by Abby Mushin Terris | Dec 10, 2020
The more I look into the story of the Buddha’s life the more I appreciate the profound simplicity and depth of his primary teaching of the Middle Way. He grew up surrounded by all the luxuries that his time and exalted worldly position could offer. And yet as a human...
by Abby Mushin Terris | Dec 4, 2020
An out-of-season dandelion puff brought to mind how anywhere I am, and everything around me, expresses the dharma. The very form of the puff is an analog of impermanence, interdependence and no-self. This puff functions so beautifully to load the seeds for the next...
by Abby Mushin Terris | Nov 15, 2020
There are many of you who are instrumental in keeping our Zen center up and running, helping to sustain our practice opportunities. I want to express my gratitude to all of you. In this season that is so challenging (and always!), it’s a good time to acknowledge...
by Abby Mushin Terris | Nov 6, 2020
As we continue to work our way finally through the national election drama, I find the practice of metta is gaining new significance for me. Metta, loving kindness, or just plain kindness, is an immediate balm to anxiety and tension. The phrases, “May I be free from...
by Abby Mushin Terris | Oct 31, 2020
We hear a lot of outcry about wanting our freedom. What is freedom for you? For some, it’s freedom to love whomever we love. For some it’s freedom to hate whomever we hate – to exclude, to insult, to harm. The blatant selfishness that is meant by individual...
by Abby Mushin Terris | Oct 24, 2020
Taking a walk can bring you back to an equanimous mind, liberated from thinking that’s wracked by the competing mental narratives that push and pull and can contaminate our hearts. Recall your loving heart. Practice equanimity, and be aware of the whole in the...
