Dharma Glimpse shared by Rachel Becker Growing up in western culture has its challenges. The religious side can be patriarchal and the rules can be heavy. The 10 commandments carry the “thou shall” and “thou shall not” messages. The dogma is dualistic. There is a god, he is a he, and what he says goes….
Thank you cruel adversity
Gretchen Seiyo Sensei This summer and fall I’ve encountered cruel adversity. Due to a severe arthritis flare I’ve been dealing with pain, physical therapy, fatigue and confronting the inescapable reality of aging. We cannot help but encounter negatives in life; all those things we’d rather not experience. And even the most perfect life will ultimately end….
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…
Already Broken: Impermanence
I would like to start our dharma discussion today with a story told by Mark Epstein one of the first therapists to integrate psychotherapy and buddhism- about an interaction he had with his teacher Ajahn Chah some years ago. Someone was asking the master how can there be real happiness in a world that is…
On Lack & Happines
ON LACK & Seeking Happiness Today I want to talk about a feeling that many of us experience – it can be persistent, and it can be the source of much suffering. Many of us may not even be aware of how much it affects us. For much of the world, this feeling is an…
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…
The Gray Parrot & The Bodhisattva Vows
For today’s dharma talk I want to start with a story from a collection of stories from early Buddhism, called the Jataka tales. These tales consist of numerous anecdotes and fables that depict the Buddha in previous lives sometimes as an animal, sometimes as a human. The tales were written to give insight into the…
Everyday Nembutsu 