Cultivating Compassion for Ourselves
On Sunday, May 14th, 2023, after meditation we watched excerpts from a Talk by Chan teacher, Dr. Rebecca Li, about cultivating compassion and loving-kindness for ourselves. The teacher mentioned that…
The Most Basic Truths
On Sunday, March 12th, 2023, after meditation we watched a Dharma talk from Jack Kornfield entitled "The Most Basic Truths: Gateways to Freedom". In this talk, Mr. Kornfield discusses a…
Boundlessness and our fear of it
On Sunday, February 12, 2023, after meditation, we listened to a Dharma talk by Soto Zen teacher, Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, on "Boundlessness." Zenju first clarified that boundlessness could not be…
Seeing Anew, with Beginner’s Mind
On Sunday, January 8, 2023, after meditation we listened to a Dharma talk podcast by Vipassana teacher, Jack Kornfield, on "Seeing Anew." Starting by quoting Shunryū Suziki Roshi: "the goal…
Handling Difficult Thoughts and Emotions
On Sunday, December 11, 2022, after meditation we watched a Dharma talk from Bhante Sujatha entitled "A Buddhist Approach to Handling Difficult Thoughts and Emotions." In his talk, Bhante Sujatha…
Gratitude as a Dharma Gate
On Sunday, November 13, 2022, after meditation, we listened to the talk "Gratitude as a Dharma Gate" by Dharma teacher Domyo Burk. In her talk, Domyo explained how gratitude could…
Ven. Ajahn Brahm
Facing Difficult Situations in Life
On October 9th, 2022, after meditation, we watched a Dharma lecture by Ajahn Brahm titled: "Facing Difficult Situations in Life." Ajahn Brahm taught that when we face crises and other…
Relating Koan Lessons to Daily Life seeing cause & effect + staying in here-n-now
On Sunday, September 11, 2022, after meditation we listened to a Dharma talk from Issan Koyama offering insights into two kōans, the Wild Fox kōan and Rinzai's Blind Ass. In…
Getting Unstuck – Know Your “Shenpa”
On August 14, 2022, after meditation, we learned from Dharma teacher Pema Chödrön about the concept of "shenpa", how it related to our suffering, our feeling of being "stuck", and…
Effortlessness in Practice
On July 10, 2022, after meditation, the group watched three short Dharma teachings by Her Eminence Mindrolling Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche, all of which were given in response to practitioners' questions,…
Goal vs Direction: Zazen is Not About Progress
On June 12, 2022, after meditation we listened to a Dharma talk - "Zazen is Not About Progress" - from Shōhaku Okumura about the difference between a goal and a…
The Basics: From Sitting Postures to Mindful Eating
On May 8, 2022, after meditation, we shared a collection of short talks by Chozen Bays Roshi with practical advice on the most basic practice how-tos: "From Sitting Postures to…
Adversity, Path of Awakening
On April 10, 2022, after meditation, we shared a talk on the Tibetan Lojong teaching of: "Turning Adversity Into the Path of Awakening" by Fred Eppsteiner. In his talk, Fred also…
The Role of Bhikkhunīs
On March 13, 2022, after meditation, we honored Women History Month by sharing a talk from Ven. Tathālokā on the topic of "The Role of Bhikkhunis." After meditation, we briefly shared the…
Mindfulness : “Freedom from Being Caught in the Past or the Future”
On February 13, 2022, after meditation, we met online for a Teachers’ Corner session to learn from the recently departed Zen Master Thich Nhất Hạnh about the practice of “Mindfulness”.…
The Four Great Vows
On January 9, 2022, after meditation, we studied the topic of "The Four Great Vows." Before watching the Dharma Talk by Zen Master Bon Soeng on The Four Great Vows,…
Practicing with Our Hindrances
On December 11, 2021, after meditation, we listened to excerpts from Dr. Larry Ward’s talk titled “Unshakable Deliverance of the Mind”, on how to practice with the Five Hindrances. Dr. Ward explained that the goal of our practice is to achieve “a mind that is unshakable” and a mind that is “delivered… from itself.” To achieve unshakable deliverance, we must develop an awareness of our mind, and the power to reshape it toward compassion and kindness, and this process calls for us to practice with the Five Hindrances.
A portrait of the Venerable Bhikku Bodhi
Praise and Blame
On November 13, 2021, after meditation we listened to a talk from the Venerable Bhikku Bodhi about a piece of the Buddha's advice for our speech. In particular, the Buddha…
Giving It All You’ve Got
On October 9, 2021, after meditation we watched a Dharma talk by Ayya Santussika titled: "Giving It All You've Got." The teacher quoted Ajahn Chah who said that in everything…
Edges and Boundlessness
On September 11, 2021, after meditation we watched a Dharma talk by Roshi Konjin Gaelyn Godwin about Edges and Boundlessness. The talk was originally delivered to the Tallahassee Chan Center…
Ven. Ajahn Brahm
Dealing with Sickness
On August 14, 2021, after meditation we listened to a talk from Venerable Ajahn Brahm about a talk about Dealing with Sickness. Everyone gets sick at some point in their…
Embracing Uncertainty
On July 10, 2021, after meditation we met online for a Teachers' Corner session on the topic of "Embracing Uncertainty" At Teachers' Corner last Saturday, we watched excerpts from a…
Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form
On Saturday, June 12, 2021, our Teachers' Corner was focused on the famous line in the Heart Sutra: "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form...", with teachings from H.H. The Dalai…
“The Core Principles of Buddhadharma” by Guest Teacher David Listen
On May 29, 2021, Chan/Zen teacher, David Listen, joined us to guide meditation and give a Dharma Talk via Zoom. He expounded on the Three Dharma Seals (impermanence, selflessness, nirvana). These describe how things truly are; and when we cannot let go of our desire for permanence or a sense of an independent self, we suffer. He explained how nirvana or "true nature" is not a "thing" we can see or attain, but simply describes our capacity to fully realize the truths of impermanence and selflessness, thereby unleashing our full potential for compassion and wisdom.
Wise Livelihood
On Saturday, May 8, 2021, the topic for Teachers’ Corner was “Wise Livelihood.” After meditation, we listened to a dharma talk by the teacher Andrea Fella about "Wise Livelihood" (often…
Grief
On Saturday April 10, 2021, the topic for Teachers’ Corner was “Grief.” For seated meditation, we started with a 10-minute guided meditation on “Encountering Grief” by Roshi Joan Halifax followed…
Forgiveness
On March 13, 2021, after meditation we met online for a Teachers’ Corner session about “Forgiveness.” At Teachers’ Corner last Saturday, we listened to excerpts from Ven. Pannavati Bhikkhuni’s talk…
Dōgen’s Fukan Zazengi (Universally Recommended Instructions for Zazen)
On February 13, 2021, after meditation we learned more about "zazen", or Zen meditation, through a text called the "Fukan Zazengi", or the "Universally Recommended Instructions for Zazen" in English.…
How to Prioritize?
On January 9, 2021, after meditation we met online for a Teachers' Corner session on the topic of "How to Prioritize?" At Teachers' Corner last Saturday, we listened to a…
Living by Vow
On December 12, 2020, after meditation we heard a dharma talk about the concept of vow, which figures prominently in Mahayana Buddhism. At Teachers' Corner last Saturday, we heard a…
Practice with Attachment / Clinging / Grasping
On November 14, 2020, after meditation, we discussed one of the fundamental causes of our suffering -- Attachment / Clinging / Grasping, and how to work with it in our…
Teacher Misconduct
On October 10, 2020, after meditation, we shared several teachers' responses on the issue of Teacher Misconduct in student abuse. We hope their advice will guide us in learning the…
Unskillful Speech : Idle Chatter
On September 12, 2020, after meditation we learned more about Right Speech (Samma vaca), one of the elements of the Buddha's Eightfold Noble Path, through a closer examination of one…
Letting Go of the Second Arrow
On August 8, 2020, after meditation, we learned about a core Buddhism teaching about human suffering — the Second Arrow. At Teachers' Corner last Saturday, we read the sutta (Samyutta…
Being Present
On July 11, 2020, after meditation, we learned about what "Being Present" means for practitioners of the Buddhadharma. At Teachers' Corner last Saturday, we listened to a recent Dharma talk…
Transforming Suffering
On June 13, 2020, after meditation, we learned from two different teachers on the topic of Transforming Suffering. At Teachers' Corner last Saturday, we listened to two Dharma talks, one…
How to Deal with the Feeling of Guilt?
On May 9, 2020, after meditation, we learned from two teachers about the feeling of Guilt and the Buddhist perspective on how to deal with it. At Teachers' Corner last…
Buddhist Practice in this Pandemic: Allow Joy into Our Heart & other advice from Dharma teachers
On Apr. 11th, 2020 was our "Teachers' Corner" week, and we took this opportunity to share a recent Dharma talk given by a Chan teacher Dr. Rebecca Li, in response…
Dealing with Anger
On Mar. 14, 2020 after meditation, we learned from three different teachers about Anger. At Teachers' Corner last Saturday, we watched two short video teachings and read a short article,…
Impermanence
On Feb. 08, 2020 after meditation, we heard from two different teachers about Impermanence. During our "Teachers' Corner" session, we read a couple pages from Thích Nhất Hạnh's book and…
Listening
On Jan. 11, 2020 after meditation, we learned about the importance and the challenges of Listening from Dharma teachers Ajahn Brahm and Toni Packer. During our "Teachers' Corner" session, we…
“A Cross-Zen Dialogue” in Chicago Brings Diverse Buddhist Practitioners Together
On June 28, 2019 evening, about 80 participants from many different sanghas and lineages in Chicago and beyond attended the “A Cross-Zen Dialogue” event. This event brought the three teachers Rev. Taigen Dan Leighton (Japanese Soto Zen), Meido Moore Roshi (Japanese Rinzai Zen) and Guo Gu (Chinese Chan) together to discuss the similarities and differences between the approaches that each of their traditions takes to Dharma and practice. The overall theme for the evening was that all the practices and lineages represented by the three teachers have much more in common than they differ, and that no single approach is better for everyone.
A Cross-Zen Dialogue
with 3 teachers from: Chan, Rinzai Zen & Soto Zen
Friday June 28, 2019 6:45 PM to 7:15 PM: Check-in & Mingle, Light Vegan Snacks 7:15 PM to 9:15 PM: Cross-Zen Dialogue 9:15 PM to ~9:40 PM: More Mingling and…
Special Guest Teacher on: “Ten Paramitas: Ksanti (Patience)”
Rev. Eishin Nancy Easton of Ancient Dragon Zen Gate will join us in-person today, Sat. May 11th, during our regular group session, and give a Dharma talk on the Kṣānti…