intimacy
Talking to a Rock
Rocks come to everyone’s aid at a gathering, bringing enchantment and connection. From a talk in Summer Sesshin, June 15, 2022. 5 minutes.
What’s Possible if I’m Not Making a Me
Tess talks about how koans ferret out our strategies for making a me, from a dharma talk in Summer Sesshin, June 15, 2022. 2 minutes.
Solstice, Juneteenth, a Butterfly Flies Up!
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.
Enlightenment Is Something We Do Together
Conversation is itself a kind of meditation, a way we can accompany each other through life. We can share errors, painful mistakes, dreams, losses, discoveries, or just the ordinary glowing things. That’s a good day. Article by John Tarrant published in Lion’s Roar magazine February 18, 2014.
The Everlasting Body Runs Deepest Indigo: Meditation for Troubled Times
It’s a very strong thing to be human, you can be subjected to all sorts of great forces. And sometimes you can win through, and sometimes you die. But we’re all of us doing that, all the time. So I was thinking about how good it is to love each other, to meet each other, and to make peace in our hearts. Sunday talk with John Tarrant, recorded June 14 2020.
A Winter Tale with the Guanyins
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. PZI Zen Online, as recorded Dec. 27, 2020.
The Journey Into Awakening: Kindnesses in Your Wild Temple
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. Small kindnesses open into the silence. The universe is so rich in destinations and you are already in one! The beauty of gathering for meditation in difficult times. Music from Jordan McConnell, Amaryllis Fletcher. PZI Zen Online. Complete session as recorded Nov. 29, 2020. 60 minutes.
Zen Tuesdays: Doors of Perception with Allison Atwill
Allison Atwill Roshi’s Zen Tuesday dharma talk. The immensity of sound as it permeates all barriers. Cracks showing in our traditions and conventions, trying to get back to the old imperfect life. Jim Morrison and The Doors offer up “Light My Fire” as rendered on the Ed Sullivan show. As recorded Oct 12 2020.
The Open Hand Way
Audio PZI Zen Online – David Parks with the 3rd of his zoom sessions on The Bird Path. Returns to the question: Where are you coming from? What we come out of in this time. Where we change our focus. As recorded May 14 2020.
Talking to a Rock
Audio: PZI Zen online Tess talks a bit on zoom fatigue and what that implies .Practice as a way of focusing attention – on noticing – noticia or ‘how things become unhidden’. The intimacy of noticing and being noticed. As recorded April 28th.
Knock on Any Door, Someone Will Answer
PZI Zen Online Audio: Allison sits with the beautiful preface to the Blue Cliff Record, before Bodhidharma’s encounter with Emperor Wu. Noticing our strategies for controlling experience, which shut life out. Issa’s story of love and loss. As recorded April 21 2020.
Not Knowing Is Most Intimate
PZI Zen Online Audio: Sarah Bender Roshi reflects on the intimacy of not knowing, the nearness of all of us in this dreamy emergent time. Wandering and not knowing are allies now. Includes Sarah’s intro & dharma talk, silent meditation segments, and sharing. As recorded April 3 2020.
Layman Pang Falls Down
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.
Stop the Dogs Barking at Midnight!
PZI Zen Online Audio: Allison talks us through the first indications of our new normal. Tenderness for the smallest things. Her talk is first and then a silent meditation with the koan, “Stop the dogs barking at midnight!” Poems & reflections afterward. As recorded March 24 2020.
When the Seas Got Rough
“Not deciding it is or it isn’t, do you have the courage to be at peace with this? Everyone wants to leave the endless changes, but when we finish bending and fitting our lives, we come back to sit by the charcoal fire.”
During the final night of the 2015 January sesshin, the teachers have a conversation about identity, art, intimacy, and the nature of koan study.
Not Knowing Is Most Intimate
Using the koans Not Knowing is Most Intimate and Taking the Form of Guan Yin Find Shelter for the Homeless Person, John Tarrant talks about the intimacy that comes when we turn toward vulnerability and no longer need to defend against life.