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Q&A: Sharing the Dharma with Children, Mindfulness, and a Posture Mistake
Episode 308
In this episode I answer listener questions: How do you address the dharma and practice with young kids? If I'm trying to be mindful on work breaks, should I just go cold turkey and not look at my ph…
Published on 4 months ago
Dana, the Paramita of Generosity: Buddhist Teachings on Giving (1 of 3)
Episode 307
Dana, generosity or giving, is the first Mahayana Buddhist paramita. Generosity is where the journey to self-transcendence begins. In this first episode on Dana, I give an overview of the Buddha's te…
Published on 4 months, 1 week ago
Teisho: Ordinary Mind Is the Way, Never Apart from This Very Place
Episode 306
This is a teisho - kind of like a cross between a Dharma Talk and guided meditation. I hope my words will point you toward how the Great Matter - that which we seek to awaken to and manifest - is nev…
Published on 4 months, 2 weeks ago
Dharma Foundations: Truths to Rely on No Matter What
Episode 305
Religions and spiritual paths are meant to give you strength and help you find meaning. Many people derive strength and meaning through faith in an all-powerful God who works in mysterious ways but u…
Published on 4 months, 4 weeks ago
Supporting the Zen Practice of People with Physical Challenges (2 of 2)
Episode 304
In this episode I make the case for accommodations for people with physical challenges, even in sesshin, and then describe a number of tried and tested ways Sanghas can do this. I finish by talking a…
Published on 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Supporting the Zen Practice of People with Physical Challenges (1 of 2)
Episode 303
People with extra physical challenges - disabilities, chronic illnesses, or advanced age - often find it impossible to participate fully in Zen practice without special accommodations. Seated meditat…
Published on 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Q&A: Standing Up for What's Right, and Zazen Versus Dissociation and Trance
Episode 302
In this extemporaneous Q&A episode, I address these questions: What is the responsibility of Buddhists to stand for what is right? What is the difference between the Buddhist goal of "detaching from …
Published on 5 months, 4 weeks ago
Teisho: You Have to See Your Nature
Episode 301
This episode is a Teisho, an encouragement talk that's meant to be listened to while you are sitting quietly. Zen teachers give Teisho during sesshin, and this amounts to a more formal kind of Dharma…
Published on 6 months, 2 weeks ago
One Reality, Many Descriptions Part 6: Trikaya, the Three Bodies of Buddha
Episode 300
The teaching of the Trikaya, or Three Bodies of Buddha, is challenging. It may seem to be metaphysical speculation or surprisingly theistic for Buddhism. However, it offers a unique and valuable fram…
Published on 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Q&A: Revisiting Veganism and Moral Choices, and Questions about Shikantaza
Episode 299
In this extemporaneous question-and-answer episode I address a listener's comment on my answer in a recent Q&A episode about the relationship between Buddhism and eating a plant-based diet. Then I re…
Published on 7 months ago