Online Zen
A Dream, Like a Bubble Floating on Water
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.
The Oak Tree in the Garden
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.
Welcome! Before the Names of Sages & Emperors
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.
I Vow to Set Endless Heartache to Rest – The Chuang Tzu & Chan Stories
PZI Zen Online – Meditation, the vessel in difficult times. Our in upheaval from Covid quarantine and riots over racism. Chan took on difficult times with stories and Zen’s encounter with Daoism & ‘The Chuang Tzu’ with strange characters like ‘crooked carriage’ and his friends. Who’s hearing? Who’s concerned about the world? Who’s sad? We are in it together so let’s vow first to: ‘Set endless heartache to rest!’ Koans & stories are ‘ancient vials of life’ to help now. As recorded May 31 2020
Stinginess & the Storehouse of Treasures
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.
Secret Fidelity & One Finger Zen, Even in the Bardos
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.
What Moves? How are you part of it? with Michelle Riddle, Sensei
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.
When do We Choose?
PZI Zen Online – The pandemic alter 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.
Stories from the interior – Solitude & Loneliness
Audio PZI Zen Online -Taking the role of the host everywhere & Abiding Nowhere guide Allison’s talk. Solitude as resting in vastness. Loneliness – you may even be in company, but something is missing. revisiting childhood’ solitude and the solitude of mountain trails. Abiding ‘somewhere’ keeps me out of vastness.
The Bodhisattva Path – “No Holes” Wisdom
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.
Covid Dreams
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.
Don’t Come to This Talk! – Gobblers of the Dregs
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
Fortunate Encounters with Demons, Delusions & Other Unexpected Guests
Audio: PZI Zen Online – Tess unleashes demons. Demons abound in our lockdown and they can be helpful! Our protective Psychic Immune system and what triggers a response. How we protect our ‘self’ image. Demons tend to employ certainty and cultivate a life or death field of response. What are they protecting? As recorded May 12 2020
Where are you coming from? How are you navigating this?
Audio: PZI Zen Online – ‘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. As recorded May 7, 2020
The Whole World Is Medicine
PZI Zen Online: Jon welcomes far flung participants on zoom and remembers the original Earth Day walks and festivities and all comment on vast implications of Yunmen’s koan. As recorded April 27th.
Disorderly Karmic Consciousness
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.
The Great Koan NO
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.
Maralung & The Song Man
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.
Save A Ghost
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.