I gave this Dharma Talk on June 29, 2024, during my stay at the Orginal Light Zen Temple (zentemple.eu). Please forgive the choppy edit. The talk was translated into Hungarian by Chong An Sunim as I spoke, so most of the translation was edited out. Hence, the unnatural pauses. Deep gratitude to Chong An Sunim and the Original Light Zen Temple Sangha for supporting and caring for Charlene and me during our stay.
Category Archives: Events
Workshops, Retreats, Talks
Temple Life
Dear Sangha, Charlene and I are at the end of our first week at Orginal Light Zen Temple. Very welcoming and wonderful Sangha. We love it here! I would like to share a poem that Charlene wrote about daily temple life. A Gentle Awakening The 4 A.M. sunrise illuminates the crown of the yurt. Then, morning birdsong. A solo recital. The 5 A.M. Zen drum beckons. And so it begins. Shoes on shoes off, shoes on shoes off, shoes on […]
Taking June 2024 Off for a Personal Retreat
Last year, I took a month off in August for a personal retreat. This year, I will take a month off in June. There will be no practice sessions in June 2024. I will be in Budapest, Hungary from Thursday, June 6th through Sunday, June 9th for an advanced meditation retreat at the Original Light Zen Temple that will be led by Zen Master Chong An Sunim. I will also be traveling with Chong An Sunim and his family after […]
Retreat In Nature, 11/18/2023 – Photo Gallery
Thank you, wonderful retreat participants! You all made our retreat and precepts ceremony an auspicious and meaningful experience.
One Day In November
All Buddhas, in all the Buddha worlds, be present for this special day in November, a truly auspicious day! The OZS Silent Retreat Day – Nov. 18, 2023. This will be our third All Day Silent Retreat at Myakka River State Park. Come and join us for a day of peace and rejuvenation in nature. No previous experience with meditation is necessary. There will also be a Precepts Ceremony at the end of the retreat. Please register here, as space is […]
November 18th, All Day Retreat & Precepts
Good Friends, I would like to remind you that we are a month away from our All Day Silent Retreat at Myakka River State Park. Come and join us for this wonderful experience. No previous experience with meditation is necessary and an intro on how to meditate will be available. We will start promptly at 10:00 a.m. Arrive one-half hour early for the intro. The retreat will be in silence. There will be several sitting and walking meditations during the day, […]
News and updates – 10/1/23
Good Friends, Our ‘Silent Retreat in Nature‘ is getting closer and if you haven’t registered yet, I encourage you to do so! I want to especially congratulate those who have signed up for the precepts ceremony. The ceremony will be at the end of the retreat and I will be interviewing each participant during the day. When your time comes, someone will let you know. Nothing scary about the interview, just want to have a moment with each of the […]
OZS All-day Silent Retreat At Myakka River State Park,11-18-23
The next Retreat in Nature will be Saturday, November 18, 2023 Join us at Myakka River State Park for the Ordinary Zen Sangha all-day silent retreat! The natural setting surrounded by the beauty of nature will help us to relax, reflect, and renew ourselves. We will start promptly at 10:00 am (arrive early). There will be several sitting and walking meditations during the day, Dharma Talks, and a vegetarian/vegan potluck lunch. Tea will be served. The retreat will be over […]
Hui-neng leads us to water, but we must drink it.
Our study of the platform sutra only leads us to our own minds, nowhere else, no other Buddha. ‘Each of us must practice ourselves. No one else can do it for us. Nor can any text take our place‘ It isn’t that the teaching is direct or not, sudden or gradual. ‘The teaching is simply so. When we finally understand it, it appears direct because it is right in front of us. When we don’t understand it, it appears indirect […]
OZS News for Summer 2023
Schedule Changes Our practice session for Sunday, June 18, 2023 (Father’s Day) has been canceled. At OZS, once a month we encourage a Sangha member to give the Dharma talk. The Dharma talk for Wednesday, June 21, 2023, will be given by Sangha member, Serena Olsen. In July, a Dharma talk will be given by Nick Dow. The date TBD. (The Dharma talks may be podcast, if the presenter agrees to it.) This year, I plan to take time off […]