Many Buddhists sit on a cushion every day, counting their exhalations. Many Buddhists practice loving kindness meditation every day. And the sixteen mindfulness steps of the Anapanasati sutta. Many Buddhists sit, just sit, every day. Many Buddhists work on a koan every day. And many Buddhists do all of the above, and much more, every… Continue reading Are Zen Buddhists crazy?
Category: Zazen
In Search of Zen Teachers
I got on Twitter with the primary goal of communicating with Zen and other Buddhist teachers. Unfortunately, some teachers collect followers but don’t follow back so they live on a one way street where there is no communication flowing to them. For example, Venerable Ajahn Brahm, arguably the most famous monk on the planet, has… Continue reading In Search of Zen Teachers
Zen Practice And Indoor Pets
I attended a meditation retreat in the late 1980s in southern Missouri with about 500 people. It was by far the largest group I had ever sat with and the effect was palpable. There were times when everyone would go into a deep meditation at the same time; it could be felt. I recall an occasion when… Continue reading Zen Practice And Indoor Pets
Is Zen Practice Subversive?
The Zen practice of zazen (sitting meditation) is subversive. In our gun-promoting, militaristic culture, sitting on a cushion and practicing metta is a practice that undermines the foundation of that culture. I live in a so-called progressive town that has many fine attributes. We use re-claimed water on our lawns. We have the highest quality re-cycling… Continue reading Is Zen Practice Subversive?
Zen Drops Off Body And Mind
What could be easier than just letting go? If we had nothing to hold on to, nothing to reach for, nothing to drop, what would that be like? What about dropping opinions about politics? Sports? Religion? A Zen master once famously shouted as he saw a monk dozing in a zendo: ZAZEN MEANS DROPPING OFF BOTH BODY AND… Continue reading Zen Drops Off Body And Mind
Zen and the Flag of Japan
I laughed when I heard the Dalai Lama apologize for not being a good meditator. He said that with his speaking schedule and teaching duties, he only had time to meditate four hours per day. I have no speaking schedule and no teaching duties and I am happy to get in one hour per day… Continue reading Zen and the Flag of Japan
No Zen Practice, No Life?
Consider two people, one screaming his or her head off out of excitement over a football game on TV and another sitting in a meditation hall with a sore back. Some will say that the smart one is the one enjoying the game and some will say that the smart one is the one engaged… Continue reading No Zen Practice, No Life?
Zen, Clear Water And Muddy Water
My law partner walked into my office a few years ago and announced that he had just had an amazing conversation. You won’t believe this, he began, but I just spoke to a guy who said he has no cell phone, no computer, and no idea what the Internet is, and this guy was bragging. Well, my clientele… Continue reading Zen, Clear Water And Muddy Water
Zen, Terrorism and Religions
This blog and its website will come down immediately (to the chagrin of a very few, if anyone) if I ever encounter a passage in a Buddhist sutra that says: Have faith in the Buddha so that you can go to heaven when you die. Or one that says: If you don’t have faith in the Buddha, he… Continue reading Zen, Terrorism and Religions
Follow NASCAR or practice Zen?
A client who had invented a very clever way to keep track of NASCAR driver standings (we applied for and obtained a patent for it) explained to me that getting kids involved with NASCAR would solve the problems of the world. The drivers, he advised me, were the ultimate role models. Keeping track of… Continue reading Follow NASCAR or practice Zen?