Weekly Dharma Talk with Zen Master Gosung Shin 1.24.2015

When I first began my practice, I was fortunate to spend time with the Korean Zen Master Gosung Shin (I lived on the American Zen Center grounds for 10 years).  Two days ago I learned from an old friend (who I had not talked to in over 15 years) that there were some video’s on YouTube from 2014 and 2015 of Gosung Shin. How wonderful! This Dharma talk is typical of the Saturday lectures. How grateful I am to have known […]

Silent Illumination – The Awakened Heart

I sometimes refer to our meditation practice by different names. It is called zazen, just sitting, shikantaza or silent illumination. These are just names that point at what we do when we get on the cushion. “Silent Illumination” best describes our meditation practice. I first learned the term “Silent Illumination” from a book titled “The Method of No-Method” by Chan Master Sheng Yen. Master Sheng Yen described Silent Illumination as another name for Shamatha-Vipashyana, a meditative practice of stilling the mind […]

The bots working your mind

There is a saying “Don’t believe everything you think!“.  Here are two articles that advise us on how to be better at distinguishing the real from the fake. We all need to know how to spot a social media bot spreading fake news. Read this very informative article to understand how “bots” are working social media now. “Not knowing” is described by Wendy Egyoku Nakao Roshi as “the letting go of fixed ideas about yourself, others, and the universe” in her Tricycle […]

Ordinary Zen Retreat Schedule

Silent Illumination an Ordinary Zen Sangha Retreat Sunday November 6, 2016 10:30am – 4:00pm Retreats offer a rare occasion to deepen one’s zen practice and commitment to the path. This silent retreat is open to anyone, however some previous experience with zen meditation is helpful. There is no fee, however donations are accepted ($10.00 suggested amount). A potluck* lunch will be served. Please RSVP as space is limited. You may email me at onezenzoo@gmail.com for more information and to RSVP.  Schedule: 10:30am — […]

The Heart Sutra

The Maha Prajna Paramita Hrdaya Sutra The Heart of Great Perfect Wisdom Sutra The Venerable Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, performing his meditation in the deep Prajna Paramita, clearly saw that there are five skandhas, and these by their nature are empty. Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form. What is form is emptiness, what is emptiness is form. The same is true of sensations, perceptions, conception and knowledge. Shariputra, all dharmas have the character of emptiness; […]