falling

Falling into the well of sesshin involves dissolving the you that had the problem. In Zen we are solving things one level down. We all have this ability, though it can be hard to see. John retells Jiashan’s strange journey toward awakening: He was falling and found purchase with an unexpected teacher, the mysterious Boat Monk. Comments and “teach us!” responses from teachers and sangha are included. Complete session from October 5, 2022.

On entering a great sesshin, what is the tone? A quiet, receptive sense of modesty and humility, a humility of the earth, fallen into like Psyche into the underworld. Allowing the fall and encountering whatever appears, whatever one meets, is essential. Complete sesshin from October 5, 2022.

When you are falling, there is not a lot you can do about it, but you are no longer constrained by your usual preoccupations. Awakening, too, is in the category of things you can’t do anything about. Sesshin’s Gate 3 is NO—or Mu—the famous dharmakaya koan that opens the body of reality. NO casts away all the consciousness you have had until now. Music with Jordan McConnell, closing words with Allison Atwill from the story of The Little Prince. Complete session recorded October 6, 2022.

When you are falling, there is not a lot you can do about it, but you are no longer constrained by your usual preoccupations. Awakening too, is in the category of things you can’t do anything about. The apparatus of certainty is circumvented and the universe is manifesting and unfolding through us. Excerpt from a sesshin dharma talk recorded October 6, 2022.

Audio – PZI Zen Online – Guanyin in the Pavilion with Michelle Riddle Sensei -Touching earth as Guanyin. Falling – Layman Pang and his daughter Ling Zhao fall together. The subtle and varied flavor of Guanyin’s manifestations – her/his shape/form/gender shifting qualities. As recorded August 9 2020. Michael Wilding on flute, Jordan Guitar. Amaryllis Fletcher, violin.

Summer Sesshin: Into the Cave of the Blue Dragon – Sesshin opening with John Tarrant & Michelle Riddle. John talks about meditation in sesshin. Stories: District Mistress Fan & Yuanwu, “so near at hand.” Tabor’s poem: So easy to think I am not enough. Xing Quin “One drop, just ink—2 drops, a dragon is born.” We are in community and discovering together. Yunmen’s Talking to a Rock. Alan Watts onLetting go, “Don’t prevent the world from falling apart.” Be a tiger at home in the mountains. Closing prayer: Cantor Amaryllis Fletcher, Jordan McConnell on guitar. The Four Vows. Jon Joseph Roshi’s evening words. As recorded Thursday June 25, 2020.

Layman Pang and his daughter Lingzhao fall down for different reasons in this koan. Tess leads the group through a meditation and talk on how the koan entered her life; followed by comments from other meditators on the nature of intimacy. Some silent meditation segments are included. As recorded March 30, 2020.