The OzZen Podcast

We seem to be caught in the habit of running from one thing to another. When we do this, the next moment will not provide freedom from this urgency. Here we practice together, breathing in “coming home”, breathing out “arriving”. Learning to resist the urge to react, we can become settled in restful attention. We also notice what happens when we stop running and slow down.

This talk explores some of the history and mythology behind the development of zazen (including Shikantaza or just sitting) meditation, and how it has been described as a way of practice. Broadly following the historical timeline of Zen development, it draws on several key sources such as Red Pine’s translations of Bodhidharma’s sermons and the work of Guo Gu on Chinese Chan ‘silent illumination’...

In this guided meditation we will be exploring the Japanese aesthetic philosophy of wabi sabi and how we can integrate it into our just-sitting practice. Wabi is about finding beauty in imperfection, simplicity, things that are aged and broken and cracked. Sabi is the appreciation of the beauty of impermanence and transience and the kind of melancholy feeling which comes with that which is kind of...

This guided meditation explores our core practice of just-sitting and the encouragement to leave everything alone. Even though we're in different geographical locations with different visuals, different sounds, we share very similar bodies. One thing all humanity has in common is breathing. We all share that together. Welcome the breath. Become one with the breath, our constant companion and frien...

Christianity has the star of Bethlehem. We have the morning star. There is nothing special or supernatural about our morning star, yet the morning star is perfect just as it is, and it twinkles and changes from moment to moment – and we are all just like that morning star! During this guided meditation I will take you on a metaphorical journey through three phases of Zazen as we sink deeper and de...

Once you have recognized and claimed your home, and have begun to find yourself at home in it, then you are able to open the doors generously to the entire universe, welcoming everyone in with warmth and hospitality, sharing the abundant treasures therein with all beings who come your way – Ruben L. F. Habito Many Zen teachers, when describing the transformation brought about by zazen, draw upon t...

THE CASE Wu-Tsu said, “Sakyamuni and Maitreya are servants of another. Tell me, who is that other?” WU-MEN’S COMMENT If you can see this other and distinguish him or her clearly, then it is like encountering your father at the crossroads. You will not need to ask somebody whether or not you’re right. WU-MEN’S VERSE Don’t draw another’s bow; Don’t ride another’s horse; Don’t discuss another’s fault...

The title of today’s contemplation “our original face is always changing” comes from the story of the sixth ancestor, Eno, retold in case 23 of The Gateless Barrier collection of koans: “Don’t think good, don’t think evil. At this very moment, what is the original face of Ming the head monk?” “What is your original face before your parents were born?” In other words, just sit and your original fac...

Yogacara part four by

This guided meditation explores our personal relationship with mistakes. Mistakes are a fertile ground for learning. Dogen says ‘Life is one continuous mistake.’ Changing our attitude to our mistakes can change our life. Mistakes are exactly the path.

In this guided meditation we explore what is it to do zen practice together and to wake up together. in supporting each others practice, we support our own; in practicing together we discover our uniqueness within the simultaneous discovery of how important we are to each other.

Denkai Talk: New York, Nov 15 2014 by

In this lecture/discussion, Sono gives some background detail on the “three turnings of the wheel”, culminating in Yogacara. He also comments on the meaning of three natures and compares it with western phenomenology.

This morning, we will be contemplating our finitude and how by facing and embracing our finitude, we can learn to live a life full of appreciation and meaning.

Nonkilling: Life is nonkilling. The seed of buddha grows continuously. Maintain the wisdom-life of buddha and do not kill life – Dogen Zenji Appreciate your life – Maezumi Roshi

In this lecture today, we will first review the discussion about the “three natures” that I introduced last month from the work of the Yogacara philosopher, Vasubandhu. Then we will begin to discuss a contemporary philosophical school called Phenomenology and its similarities to Yogacara. We will then finish today’s lecture by reading and discussing a chapter from Joko Beck’s first book called Exp...

Shinsho directs us home in this beautifully crafted guided meditation: A magnificent round full moon is rising before you and the path ahead is well lit. You have arrived home. ‘Walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet’ says Thich. We have caused a lot of damage to the earth. Now is time to walk home with love. It is only possible if we do not constantly think of the future or the past....

THE CASE: The priest Jui-yen called “Master!” to himself every day and answered himself “Yes!” Then he would say “Be aware!” and reply “Yes!” “Don’t be deceived by others!” “No, no!”" (from "The Gateless Barrier: The Wu-Men Kuan (Mumonkan)" by Robert Aitken) This is good practice for everyday life. He is basically calling out the name Master! And the key is the effortless immediacy of the response...

In this lecture we sample the Yogacara teachings of Vasubandhu called the Treatise on the Three Natures, which form the philosophical backbone of Yogacara. So, what are the three natures? They are three interrelated aspects of our experience: the imaginary, dependent and complete or realised nature. In a nutshell they are: The imaginary nature of things is what we think they are. Their dependent n...

Leave Everything Alone is a guided meditation on our core practice – the simple art of “just sitting”. I will leave lots of space and silence in-between my words. Just-sitting is the practice of non-doing – Wu Wei in Chinese. Effortless. No need to cultivate. If you are efforting you are straying away from the way. It is simply surrendering to the immediacy of our natural functioning.

This is the first of a series of talks on precept practice given by OzZen teachers and facilitators. This talk focuses on how to practice a nondual psychologically minded approach to the precepts influenced by the teaching of Bernie Glassman, Nancy Mujo Baker and Barry Magid.

In this sixth episode in the series Indian Buddhist Philosophy: Progressive Stages of Insight into Emptiness, Sono discusses the Two Truths of Nagarjuna, the important insight into the “emptiness” of emptiness and how these philosophical insights shape how we practice.

Meditation: A Still Forest Pool, by Shinsho by

Zen Buddhism can be understood as a form of performance art. In this recording, Sono performs the song by the 17th century monk Hakuin, called “Song of Zazen”.

How does our practice help with this work? When we come from love rather than anger and fear, without creating enemies, we avoid anxiety and burnout. We can rely on our zazen practice to step back and see clearly with a compassionate lens. Together with the fundamental truths of Buddhism, this allows us then to step up and into wise action as is required in any given moment.