Recording Category: Dharma Talks

A new year. A fresh slate. However, some things still remain with us like stress, worry, and fear. For some, it’s easy to hang on to those feelings and mind states and project them forward into the future. This Sunday, Jyoshin will be looking at what it is to be in non-opposition to the things… Read more »

This talk is not about the television series “Breaking Bad,” though the title is intriguing, and the show rates some discussion. In Fukanzazengi (“Universally Recommended Instructions for Zazen”), Dogen says “Do not think good or bad, do not judge true or false.” How does this work on a daily basis? Genko takes another look at… Read more »

Sosetsu gives a student talk on Fudo. Fudo Myo-o is the center object on one of our zendo altars and an icon of importance in our lineage as well as in other sects, particularly Shingon Buddhism. Fudo (or in Sanskrit, Acala) means “immovable” and relates to qualities inherent in us for removing obstacles and finding stillness. 

Spiritual companion. What does that phrase mean to you? Friendship? Listening? Closeness? A group of members of Dharma Rain have recently come together to focus on spiritual companionship and being good friends to others at the end of life. Jyoshin speaks about spiritual companionship within sangha connections as well as what this new program is… Read more »

Each moment is a rare opportunity for us to wake up, to drop our idea of what is happening and to stay present to what is directly under our feet. Standing in the fire of the lotus, we open our life to a vast universe and the lotus blooms. Every moment is like this

One of the three pillars of Zen is Great Doubt, when we come to question everything we have heard. Another pillar is Great Faith. How can faith and doubt work together? What does it mean to question everything? What do we do when the structures we rely on begin to fail?

Sometimes transformation flows and we feel we’re making headway; other times nothing seems to change regardless of all our effort in practice. Kakumyo explores some of the persistent beliefs and patterns that prevent us from making progress along this path.

There’s a line in the Song of the Grass Hut that says, “Turn around the light to shine within, then just return.” Return to what? It could be talking about coming back to here and now, but Genko finds that many aspects of life and practice cycle around and become new again, deepening with each turn of… Read more »

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