A series of talks exploring how the spirit of koan practice meets life freshly and points to what is most essential in any one moment. Each week, Seido gives a directive on how to take up a koan and explores some of the classical cases celebrated in the Zen...
Seido reflects on the recent sesshin facing the challenges of thunder storms, fires, poor air quality, hornets, injuries and then some and how the practice of complete acceptance of the moment lends itself to what Master Yunmen calls “an appropriate...
Seido investigates the story where Bodhidharma tests four of his students about their understanding of the dharma and eventually gives his student, Huike, the transmission making him his heir. This talk points to the way each of us embody the truth in our own unique...
Seido unfolds a case from the Blue Cliff record, the middle collection of koans, that questions the nature of being “clear eyed” or free from delusion and what this has to do with “blindness.” Each week Seido offers a new tip on how to work...
Seido talks about the context of this koan from the Book of Serenity that heralds the ending of the koan curriculum and the coming absence of the teacher. The koan explores the realization of one’s true self, the “one who is not ill,” and the...
Seido launches the summer group koan study with comments on Case 20 of the Mumonkan, “Sung-yuan’s Person of Great Strength.” Included in this talk are tips on working with strong reactions to koans language and how to foster a sense of trust and...
