Impermanence

Impermanence is one of the unalterable marks of conditioned existence. Let’s just call it change. It’s an awareness practice that’s always at hand. We can appreciate how different each moment is from the moment before. Conditions change and condition what...

Serving the Sangha Jewel

The Sangha jewel is the third of the Three Treasures, along with Buddha and Dharma, that functions to support awakening altogether to the richness of life on this particular path. We need each other, we sit zazen together, we maintain the building and grounds, work...

Dogen’s Eight Awakenings

There are many teachings in the Zen Buddhist tradition. Taking up any one as a way of life will access them all, guiding us in the direction of wisdom and kindness. Dogen’s Eight Awakenings of Great Beings is an example of these. In eight brief prompts he reminds us...

Song of Lovingkindness

We are ending our morning service these days with the Song of Lovingkindness which goes like this: May you dwell in the heart. May you be free from suffering. May you be healed. May you be at peace. This is accompanied by a drum beat that sounds like a human...

Direct Awareness

Daily life is direct and immediate. Media sources are not. It’s so important to remember this as we aim to be responsible citizens and keep up with what’s unfolding in the public sphere. Reading the news on-line can catapult us into a swirl of anxiety, mental...