2014

A most heartfelt conversation about David’s spiritual journey. Beginning with his teacher Lama Yeshe to the practice of Zen with John Tarrant and the Pacific Zen Institute community. July 15, 2014.

A Zen ancestor was gathering wood and heard a line being recited that struck him. “What was that again?” he asked. “Oh, it was just something I heard up north in a temple.” So he went to study up north. January 19, 2014.

Rachel Boughton, Director of the PZI Santa Rosa Center, how-to talk on working with zen koans.

A Zen ancestor was gathering wood and heard a line being recited that struck him. “What was that again?” he asked. “Oh, it was just something I heard up north in a temple.” So he went to study up north.

John Tarrant gives a talk on July 19, 2014. A final tale and conversation about awakened mind and delusional mind of suffering. At summer retreat we sat with the koan, “Sickness and Medicine are in accord with one another, the while world is medicine, what am I?”

David furthers our investigation of the mind meditating with the koan, “Abiding nowhere the mind comes forth.” The mind arising from nowhere in particular, our thoughts arising from nowhere in particular and disappearing into nowhere in particular. January 21, 2014.

This sesshin, John introduced a series of miscellaneous koans, the first being “How do you go straight down a road with 99 curves?” February 12, 2014.

“John had us work with a series of miscellaneous Koans during retreat. Stop the war was one of my favorite talks. Looking at how I/we are at war within ourselves and how that internal war becomes a battle with those around us. A cold war or a war of words, fists or weapons. By practicing meditation we can mediate a truce with our fears.” – A participant. January 22, 2014.

Allison presents a talk on another miscellaneous Koan, “Stop the fire across the river.” This is like stopping the war within ourselves: where does this fire arise within us and what form does it take? Passion, anger, demons, delusions all take form within us.

Allison demonstrates the possibility of working with the fire of anger through humor and diligent practice and attention to what flares up within the body. January 22, 2014.

John opens the first evening at summer retreat talking about the spirit of a koan. We were nestled in the lovely redwood mountains of Land of the Medicine Buddha in Soquel California. We were meditating, walking and diving into the great koan, Sickness and Medicine. It is based on a koan which goes like this, “Sickness and Medicine are in accord with each other. The whole world is medicine, what am I?” July 14, 2014.

While ducking projectile pillows, Steven discusses the student/teacher relationship, internalized pain, and the issues of self-deception – through the use of puppets.

“It’s passed midnight, the moon has not risen, in the thick, deep dark, you meet a face from long ago: but you don’t recognize them. No need to be surprised by this.”

John Discusses koan tradition, the “five steps” of enlightenment, and communication between student and teacher.

Rachel Boughton discusses techniques of meditation during sesshin; darkness, light, curiosity, and learning how to sit attentively with a koan. 2014.

A panel discussion on the final evening of the retreat with four of the PZI teachers at this Summer retreat at the Land of Medicine Buddha. Four Roshis gave the evening talk together. July 18, 2014.

John talks about sitting with the koan, “Sickness and medicine are in accord with each other, the whole world is medicine, what am I?” This is the second day of retreat at Land of the Medicine Buddha in Soquel, California.