Online Zen

PZI Zen Online – It’s all a dream – how memory morphs and we are inherently unreliable narrators of our own lives. Conviction dissolves. Nothing to rely on. Partial recording of session June 3 2020.

PZI Zen Online: “Why did Bodhidharma come from the West?” Answer: “The Oak Tree in the garden.” David reflects on the nature of the garden, and how life is everywhere—even is this odd time of extremes. Recorded June 4th, 2020.

Audio: PZI Zen Online – Jon begins with Dongshan’s 3rd Rank and ends with Zhouzhou’s ‘Welcome!’ Beauty in the odd experience of lockdown, economic hardship and all of it. Koans reinforce our innate knowledge before our parent were born. Celebrations of the awakened mind. As recorded – music Jordan McConnell. june 1 2020.

John Tarrant talks about Chan’s encounter with Daoism and the Zhuangzi, replete with strange characters like “Crooked Carriage” and his friends. Chan took on their difficult times with stories and koans. Upheaval from Covid quarantine, riots over racism—koan meditation is a vessel for our times. Who’s concerned about the world? Who’s sad? We are in it together, so let’s vow to set endless heartache to rest. Koans and stories are ancient vials of light that help us now. PZI Zen Online, as recorded May 31, 2020.

PZI Zen Online -‘From the very beginning, nothing has been withheld.’ See Audio: Stinginess & the Storehouse of Treasures. The covid prompted hoarding, the contagion of ‘not enough’, but there are subtle ways our responses change and generosity appears. Without withholding, we allow even ‘disaster’ to unfold in a project as the universe in flow & at play. As recorded. (Tess begins with reading from Marie L. Von Franz -see text file)May 26, 2020.

PZI Zen Online: A woman’s story of awakening, and meeting with the mysterious prediction of teacher Heavenly Dragon. The absurdity of life’s journey. A meeting with a strange woman and her interrupting request, “Say a word of Zen!” How do you allow something different to arise? This—one finger! As recorded May 24, 2020.

PZI Zen Online Audio – What moves, what is stil? How does stillness move? I am movement as I live, as I age, or dance but how am I part of it? Michelle shares various audio files T.S. Elliot reading a poem, David Bryne & Brooklyn Youth Choir. As recorded May 22, 2020.

PZI Zen Online – The pandemic has altered the usual ways we choose. What is ‘picking’ and ‘choosing’? When does choice occur? When do I ‘not choose’ but say yes to life’s flow? David recounts many of life ‘yeses’ before thinking picking or choosing. How we find what we don’t think we are looking for.

Audio PZI Zen Online – ‘The Sieve’ koan – and the woman finding enlightenment. Michelle enters the nature of the Bodhisattva way and how we find ourselves on that path.

Audio: Dreams appear nightly reminding us not to chase shadows, and lose sight of our lives. They are the lives we are telling and showing.

Audio: ‘King’ Jesse is tired of talking about Zen, drinking the dregs of the real. He talks about the aliveness of his starter dough recipe vs ‘talking about Zen’. ‘Hope is the seed of delusion!’ Take the leap into the now. As recorded May 13, 2020

Tess unleashes demons: Demons abound in this Covid lockdown, and they can be helpful! We have a protective psychic immune system—what triggers a response? Demons tend to employ certainty and cultivate a life-or-death field of response. What are they protecting? Recorded online on May 12, 2020.

“Where are you coming from?” What is is like to be you right now in Covid-19 lockdown? Navigating sadness, loss, looming poverty, and loneliness. PZI Zen Online. Audio as recorded May 7, 2020.

PZI Zen Online session recorded May 6th, 2020.

Jon welcomes far flung participants on Zoom, and remembers the original Earth Day walks and festivities. Teachers and others comment on the vast implications of Yunmen’s koan. Recorded on April 27th, 2020.

PZI Zen Online Audio: Our disorderly karmic consciousness: John Tarrant Roshi on “the mind at midnight,” and our experience when we have no foundation to rely on. Koans stop our insistent minds—with an image or a predicament, they allow for a pause, a gate. As recorded April 26 2020.

PZI Zen Online Audio: Dharma talk on the great koan “NO” by David Parks Roshi, director of Blue Grass Zen in Lexington KY. As recorded April 2 2020.

PZI Zen Online Audio: John Tarrant tells a beautiful story-koan from Australia, about a Song Man and his magical allies who help him find and remember his own song. Includes John’s intro, several segments of meditation, and insights from John & other PZI teachers at the closing. As recorded April 12 2020.

PZI Zen Online Audio: Jesse Cardin Roshi takes us on a journey to the underworld through myth and story with Odysseus, Circe, Hades. Includes intro to the koan “Save a Ghost,” 2 silent meditation segments, dharma talk and comments. As recorded April 8, 2020.