“When people are kind its like a beautiful virus that goes around and infects everyone. It’s gorgeous.” - Nina Snow
Nina and the sangha wade into the messy grey areas of being nice. Reading from “The Thousand Eyes and Hands of Compassion” in Brad’s latest book, they explores the nuanced ways compassion is as much about the way we treat ourselves as it is being kind to others.
Emma discusses the life of Dogen with readings from Hee-Jin Kim’s “Dogen - Mystical Realist.” She explores parallels between Dogen’s time and ours including the the recurring feeling that we’re living on the verge of collapse. The sangha dives in and debates why every generation seems to feel that way even as the world shambles along without ending.
“Hope is what religions sell when they need to get donations and don’t want to explain the whole truth.”
Dave tries to shock the sangha with a talk on the delusion of hope and the liberation of being hopeless, letting go of our ideals in favor of being open to what is. It’s a talk about goallessness and the freedom and kindness that come from giving in to reality. The conversation is lively and not without disagreement as the sangha discusses expectations, whether there is a basic goodness in staring at the wall, whether we can live without desire, dealing with death, and how pretty a leaf can look in the sunlight.
“We’re not looking for true nature, we’re not studying true nature, we’re not researching true nature. You sit down and you’re seeing true nature.” - Erik Andersen
Erik continues his inquiry into beliefs and how they can hinder us. He looks at what was meant by the classic Zen promise of "seeing true nature," beliefs as attachment, and how this is all worked with in psychology, while the sangha turns the discussion to mental health and whether it's possible to be happy about being sad.
What was Buddha’s problem? - an empty container for an open question
Dave continues his series tracing the philosophical and social history of Zen. In part 2 we come to Buddha himself, what was the social context he was teaching in, who were his teachers and what did they teach him? What was the problem he was trying to solve and how did he solve it?? The sangha discusses our connection to history and whether history is even knowable, what, if anything, Buddha was doing differently, and of course, what is the meaning of life?
If you’ve ever been curious what exactly we do here and why, this is your chance to find out! We cover all the basics from extended Zazen instructions to what exactly we do here in Zen and why. What does it all mean? How do I be the greatest meditator of all time and will that help? Is life just one continuous mistake? Find all these questions and more here!
Emma explores the questions of how to be a decent person. It’s a beautiful talk and a very well constructed question, which the sangha does their best to help answer. A highly recommended episode!
Nina leads us in a a reading from Charlotte Joko Beck - Experiencing and Experiencing. It's a conversation about how we objectify our world by seeking out experiences instead of resting in the act of experiencing. Why are we so reluctant to let go of the things that we know hold us back? Why do we cling to an illusion of safety when freedom lies in giving in?
Jared Wynn talks about attachment, with readings from Zen Mind Beginners Mind and Pema Choedron. The sangha discusses getting caught, whether we’re allowed to still be attached to our partners, sleeping while sitting and more!
In a freewheeling talk, Erik talks about beliefs. Do we need them? No, well sometimes, but not like we think we do. What happens when you let go of even the most fundamental beliefs? What happens when the beliefs you've most relied on fall apart? Can anything be known for certain?! Find out here!
"Be careful what you say out loud, and make it good."
Emma and the sangha discuss rituals - what are they really and why do we do them? Is it superstition, is it magic, a way to mark a moment, or is it just something nice to do with your friends on a saturday afternoon? Do they actually hold meaning or are they how we make meaning? What's the line between a lucky pair of socks and a fascist rally? Join us in a discussion on the power and pitfalls of religion and community!
“Everything is sacred, I believe nothing. Nothing is sacred, I believe in everything” - Tom Robbins
It’s hard to say what this podcast is about since the topic of Emily’s talk was explicitly nothing special. All I know is that when I listened to it, I felt moved, both to sit zazen and to appreciate today for just what it is. She explores how not let the good days over charm you and not let the boring days discourage you, and how the mundaneness of zazen becomes the best part of the day if only we can remember to stop thinking in those terms. The sangha discusses what to look forward to after a wedding, whether mexican food is really just one dish, and how much we’ll all miss lukewarm coffee when we’re gone. Again, I’m not exactly sure what it’s about, like I’m not sure what any of this is about, but it’s a convincing exhortation to practice and a reminder of what really matters in the end, which is to say nothing and everything at the same time.
Dave attempts to trace the history of Zen from its Indian roots up to our present day Zen center. Part 1 is an exploration of pre-Buddhist Brahmanism, and the sangha discusses what to do when you're cultural narrative no longer fits the world as you find it.
We often don't talk about love in Zen, sticking to more monkly sounding terms like "compassion" or "loving kindness" but Nina is not one to shy away from the big topics. She opens her new series this week exploring the difference between love and attachment with a reading from Brad's Sex, Sin, and Zen, and opening up about her own experiences while the sangha discusses how to let go while keeping what truly matters close. Do we have to abandon our loved ones and run off to the forest to find enlightenment? Does non attachment mean we can't love our families?? (spoiler: no you don't and no it doesn't...)
Jiko - Self, the vine that encompasses everything; past present, and future. Craig discusses the universal self; what that means, how to act when there is no ultimate purpose, and how to engage in conflict and be with yourself and others in the big universal self.
What's so great about the present moment? Emma and the sangha discuss the myth of spiritual progress, why seeking satisfaction is an inherently unsatisfying endeavor, and what the fruits of a goalless practice really are.
Emily on distractions; the desire to run away to the mountains to find peace and quite, the nature right here in the city, and why we should all be grateful for the person on the cushion next to us who just farted
Drawing on research from positive psychology and a reading from Huangbo, Erik Andersen talks happiness; what it is, how to get it, and why it's really not the point so don't worry about it.
Dave and the sangha talk why self worth is inherent and why self esteem is pointless, then throw in a little Carl Rogers self actualization theory and a reading of Huangbo on "One Mind" just for good measure.
Nina and the sangha talk about where our food comes from, McMindfulness, and of course Dogen.
