novembre 2008
Enter where you are
Another busy day: work, appointments, house chores, Métro rides, sitting group, meals... When sitting I see the revolution at hand. I see how this Zen practice is subversive. I love it! Think of the 9th-century [...]
Peter Matthiessen, true man of no rank
Peter Muryo Matthiessen Roshi, a successor of Bernie Glassman Roshi in our White Plum lineage, was awarded the prestigious National Book Award in New York last night for his novel "Shadow Country," a revision of [...]
Life is unconventional
Here is Giacometti pinned on my bulletin board sculpting, his one intention being, as Yves Bonnefoy notes, "exhumer des aspects visibles l'invisible de la présence" (to exhume from the visible aspects the invisible presence) of [...]
Hotei’s bag
The wild and wandering Zen master Hotei was confronted in a marketplace by another Zen master, who asked him to present his understanding of the Zen teachings. Hotei put down his bag. The other master [...]
Portugal is a thought away
Back from Portugal, a journey across five days, two countries, many encounters old and new. In Lisbon, up hills and down, along the river, then into the deepening night where I am pressed with questions [...]
Obama, the most perfect union
It's a new day. Can't let this marvelous moment go by without a word or two. Obama's election brings tears of joy to my eyes in front of the computer at 5:30 a.m. My country's [...]
octobre 2008
The art of Zen: A humbling lesson
The art of Zen is none other than the art of life. As Brando so aptly noted, Hamlet's soliloquy, Act III, Scene 2, says it all: "Let your own discretion be your tutor. Suit the [...]
Easy Rider
A conference at the Cinémathèque was billed as "A cinema lesson," given by the actor/director/counterculture hero Dennis Hopper. It ends up being Hopper just chatting about Hopper and his (famous) buddies. Not much about the [...]
The finest place
Afternoon is in its final retreat. Evening is enveloping the city. Today I went out for an appointment, ran errands, then returned. Soon, after cooking, I'll be leaving again. The best place is always where [...]
What I want?
It's a quiet night now after the busy day. I see I'm anticipating more of that dailyness in the week ahead. Is that what I want? As Joyce said, "I'm like a blind man walking [...]
Untwisting a pretzel
Question from a colleague: How can I make the benefits of practice remain with me throughout my day at the office? That is, how can I not become caught up in the tensions and frictions [...]
Boundlessness
Boundlessness, the Heart Sutra says, is the nature of all things. The limits, too, are limitless. That is, I am not limited by the limits of my boundless body. I go to sleep at night, [...]
septembre 2008
Every leaf is a sudden fall
A runny nose has caught up with me in this season of fading away. The sidewalks in Paris are paved with a golden dropping off. One by one, every leaf is a sudden fall. As [...]
Don’t seek it in anything at all
It's Friday night. They're still taking sides across the Atlantic. Which calls for more from Vimalakirti: "Therefore, Shariputra, if one would be a seeker of the dharma, one must not seek it in anything at [...]
The universe is everywhere
Autumn now. Day remains broad, but under threat of darkness (everything is illuminated by the hang of it) there is constantly no way out: The universe is everywhere at this very sliver of a moment.
Nothing to lose
Beware of falling markets! Beware of rising markets! Better to have nothing at all than to have something good.
Neither near nor far
The garden wilder than ever today, Sunday morning wind seems to whip even the sun here and there. Is something ending or beginning? September is neither near nor far. What season is it? This one. [...]
The essential seat
After this month away from writing here, I return with the essential: As Master Dogen said, "Why give up your own seat and wander about in the dusty realms of foreign countries?" If we don't [...]
juillet 2008
A week in retreat
Heading off to retreat in Portugal. Thus stillness visits for a week in the absence of words here. Yet the coming and going is open-ended. And presence is neither here nor there. How sweet it [...]
Zen retreat in France/retraite Zen en France
There is still space for the weeklong retreat with the Wild Flower Sangha in France (Normandy)/Il reste de la place pour la retraite d'une semaine en France (Normandie) avec le Wild Flower Sangha: August 23-30/ [...]
Alexis says:
Alexis says:
Alexis says: