What makes a good friend according to the Buddhist teachings? Because we need good friends along the spiritual path, the Buddha offered clear guidance on what is needed to see and to be that friend for others.
Read MoreThe Ocean Mind Sangha’s first Jukai ceremony—listen to and join in as Brian Pontolilo formally commits to a life guided by the ethical teachings of Buddhism with his teacher Zuisei, and the sangha.
Read MoreZuisei offers the most powerful way to face the heart of loneliness and to shed the ignorance that sustains it.
Read MoreTake a deep dive into another aspect of Zen training that prepares us to be present in our lives—koan study. This talk draws on Zen Master Dogen’s Case 114, Zhaozhou’s Dog: Does a dog have Buddha Nature?
Read MoreCould your next meal be a celebration of the sacred, no matter where or with whom? This mondo on mindful eating dives into the many ways we relate to food in light of Buddhist practice, from eating disorders and the art of parenting, to dinner parties and dining alone.
Read MoreRelating daily life and practice to Koso Uchiyama’s contemporary Zen text on the importance of zazen and letting go of thoughts in order to see the nature of the self…
Read MoreKarma Yeshe Chödrön and Karma Zopa Jigme, married couple and teachers of Tibetan Buddhism, on the reality of engaging in spiritual practice and the fragility of a human life…
Read MoreWhere we are and what we are doing is exactly right—even when it’s a struggle…
Read MoreTake a look into how our sense of self gets in the way of our lives and catch a glimpse of what remains once we let go…
Read MoreAccording to the poet David Whyte, there is a faith in loving fiercely the one who is rightfully yours. What if the one who is rightfully yours is you?
Read MoreDiscover what it means to create this world and how we might face it and ourselves in spaciousness and love…
Read MoreDelve into Koso Uchiyama’s contemporary Zen text on the importance of zazen and letting go of thoughts in order to see the nature of the self
Read MoreLooking towards restorative justice and koan practice to understand what it means to be fully present and open to all the circumstances of our lives, no matter how challenging…
Read MoreBringing a weekend sesshin to a close, Zuisei speaks of the Buddha’s life of practice and realization, focusing on the aspiration, courage and determination that supported his vow to awaken. We too can awaken…
Read MoreUnderstanding what it is that we take refuge in.
Read MoreWhere can we go to see and be seen through, completely? Facing reality, facing ourselves—this is the work that’s needed here and now…
Read MoreA reflection on what it means to know all of ourselves and each other as treasure—if we really knew this, how would it affect the way in which we live our lives?
Read MoreThis talk on a koan about the love between parent and child (teacher and student), lays bare the uniqueness of this relationship and the unconditional trust and love that it’s based on—a love grounded in the aspiration for liberation, for awakening…
Read More“What conditions do we need to be truly happy?” Thich Nhat Hanh asks. It’s another way of asking, Do we understand how the seeds of our experiences shape the way we perceive our lives? Thich Nhat Hanh’s text on the Fifty Verses shows us that it’s not what happens to us that determines…
Read MoreWithout you, I cannot be me. Then who am I, fundamentally? Zuisei reflects on identity and interdependence, showing how none of us can “be ourselves by ourselves”—none of us exist independently of one another. How do we help each other be who we are, fully?
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