PZI Teacher Archives

Winter Sesshin 2023

Video August 1, 2023

Carried by Kindness & Joy

Tess Beasley

The urgency of some questions and facing hidden truths help us discover our own true nature. We reveal ourselves at every turn. When we try to see our own light, we can’t—”it’s dark, dark,” says Yunmen. During sesshin, we sit and trust our own heart-mind to open, inquiring, “Who am I?” and, “How is this so?”

40' 32"
Text July 26, 2023

Carried in the Dark – On Lostness & the Spiral Path of Practice

John Tarrant

I’ve been thinking that everybody needs to start by being lost. And that the Dharma is a spiral path. It will happen again, and then again, and then again. So, when you are lost, instead of thinking, “This is an abnormal, wrong situation,” that’s what koans give us—they say, “Oh, well, I’m lost, fortunately. I don’t know what I’m doing.” 

4196 Words
Video April 1, 2023
22' 33"
Audio February 27, 2023

Winter Sesshin Closing: The Whole World Is Medicine

John Tarrant, Tess Beasley

As we end sesshin, we go forth in the world and the treasure of sesshin is still here. You can’t lose what you entered into while in sesshin. In the midst of everything, you still have the silence. We can remain open to connection with the great matter.

19' 22"
Audio February 27, 2023
44' 17"
Audio February 22, 2023
50' 7"
Audio February 21, 2023

Carried by Kindness & Joy

Tess Beasley

The kindness of strangers often carries us during difficult times—synchronicity is enhanced. When we can leave our troubles, our “selfness,” then joy appears when all else has fallen away. And we find we can have it!

40' 32"
Audio February 21, 2023

We Are Carried in the Dark – On Lostness & the Spiral Path of Practice

John Tarrant

The Dharma is a spiral path of lostness. What will happen next? It’s dark. We’re here no matter what. When you think okay, I’m lost, what’s next? Trusting in the dark is the Way—it is not our business how we awaken.

36' 15"
Video February 17, 2023

We Are Carried in the Dark – On Lostness & the Spiral Path of Practice

John Tarrant

The Dharma is a spiral path of lostness. What will happen next? It’s dark. We’re here no matter what. When you think okay, I’m lost, what’s next? Trusting in the dark is the Way—it is not our business how we awaken. Dharma talk in Winter Sesshin 2023.

36' 15"
Video February 14, 2023

Carried in the Dark – Lostness Is a Spiral Path

John Tarrant

Second evening Dharma talk of Winter Sesshin. Getting ahold of something is not the point in Yunmen’s koan of darkness – start by being lost! The dharma is a spiral path of lostness. What will happen next? it’s dark. We’re here no matter what. When you think okay, I’m lost, what’s next? Next is a predicament koan from Shang Yen and you are hanging by your teeth from a branch. A story of a teacher being carried in the dark. Shang Yen student of Baizhang and Guishan who gives us this koan worked with the koan Original Face for years and was stuck in the dark until the ‘one tock’ of a rock on bamboo awakened him. Trusting in the dark is the way – It is not our business how we awaken. No being has ever fallen out of their great true nature. No moment outside of wonder. The heart opens. February 2, 2023

36' 15"
Video February 14, 2023

The Project of Suffering vs The Reaching

Allison Atwill

What if, suddenly, it’s midnight? The usual navigational tools are not available. The reaching is the important component of this moment. Understanding the suffering we fabricate, which separates us, versus a fitting suffering which opens our hearts in connection. Complete talk from Winter Sesshin 2023.

55' 0"
Video February 14, 2023

Timelessly Carried by the Way

David Weinstein

David shares his incredible life journey, being carried from a 3-month meditation course in Nepal with Lama Yeshe to Seoul, Korea, and back again to Japan, meeting Koun Yamada in Kamakura, and eventually coming to California and PZI. Complete talk from Winter Sesshin 2023.

57' 22"
Audio February 14, 2023

The Project of Suffering vs The Reaching

Allison Atwill

What if, suddenly, it’s midnight? The usual navigational tools are not available. The reaching is the important component of this moment. Understanding the suffering we fabricate, which separates us, versus a fitting suffering which opens our hearts in connection. Complete talk from Winter Sesshin 2023.

55' 0"

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Dharma Theme February 9, 2023

Dharma Theme: A Solitary Boat Making Its Way – Winter Sesshin 2023

PZI Teachers

HERE ARE WINTER SESSHIN AUDIO RECORDINGS of dharma talks, including music from Cantor Amaryllis Fletcher, and musicians Amanda Boughton, Michael Wilding and Jordan McConnell. (These will be added as they are edited A complete audio record of talks from PZI’s Live-Online Winter Sesshin 2023, January 31–February 5, 2023. Videos also available in the KALPA library.

0 Words
Audio February 9, 2023

Timelessly Carried by the Way

David Weinstein

David shares his incredible life journey, being carried from a 3-month meditation course in Nepal with Lama Yeshe to Seoul, Korea, and back again to Japan, meeting Koun Yamada in Kamakura, and eventually coming to California and PZI. Complete talk from Winter Sesshin 2023.

57' 22"
Video November 29, 2022

HOP Welcome for Winter Sesshin 2023

Chris Gaffney, Jan Brogan

Jan Brogan & Chris Gaffney welcome participants pre-sesshin – Winter 2023. 5 minutes.

5' 21"