise. You’ll find some good stuff, including a zazen instructions video (that I’ll link to in my summer blog overhaul) to help those new to this practice. Under “media” you’ll find e-interviews of James Ford, Barry Magid, and one... Read more

Uncategorized

2009-06-09T08:03:00-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Step Up Into Your Purpose

Last updated on: June 9, 2009 at 8:03 am By Dosho Port

(Photo from Bald Eagle Lake, 6/8/09: New reeds burst forth into the space of the remains of last year’s reeds.) The school year is done today. Phew! and whoopee!I work in a school for teens with “behavior issues” and yesterday at our awards ceremony when I was introduced as the “lead teacher,” a student called out, “Port ain’t no teacher, he be the re-enforcer.” Now the young man may have meant, “the enforcer” because my role is much like the... Read more

Uncategorized

2009-06-07T18:16:00-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Do You Feel Affection for Your Life?

Last updated on: June 7, 2009 at 6:16 pm By Dosho Port

A good friend for more than 30 years came out for dinner last night. We first met when we studied together with Katagiri Roshi and our friendship has endured. One of my friend’s great gifts is his capacity to ask questions. And that’s how we became good friends. In the early 80’s we worked together one day digging some of the post holes for a big tent platform that became the zendo still standing at Hokyoji. We were supposed to... Read more

Uncategorized

2009-06-05T13:00:00-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Doing Inside Out, Outside In

Last updated on: June 5, 2009 at 1:00 pm By Dosho Port

Usually on Fridays I post a summary of the discussion from our Thursday night Dogen study. Last night we spend more time sharing capping phrases and discussing an article from the NYTimes (I’ll probably blog about it soon), to do the much of the planned Genjokoan summary. So instead I’ll discuss another angle on practicing our insights. A Zen teacher friend recently pointed out the following passage from Dogen’s Instructions for the Zen Cook: Getting to eat a single grain... Read more

Uncategorized

2009-06-03T12:14:00-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

You Have To Say Something; Sit Down and Shut Up; and On Knocking the Old Teachers Off Their Pedestals

Last updated on: June 3, 2009 at 12:14 pm By Dosho Port

In our Dogen study group, a student mentioned how Dogen often seems hell bent on knocking the old teachers off their pedestals. He further seemed to be suggesting that Dogen is the ultimate authority. Take the following passage, for example, where he assails his old nemesis, Dahui (although my personal favorite is when he calls various Zen saints “dreg slurping dogs”): Some stupid illiterates say…. This view does not compare with that of the scholastics of the Lesser Vehicle; it... Read more

Uncategorized

2009-06-01T16:35:00-06:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Reflecting on the Historical Dogen: Don’t Trust Anyone!

Last updated on: June 1, 2009 at 4:35 pm By Dosho Port

Blog Consumer Warning: This post is especially for Dogen-ophiles! Others read at your own risk. However great his personal religious charisma while alive, Dogen was never prominent. After his death, he soon faded into obscurity. He would have remained forgotten but for several specific ritual techniques that brought his memory back to life, imbued it with mythic qualities, and then exploited its power. William Bodiford writes the above as part of his introduction to “Remembering Dogen: Eiheiji and Dogen Hagiography”... Read more

Uncategorized

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Commanded to go to Nineveh, I fled in the opposite direction on a ship to Tarshish. Who am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Hosea Jonah Jeremiah Elijah

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 August 2021 June 2021 April 2021 February 2021 January 2021 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 August 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 December 2016 October 2016 June 2016 April 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 August 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Buddhist