Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

Send us Fan Mail Most of us give wanting something back in return. And to hold onto it tightly. Our generosity revolves around ourselves, feeling what's in it for me? This is not generosity but simply barter. As we hunger for a reward we are not aware of what we are receiving constantly and that nothing belongs to us. The flow of life brings what it does and then takes it. When we can give wi...

Send us Fan Mail So many are searching for the truth. There are endless pathways, talks, books, practices. which can be comforting and fulfilling, but are they real for us? Do we say one thing and live another? There is one sure way which cannot fail and is open to everyone. Live truly and you will see truly. Be true to yourself and one another. We can only see what we are. We can only receive wha...

Send us Fan Mail We are so occupied with pulling up the weeds in our lives, discarding that which no longer works or makes us happy and replacing it with something shiny and new. Including people. But that never works. There is no such thing as garbage, each weed is a treasure, and can fertilize the soil of our lives. Letting go can never take place fully, until we are able to honor, respect and a...

Send us Fan Mail We all want friends, closeness, true connection. And yet, conditions change. A dear friend may have to leave, or a relationship suddenly alters. That which we hoped would last forever, departs. Yet, there is a True Friend for all of us, and once we encountered them, we can never be alone again. Where is this True Friend, how can we find them? Support the show

Send us Fan Mail We all hold onto that which we love and makes us feel secure. When change comes we struggle to keep things the same. But this struggle itself takes our peace from us and keeps us insecure. In this podcast we offer a new way to deal with the Tides of Change, one that inevitably brings peace and security. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Many of us have a dread of being alone, not wanted or included. We live our lives to fit in, gain praise and approval. But living this way something is missing. The One who walks alone does not live an imitation life. He/She is able to live the life given to them, in his own footsteps, expressing his true nature. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail We usually think we are living in Reality and all is stable and safe. But when sudden change comes and our anchors are swept away, this is a precious moment. A larger view of Reality is revealed, and what is possible. Koan practice is the same. Find out how we can open our lives to all we are meant to be.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail We all cling to something, depend upon it to keep us strong and secure. But change is inevitable, and when it happens, many feel lost.  Find out how to let go of the leaning, depending mind and remain, strong, balanced and resourceful no matter what is going on. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Zen is the "Wholehearted Relinquishment of Delusion".. What is delusion and how does it cause us so much pain and dissatisfaction in our lives? And, how can the simple joy of letting a long breath be long and a short breath short, heal us of our sorrows? When we learn how to let life live, and let ourselves live as well, balance and joy are naturally restored.  Support t...

Send us Fan Mail This  is a season of moving to freedom, leaving pain, confusion and despair behind. But how to do it? We search for the answer, when all the time there is an open door right in front of us, a perfect way to go forward, new possibilities, a different life.    Support the show

Send us Fan Mail We are all on a great journey, but to where? We carefully chart our course of action, and focus upon achieving goals. Yet there is another kind of action possible right in the midst of our daily lives. This action takes us to another place, opens our hearts, puts us in touch with the limitless, vastness of life. .  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Many feel empty inside and run to others to fill them up, help, strength. But a great Zen Master told a searching monk. "I wish I could give you the world, but in the Zen school we don't have a thing." See how not having a thing, not clinging and possessing gives you all you have been longing for. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Everyone wants to be smart, to know what this world is and how to behave effectively. We want to be safe, happy and at ease. Yet, thinking we truly understand something, closes the door to on going wonder, exploration and true discovery. The changing world becomes frozen and fixed, and we miss the great joy of allowing life to reveal itself, bringing wonderful possibilities along....

Send us Fan Mail All of us are seeking the way out of confusion. We wonder how to proceed in life, or how to find the right person to guide us. It's as if the path is somewhere else, and that we don't have all that we need right now. We ignore simple moments and those we see all the time. This teaching points in another direction, honoring the great way to move on. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail We can easily become obsessed with finding the faults of others and dwelling upon them. Not only does this us disheartened and upset, it prevents us from seeing what is truly important. Not only do we then bring out the negativity in others, but we lose the ability to see ourselves and our deeds and how to take the next steps in our lives.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail March is a time of transition, the month between winter and spring. In Zen we March On, muster great determination, but also great resilience and ease. As we take a step upon a road, it becomes clear that we are exactly where we belong at the moment, just must be willing to be there fully. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail We all receive so  many competing invitations to pay attention to this or that. It's easy for our focus to become split, and our energy depleted as we go through the day. But Zen offers a wonderful antidote. It shows us how to reclaim ourselves and  stop squandering our lives. How to be compete and whole. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Much of our lives is run by our hunger for praise and fear of blame. These two dominate our actions and erode our relationships. We fear being natural and honest, trying new things and growing. Zen practice suggests that we let go of both praise and blame and stand in the truth of who we all are. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Valentine's Day is here, and we all want to be loved, thanked, remembered. If we are not, sadness follows and disappointment. But let's look at the true nature of love. Are we in love with the real person in front of us, or a fantasy of our own? When we can know everything about a person and still love them, that is love. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail The moment something happens we react, and one reaction breeds another. Our good mood and balance disappear, along with our connection to our own reality.. But  when we do not live on automatic, are able to respond constructively from the true person living within. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Most of us want so much from others. And whatever we get is not enough. Craving develops along with resentment. But it's  easy to break out of that trrap. This podcast offers a simple Zen teaching which provides a whole new way to feel nourished, connected and complete.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail So many of us crave approval, acceptance and to belong. We then create an Ideal Self and strive to be someone we're not. But the difference between Real and Ideal Selves causes endless conflict and pain. However, as we learn how to nourish, discover and love the Real Self, a whole new life appears. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail We're always waiting for the perfect day, weather, person,home or job to appear.  Once that happens, everything will fall into place. But after one problem is solved another pops up. Find out how to step out of the loop of struggle, problems and discover the perfection that is here right now. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail These days we are confronted with so many dreams, possibilities, questions, illusions, how can we know what is real and return to it in our lives? This episode shows how to go back to the Reality of Life, and live in a way that is dynamic, open and constructive, no matter what is going on. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail We all wish each other Happy New Year! But how do we truly make the new year new? There is a great and simple secret to experience a really fresh and lively New Year. It is not that events have to suit your liking! It is that You have to become New. It is up to You to greet your life differently. Let's explore how.  Support the show