PZI Teacher Archives

Daoism

Video April 1, 2023
22' 33"
Audio February 27, 2023
44' 17"
Audio May 12, 2022

Mother’s Day – The Valley Spirit Who Never Dies

John Tarrant

What is it like to be a mother? There are many rituals of participation with the Great Mother, the ancient Goddess. In Daoism, she is the Valley Spirit who never dies. In Chan/Zen, the Mother, the Valley Deep, brings the whole realm of feeling. Recorded on Mother’s Day, May 8th, 2022.

67' 46"
Text July 13, 2021

Solstice, Juneteenth, a Butterfly Flies Up!

John Tarrant

Even a time of torpor, or a time when plans come apart, or we thought the culture was going in one way and it’s going in another—we rely on the spaciousness, we rely on not what we’ve planned and schemed, but we rely on what’s been opened up in our hearts. Transcript from the PZI Zen Online recording from Sunday, June 21, 2020.

6403 Words
Text August 6, 2020
3034 Words
Audio June 1, 2020

I Vow to Set Endless Heartache to Rest: Chan Stories and the Zhuangzi

John Tarrant

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.

90' 58"
Video July 24, 2019
39' 30"
Video July 23, 2019
21' 47"
Video July 22, 2019
14' 30"