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Chadwick studied intensively with Suzuki and received Zen priest ordination from him just before his death in 1971. Chadwick became a practice leader at Tassajara and eventually studied with other Japanese teachers in both the Soto and Rinzai traditions. A lively conversation with Jon Joseph recorded February 28, 2022.

As recorded Monday, November 1st, 2021, as part of a series of conversations with important Zen (Chan) voices: translators, writers, scholars, and practitioners.

Jon Joseph gives the morning dharma talk about his dreams of the ancestors. A relationship continues beyond death. How is this so? It does not need to be explained, it only asks to be lived. As recorded in Fall Sesshin on Thursday morning, October 21, 2021.

Thomas Kirchner has translated, annotated, and edited great works in our Chan lineage, including Entangling Vines: Zen Koans of the Shumon Kattoshu, The Record of Linji, and more. He is a longtime Zen practitioner, was born in the US, and has lived most of his life in Japan. He joins Jon Joseph for a wide-ranging conversation about his life in Zen.

Musicians Jordan McConnell and Jesse Cardin join Jon Joseph to share elements of music practice and their creative relatedness to koan work.

Part 3: I vow to walk through every wisdom gate. Jon Joseph talks about the 3rd of the 4 Vows, and asks, What is a wisdom gate? How do we walk through? The impossibility of the vow, the impossibility of our lives—this is exactly where we should be. The endless nature of unfolding and of always-appearing wisdom gates. What is my part in the world? By becoming a koan, or a vow, we set up a resonance with it, and begin to soak in it—not separate! Excerpt from the Sunday session on August 1, 2021.

Jon Joseph Roshi gives an overview, then the koan “What is the Way?” leading into meditation with Baling’s “A clearly enlightened person falls into a well.” Or does a well fall into that person? Audio excerpt as recorded Feb. 1 2021, PZI Zen Online. 28 minutes.

PZI Zen Online: At PZI we say that every bit of awakening is all of awakening. In fact, the barrier for awakening is so low that our sutra dedication says that “ants, sticks, and grizzly bears can easily jump over.” The bar is low, the gate wide open, the invitation given and never rescinded!

PZI Zen Online: Koan—”Say Something Without Moving Your Lips & Tongue.” Zen and music. Jordan’s path to zen, creative process and how koan work influences his music, craft and vice versa. As recorded Oct 19 2020.

PZI Fall Sesshin: The Koan Raft – with Jon Joseph Roshi. What is a koan? A koan is a “public case” in Chinese. Koan practice develops a resonance with all things. Any section or word in a koan is a gate. As recorded October 2, 2020.

Writer & Roshi Susan Murphy, in conversation with Jon Joseph, reads from her books and talks about her childhood, family, lifelong relationship with the land, the disturbing evidence of climate change in Australia, and her ongoing, warm collaborations with indigenous aboriginal elders. Recorded April 25, 2022. Jordan McConnell sings the vows.

A great meandering conversation bookended with Hosho Peter’s poems and reminiscences: It was in the late 1960s when Peter first met poet Gary Snyder, a meeting that forever changed his life. Emulating Snyder, he began a regular Zen meditation practice, later joining the San Francisco Zen Center. A conversation with Jon Joseph. March 28th, 2022.

Beautiful Winter Sesshin Opening Ceremony with John Tarrant & PZI Teachers. John Tarrant, David Weinstein, Tess Beasley, Jesse Cardin, Jon Joseph, Sarah Bender, & David Parks all speak koans and phrases into the Temple. Michael Wilding plays solo flute for meditation. February 1, 2022. 14 minutes.

A donkey falls into a well, a well falls into a donkey. Morning dharma talk by Jon Joseph Roshi. Recorded February 2, 2022

John Tarrant and PZI Teachers welcome us and speak the koan into the vessel of sesshin. Heads of Practice Chris Gaffney and Jan Brogan say welcoming words. John speaks about the power of silence, and tending the mystery together in the Winter Temple. Closing words from Jon Joseph. Music from Michael Wilding, Cantor Amaryllis Fletcher, and Jordan McConnell. As recorded on February 1, 2022.

Jon Joseph Roshi hosts a conversation with David Hinton, a poet and translator who specializes in Chan literature and poetry. His many books include The Selected Poems of Tu Fu (Du Fu), The Selected Poems of Li Po, and a translation of the I Ching. Hinton’s translations of the great Chan poets have earned acclaim for conveying “the actual texture and density of the originals.” As recorded January 23, 2022.

Zen Luminaries: Bill Porter (aka Red Pine) joins Jon Joseph Roshi in meditation and conversation on the topics of Heart Sutra, his translation work, and life in Zen. Jordan McConnell sings the Heart Sutra. As recorded December 20, 2021.

Where do songs come from? “Maybe nowhere! They are just here, waiting for us to get out of the way and let them in.” Jordan McConnell and Michael Wilding converse about music, play riffs in response to each others’ inspirations, and then share their histories: how they found meditation and music, and how one practice influences the other. Hosted by Jon Joseph Roshi on November 29, 2021.

A beautiful version of the 4 Boundless Vows for 2 harmonizing voices. It blooms! Thanks to Rose Joseph & her friend Delfine. As recorded during Jon Joseph’s Monday evening talk on September 20th, 2021.

Everyone is assailed by demons right now. Demons have a long history in the culture. If you’ve got demons, you’re alive! But you don’t have to get on board with them. Demons come out of your own heart, just like enlightenment. Tess Beasley reads from James Hillman’s “Dreams & the Blood Soul.” Michelle Riddle & Jon Joseph chant a Zen spell for dispelling demons, the Sho Sai Myo Kichijo Dharani. John reads Keats and Coleridge.

Special Program on The 4 Boundless Vows: John Tarrant, Jon Joseph, & Michelle Riddle chant the 4 Boundless Vows in English and Sino-Japanese. Excerpt from the Sunday program recorded August 1, 2021.

John Tarrant and Tess Beasley welcome everyone to Summer Sesshin. Participants add their voices, forming the vessel of sesshin. Music from Jordan McConnell, Cantor Amaryllis Fletcher, and closing words from Jon Joseph.

Roshi Jon Joseph assembled a panel of 4 PZI meditators, who deal with various experiences of chronic and severe pain. Koan meditation has helped all of them to find a way to allow the pain in—not to exclude it, and to see it as a profound teacher and ally. As recorded May 31, 2021.

Jon Joseph Roshi, Director of San Mateo Zen, considers the 8th Ox-herding picture along with a verse from 12th century poet Kuon Shihyuan. What happens if Ox and Self disappear? PZI Zen Online. As recorded May 3, 2021.

Jon Joseph guides a koan meditation on the Ox-herding pictures 4 & 5. PZI Zen Online. As recorded March 22, 2021. 7 minutes.

Jon Joseph Roshi of San Mateo Zen considers the 4th & 5th Ox-herding Pictures and poems. Of itself, the Ox follows along—without devices or chains. PZI Zen Online. Dharma talk as recorded March 22, 2021.

Jon Joseph Roshi gives a dharma talk in Spring Sesshin. PZI Digital Temple. As recorded April 10, 2021.

Winter Sesshin: Through Winter Silence into the New Light. Jon Joseph was moved to comment on Allison Atwill’s dharma talk, a both real and metaphorical voyage on the open sea. One sailor had never sailed before and had found a scrapped boat with which to enter this grueling race. Audio excerpt – recorded January 16, 2021.