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Life & Changes
“It’s too late to be ready.”― Dogen Zenji 2024 has been a milestone year for me. My wife and I had been discussing moving from Portland, Oregon to Albuquerque, New Mexico. I am from there, my extended family is there, and her parents retired there. It was a difficult decision – we had lived in Portland…
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Daoren Circle & Japanese Breakfast
“Mindful attention to each moment and each thing attended to cultivates a sense of appreciation and gratitude. This develops into an awareness of the sacred within the mundane and a deep reverence for life as dharma, with no particular need for a deity or “other” to whom this reverence is directed. Mindful attention to the…
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All That Breathes
The film critic Poulomi Das called the documentary All That Breathes a “meditative poem” and I believe that accurately captures it. I am recovering from my first time with covid, almost 3 years to do the date since the world was informed of it. The first two days were fevers and chills, and then lots…
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How to Practice Bearing Witness
Originally published in Lion’s Roar Magazine. Zen teacher Jules Shuzen Harris teaches us a three-step practice to connect with and serve those who are suffering. Illustrations by Carole Hénaff. In times of doubt, disbelief, and insecurity, the practice of bearing witness can be an important aspect of our awareness and presence. Bearing witness can be…
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Fusatsu Hugs
I was scheduled to be the Jisha for Fusatsu, the final one of the year aligning near solstices and equinoxes. I left about 45 minutes early, usually plenty of time, but this time holiday traffic happened. I was late but thankfully a newer monk had already stepped into to perform Jisha duties. I was embarrassed…
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Ashland via Amsterdam
Visiting my daughter at her school in Ashland, Oregon this weekend I was immediately struck by the difference in colors. Dropping her off at school in early September during wildfire season to late fall with break taking colors was quite a difference. She is very much enjoying being a college freshman. We walked around Lithia…
snow covered peaks 