Settling Into What Is

Settling Into What Is Experiencing the “ah-ha” moment, in every moment. A few months ago, I came to the 2021 Zen Garland sesshin with a mix of excitement, uncertainty, and a side helping (or was it a main course?) of doubt about what I was doing in my Zen practice. In...

The New Light Reveals What is Needed

The New Light Reveals What is Needed This is such a strange and unforgettable time to be alive. It’s hard to wrap my mind around the fact that less than 2 months ago (and less for many of us) our daily lives had a sense of (what seemed to be) normalcy. We could...

Sewing To Save The World

Sewing To Save The World “To know yourself is to forget yourselfto forget yourself is to become enlightened by all things” The famous phrase by Dogen Zenji, and one that is featured on the Zen Garland website says: “To know yourself is to forget yourselfto forget...

Experiencing Breath. Experiencing Gratitude.

I’m sitting next to the fire as I write, taking time to warm up next to a place I love to be this time of year.  Warmth; something I appreciate feeling, both physically and emotionally. As I sit here, I am feeling grateful about my morning.   I have the honor of...

Repairing the Soul, Repairing the World

​We all do terrible things to each other… by intent, by neglect, and by ignorance. Up until recently I would have said that mostly this happens unintentionally. These days though, I think cruelty, rudeness, and contempt, in the name of “being real” is celebrated. What...