Teachings
Video: Tess Beasley Travels to Meet the Buddha
From our KALPA Archive: Dharma talk given by Tess Beasley in PZI Sunday Zen on May 21, 2023.
Video: This Is the Treasure – with John Tarrant
From our KALPA Archive: Dharma talk given by John Tarrant on the last eve of Winter Sesshin 2023.
Walking Together in Chaos Times
AUDIO. In chaos stories you are always lost. Why not go into the lostness? Chan says, go deeper—getting lost might be a good thing. Recorded June 5, 2022.
Fall Sesshin 2021: The Stone Drenched with Rain – Your Own Awakening with Allison Atwill
What is the impediment to your awakening? Whatever arises, it takes courage to stay with your inner life without doing anything about it—until the obstacles between self and life dissolve. As recorded Saturday evening, October 23, 2021, at Fall Sesshin.
Fall Sesshin 2021: Koan Practice or Not? Going Beyond Form with David Weinstein
Morning dharma talk during Fall Sesshin: When is koan practice koan practice? “Things are not as they appear, nor are they otherwise,” is the springboard for David Weinstein’s talk on the continual transformation of things. As recorded Wednesday, October 20, 2021.
Fall Sesshin 2021: Not Knowing & The Mysterious, Ungraspable World with Eduardo Fuentes
What is the world? Just this! Eduardo Fuentes talks about the beautiful, mysterious lives we lead, and how “don’t-know mind” is hidden inside and underneath names and symbols. As recorded at Fall Sesshin, Friday, October 22, 2021.
Dharma Theme: Zen Luminaries, A Series of Conversations with Jon Joseph Roshi
What is a Dharma Theme? A curated collection of media from our KALPA library for you to read, listen to, & enjoy. Delve into talks with recent guests in Modern Zen Luminaries: A series of Zen Buddhist scholars, writers, translators, and practitioners in conversation with PZI’s Jon Joseph Roshi. Listen to audio from these Monday Zen Online Special Events.
NEXT: Zen Priest, Activist, Film Narrator & Writer Peter Coyote on March 28th
A Spell for Passing Through Danger: Turning Into the Difficulty – with John Tarrant
“A person on a raft flows on the stream by throwing themselves away.” Not fighting the difficulty of things; you have to go through it. John Tarrant on immersion, and orienting yourself to the infinite.
4 Teachers & 4 Boundless Vows – Complete Session with Allison Atwill, Tess Beasley, Jon Joseph & Michelle Riddle
On practice and path: become the Way, and illumination is always with you. A dive into the sources, history, and meaning of the 4 Great Bodhisattva Vows; how PZI teachers and students work with them towards the ceremony of Refuge and taking up the path. Each teacher takes up one of the Vows. Teachers chant and intone Vows in English and Sino-Japanese; Michael Wilding recites, Jordan McConnell singing and on guitar. Complete session recorded August 1, 2021
Dancing Teachers, Dancing Mountains – Celebrating Fathers
Fathers dancing: Caring for others, holding paths in the dharma and celebrating. Mountains, clouds, waves, birds, lions and teachers dance. The trees dance and foxes steal shoes and dance in the moonlight. Sunday Talk with John Tarrant on Fathers’s Day, as recorded June 20, 2021.
Put Out the Fire! A Panel on Koan Practice & Pain
Roshi Jon Joseph in conversation with an assembled panel of 4 PZI meditators who deal with varied experiences of chronic and severe pain. Koan meditation helped all of them meet, dance with and explore pain, allowing it to become a profound teacher and ally. As recorded May 31, 2021.
Dragons of the Blue Cliff: Hands & Eyes Everywhere
Listen to audio of John Tarrant’s morning & afternoon sessions, Dragons of the Blue Cliff Retreat. How does the bodhisattva of compassion use all those hands and eyes? How do I express Guanyin, and how is Guanyin showing up in my life? As recorded June 6, 2021. (Parts 1 & 2)
Free & Easy Wandering Series: The Transparence of Things – How Is My Hand Like Buddha’s Hand?
Koan meditation and dharma talk with John Tarrant. How is my hand like Buddha’s hand? PZI Zen Online, Sunday program as recorded May 16, 2021.
Free & Easy Wandering Series: Freedom of the Koan Path
John Tarrant begins with a Daoist story from the Zhuangzi: the transformation of a giant fish named Kun. Includes meditation segments, music with Michael Wilding, Four Vows with Jordan McConnell & Amaryllis Fletcher, Cantor. Freedom is in your own breast—koans open the way. PZI Zen Online. As recorded May 2, 2021.
Dharma Theme: Peach Blossoms – Curated Links from Spring Sesshin
Dharma Theme: Links to excerpts and full-length dharma talks and more from Spring Sesshin 2021. A compilation of talks, guided meditations, ceremonies, sutras, meditation music, visual art, and evening words from our teachers.
Spring Sesshin: The Lostness and Wandering on the Pilgrim’s Path – with Jesse Cardin
Jesse Cardin Roshi, of PZI & It’s Alive Zen in San Antonio Texas, wanders with us into the land of demons, and includes them. Spring Sesshin Dharma Talk recorded April 9, 2021.
The Wisdom Podcast: John Tarrant on Uncertainty and Insight
An audio recording of a conversation on The Wisdom Podcast featuring Zen teacher John Tarrant Roshi. He and host Daniel Aitken speak about one of John’s favorite topics: Zen koans.
Excerpt: Listening to Your Own Heart
In the journey we’re on, as we move through the days, as the sun and moon travel over us—everything we do has a kind of golden quality. And you realize that the things we thought were errors, we can’t be sure of that any more, that everything in your life has brought you to this moment. John Tarrant in Summer Sesshin 2019. 17-minute video excerpt.
Beautiful Blossoms, Everything Changing: Refuge and the Bodhisattva Path
Deshan is determined to prove his scholarly certainty. He encounters 2 teachers who help him see the light. John talks about refuge; What is it? Why take it? Working with the vows as koans. Zen rests in mystery and uncertainty. Linji: Have confidence in the light always working inside you. Music from Jordan McConnell. As recorded Feb. 28th, 2021.
The Ink Dark Moon: Love Is the Mess of the World
Our Q’s & A’s of love and Zen. Turning toward everything, even what doesn’t fit with our description of reality. We long to be seen as we truly are and are equally terrified of being found. Nothing is excluded—what your heart longs for is in your life now! PZI Zen Online audio excerpt recorded Feb. 14, 2021.
The Ink Dark Moon: Calling Myself Beloved
Allison Atwill explores cases against life and love, the ways we block the universe’s gifts—and how we “abide somewhere” by clinging to lack. Or, we hang on to what we have like Deshan and his commentaries. We want to be included, “to feel beloved on earth.” Where is love in Zen? Included! Audio excerpt from The Ink Dark Moon. As recorded Feb. 14 2021, PZI Zen Online.
Friendship – A Thing of Special Wonder
John Tarrant on encouraging friendship with the world—koans, trees, people. How we interact with friends, from the heart. We listen to each other. We don’t have to make them anything other than what they are. Poems, stories, comments. Complete session as recorded Jan 24 2021, PZI Zen Online.
Audio: The Firstness of Things & a Face in the Dark with John Tarrant
PZI Zen Online: Handing Things On in the Dark. The dark silent time of this year has lasted for 9 months, in COVID. “The whole meaning of your life is in the current matter happening now.” No explaining it. “To be deeply in Zen is to be deeply in how to express it.” The first vaccines are here. The mysterious freedoms of this time, welcoming the new year, and a tour of the deep thick dark of midnight. As recorded Jan 3 2021.
Audio: A Winter Tale with the Guanyins
PZI Zen Online: Four Women Zen Teachers of PZI tell a Winter Tale, the story of a vast moment that interrupted a battle in the middle of World War I. The Guanyins Allison Atwill, Tess Beasley, Sarah Bender & Michelle Riddle share the telling and teaching with meditation, poetry and reflection. Jordan McConnell on guitar. As recorded Dec 27 2020.
Audio: The Journey Into Awakening – The Most Marvelous Thing with John Tarrant
PZI Zen Online: “What is the most marvelous thing, a matter of special worth?” a student asks Baizhang. “Sitting alone on Mt. Courage Peak,” he answers. The importance of an imaginative response to any time of change. The wisdom of an indigenous storyteller who embodies a much longer timeline of radical earth changes. Music by Michael Wilding posted separately. As recorded Dec 13 2020.
Audio: The Journey Into Awakening – Kindnesses In Your Wild Temple with John Tarrant
PZI Zen Online: Why do people go to wild places to find their true nature? The wild is here, right now, in your own wild temple. Anything can happen in the wildness of now. The Universe is so rich in destinations that you are always already at one! The beauty of joining in meditation in difficult times. With music from Jordan McConnell, Amaryllis Fletcher. As recorded Nov 29 2020
Audio Excerpt: Story of An Impossible Task with John Tarrant
Audio excerpt from the Journey Into Awakening Series, in which John Tarrant tells the koan story of a woman who gets a task that seems impossible, that she must practice without fail for one year. As recorded on Sunday, November 22, 2020. 17 minutes.
Audio Excerpt: The Ballad of Tam Lin – On the Banks of the Ghost River, John Tarrant Reads
PZI Zen Online: John Reads the Ballad of Tam Lin, in which a brave girl helps her lover, caught in the Faery Queens’s caterhaugh (boggy fen), transform. As recorded on retreat, Oct 31 2020. 13 minutes.
PZI Dharma Theme: Zen Tuesdays – Immensity is Tapping
PZI Zen Online: Four Guanyins reappear online for Zen Tuesdays. They marvel at the immensity in all things from various perspectives. Drawing inspiration from Jane Hirshfield’s poem “Tree,” The Doors’ “Light My Fire,” a golden crowned sparrow, a remarkable brother’s life and more. Excerpts and complete audio sessions. As recorded Oct 2020.
PZI Dharma Theme: Fall Sesshin 2020 – Dharma Talks, Ceremonies & Audio Excerpts
PZI Zen Online: Gathering in the Valley of Our Time – All talks, music, sutras and excerpts included. As recorded Oct 1-4 2020.