Being in a summer state of mind, with all the fresh farm produce being harvested around me, I went to one of my favorite Zen poetry books for this month’s quotes, appropriately titled A Zen Harvest. Enjoy the rich bounty! On my way to you A thousand miles become one: Across the wide rice [...]
As the days pass, you will have begun to practice your breathing and homed in on a quiet corner or two. You can now begin to extend your breathing practice. Once you settle into your corner, sit down in a comfortable, relaxed position. You can sit on cushions on the floor or sit upright in [...]
You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope. Thomas Merton If we are not intentional and mindful in our work, then [...]
My heart is heavy with sadness today about what we humans do to each other. Here is some ancient wisdom from Buddha that I hope will inspire all of us to be kinder. TWIN VERSES Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels [...]
Find the Time Desire is the only requirement necessary to find the time. But find the time we must. Otherwise, all intention of finding a quiet corner will remain in our heads as just another good idea. Probably one-quarter of my memory bank was filled with such notions—creative ideas that sat idly by waiting for [...]
This is another truly delightful mindfulness practice. In the Zen Buddhist tradition, meals are ritualized and taken in silence. Chants that invite mindfulness and gratitude are recited, and no one begins eating until everyone is served. Only as much as can be eaten is taken. No one goes hungry. No one overeats. During the meal, [...]
I recently re-read Natalie Goldberg’s book Writing Down the Bones, in preparation for a meditation writing retreat with her at the Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe at the end of this month—a birthday present to myself. I first read it in 1996 when I spent three weeks with her at Ghost Ranch on my [...]
Buddha said of himself and his monks: “When we walk, we know we are walking.” This is a beautiful practice and one of the simplest and most immediately rewarding and instructive. It is both grounding and freeing. The benefits suit our need for immediate gratification, because they begin to appear with the first step. And [...]
A Wild Goose A wild goose Passing the length of the sky Casts a shadow Into the cold water The goose has no idea Of leaving a trace, The water no consciousness Of the shadow sinking through. Zen Phrase The spring flowers, the autumn moon; Summer breezes, winter snow. [...]
With spring on its way, the ground thawing, and perennial green matter ready to reveal itself again, a few of my favorite poetries rise to the surface of my mind. Crocuses by Toinette Lippe An enlightened being should develop a mind that alights on nothing whatsoever. The Diamond Sutra Moonlight penetrates To the [...]
