The 5 Remembrances Today I want to talk about a short teaching from the Buddhist tradition called the Five Remembrances. They’re called “remembrances” because they’re not meant to be philosophical ideas we agree with once and move on. They’re meant to be remembered—returned to again and again—because they describe the basic conditions of being human. […]

Our Shared Earth: A Practice of Interdependence On April 22, the world celebrated Earth Day, and despite concerns about what we’re facing as a planet, it’s easy to feel there is not much we can do as things seem to have gone so far in the wrong direction. It can feel overwhelming at times, and […]

Enlightenment:  Dialogue between a student and teacher.  Student: “What is Enlightenment?”    Teacher: “Before Enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.  After Enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” said  Zen Master Pang  8th century. This is a famous Zen saying often used as a koan given to Zen sudents to be solved. What does that mean? If nothing […]

Karma demystified                 In Zen, karma (literally "action") is stripped of its more mystical , divine or multi birth-death reincarnation cycles found in other spiritual traditions such as genuine  Buddhism: Instead, Zen focuses on the immediate, psychological, and practical application of this factual concept.              Here is how karma is traditionally understood within Zen teaching: 1. Cause […]

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness: Mindfulness of the Body In one of the foundational Buddhist scriptures, the Buddha instructs the practitioners on what he calls the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. He presents them as an effective path for those who wish to deepen their practice and make genuine progress towards liberation. According to the Buddha, […]