Friends, For the last few years, I have been taking the month of August off for some personal time. This year, it will be September. I will be in North Carolina from August 25, 2025, through September 28th, 2025. There will be no OZS Practice sessions during this time. Our in-person and Zoom practice sessions will continue in October. I will also be scheduling our yearly fall Silent Retreat at Myakka River State Park on a Saturday in November. I […]
Dharma Talk Videos
Dharma Talk videos on YouTube are from our practice sessions.
I have no words, a walk down the road of habit
I have no words. There’s nothing I can give you that you don’t already have. There’s nothing I can add to what you already are. So we use words because we’ve forgotten who we are in our ignorance. We walk down the road of habit energy, it drags us along like a chain, and we struggle. As we go down the path of getting to know ourselves, we discover that there are options for us that we didn’t think we […]
Wisdom Through The Ages
Being authentic, genuine, and reflecting true wisdom.
Surrendering to Original Nature
Bearing witness instead of turning your back on life.
Lost in the Weeds, Where is your Zen Compass
Dropping off body, mind.
Sitting like your hair is on fire
I have often said that our meditation practice is “sitting like our hair is on fire”. What does this mean? Baring witness in your Zazen, you continually add the fuel of deluded views and thinking to the fire of “Don’t Know.” Then the Lotus blooms in the fire of “Don’t Know”.
Awakening, What Is It?
Smile as the mockingbird sings.
Alles Ist Gut
When distinctions drop away, “alles ist gut”
Dancing in Emptiness, Community Action
Empathy and compassion in everyday life.
Where Are You Right Now?
The Ordinary Zen Sangha discusses our Zen practice. Is zazen the whole experience?
The Action of No Action, True Zen
Non-violent resistance, what is it?
The Middle Way
What is this? There is nothing to gain.











