Greater Boston Zen Center Podcast

Julie Nelson speaks about the story of "Chiyono's No Water, No Moon." (January 13, 2023)

Julie Nelson speaks about taking the phrase "Are you afraid of this happiness?" as a koan through the day. (January 6, 2023)

Julie Nelson speaks about how framing the Buddha's Enlightenment as a story of a "hero going forth" hides other elements. (December 16, 2020; Rohatsu Sesshin; Dharma Discussion not recorded.)

Julie Nelson talks about how our affection for certain kinds of stories may distort our understanding of the Buddha's (and our own) enlightenment. (December 9, 2022)

Julie Nelson reflects on Wumen's verse about "walking freely in the universe." (December 2, 2022)

Julie Nelson reads and comments on the story "Ziyong's Earth," from The Hidden Lamp . (November 25, 2022)

Julie Nelson reads two passsages from the Tao Te Ching. (November 25, 2022)

Julie Nelson speaks about some the fruits of our practice. The text (abridged) is from Richard Rohr's book The Naked Now . (November 8, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives an encouragement talk based on Robert Sharf's essay, "The Looping Structure of Buddhist Thought." (November 5, 2022)

Ed Oberholtzer speaks about dedications of merit. (October 29, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives an encouragement talk about being able to ride out our upswings and downswings. (October 28, 2022)

James Peregrino speaks about the history and practice of kinhin, or walking meditation. (October 25, 2022)

Ed Oberholtzer speaks about our true home. (October 22, 2022)

Ben Connelly of the Minnesota Zen Meditation Center gives a guest talk at the Greater Boston Zen Center. His topic is practicing Yogacara Buddhism with Vasubandhu's Three Natures . (October 18, 2022)

Julie Nelson speaks about the question of what is transmitted in Zen teaching transmission. (October 15, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives an encouragement talk, sharing poems about really seeing just one particular thing. (October 14, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives an encouragement talk, reflecting on the third Pure Precept. (September 30, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives a talk, looking into the question "What does it mean to 'save all beings' when life includes suffering, and then you die?" (September 27, 2022)

Ed Oberholtzer speaks about Ikkyu, Jesus, and Bodhisattvas. (September 24, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives an encouragement talk, speaking about the fundamental joy that is at the heart of zazen. (September 23, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives an encouragement talk, speaking about listening, which will be a theme in the A Thousand Hands book study group. (September 16, 2022)

Jill Gaulding speaks about Zen and morality, and the viewpoint of a child. (September 13, 2022)

Julie Nelson speaks about our zendo forms (our rituals concerning how we walk, sit, chant, etc.), why we do them, and why we also investigate them. (A demo that may be hard to follow on audio begins at 17:30. Lively discussion resumes at 36:30). (September 10, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives an encouragement talk, speaking about bowing (especially at zoom sits). August 26, 2022

Julie Nelson speaks about Bodhidharma (the first ancestor of Zen in China) and his teachings. (August 20, 2022)