Dharma Glimpse by Gretchen Seiyo Sensei Given the title of this Dharma Glimpse, you may think I’ve gone completely off the rails. But, stay with me. I’m going to tell you about something people do that I really don’t like, and something I also don’t like about myself. Here’s what gripes me; have you ever…
Category: spirituality
Haiku as Awareness Practice.
I would like to talk about Kobayashi Issa and Haiku, well technically senryu as practice. Haiku’s focus us usually nature and senryu is like haiku but the focus is primarily on human nature and emotion. For today, when I say haiku I mean both haiku and senryu. So who is this Issa fellow. He…
Kwan Yin Goddess of Compassion
Here is something I wrote for the “blessing of the hands” event that is held each year at the University of Utah Hospital. Traditions from all over the valley come together to give spiritual support for all of the hospital caretakers, from janitorial staff, to surgeons. The blessing of the hands is returning after a…
What are you carrying?
For today’s dharma talk, I want to ask first a question, and then I want to share a story. Now I am going to ask you a question, and I want you to think about the question for a few moments and think about it – What are you still carrying? What are you…
We Call Upon Ourselves as Kwan Yin: On Mass Shootings in America.
by Christopher Kakuyo Sensei What can one say? I find myself at a loss for words again. Another mass shooting. Here is a vain attempt to share what I am feeling. Any words I could say to the families of the murdered or to their community would feel hollow, self-serving, so I could say my…
Violence as Entertainment?
Today’s dharma talk has been retitled Violence as Entertainment? The seeds of this talk were first planted that moment, some of you know that moment when your kid becomes interested in some violence he sees on the TV screen. That moment when you grab him quick to avert his eyes. Of course, the only thing…
In Praise of Boredom
Good morning everyone, For today’s Dharma talk I would like to talk about boredom. As a matter of fact, I want to talk in praise of boredom. The title for this talk was inspired by a great book about Chinese philosophy regarding life called “In Praise of Blandness”. A fascinating and rather subversive book in…
Freed from knowing.
I would like to start today’s Dharma talk with one of the most famous of the Zen Koans – Attention! Master Dizang asks Fayan, “Where have you come from?” Fayan replies “I pilgrimage aimlessly,” “What is the purpose of your pilgrimage?” asks Dizang. “I don’t know,” replies Fayan. “Not knowing is the most intimate,” remarked…
Not knowing is the most intimate.
The Master would teach his students, “Understand your true self.” One day, one of his students asked him, “Do you understand your true self?” He said, “I don’t know. But I understand this ‘don’t know’.” From a young age, many of us are afraid to be someone who doesn’t know. Maybe we are afraid…
Interdependence Guided Meditation
In this practice, we’ll be cultivating awareness of our interdependence – “During quietness, you breathe together with the whole world. We breathe as one.” – Gyomay Kubose Sensei GUIDED MEDITATION Breathing in, Breathing out Feel the air filling your lungs as you breathe in and out feeling the air fill your lungs, Honor…
Everyday Nembutsu 