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Growth and Gratitude: Finding Zen in the Uphill Climb
As a member of Hakone Zendo, I explore the intersection of the growth mindset and Zazen-kai practice. In this post, I share how the stillness and breath-counting techniques learned in the zendo helped me overcome psychological barriers in bicycling and master presence in photography. By shifting from ‘I can’t’ to ‘not yet,’ I demonstrate how…
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The 30 Seats
By Claudia L I’ve been coming here for almost a year now. I have heard many of the stories you have all shared, and I can say that, just like many of you, I tried meditation because I needed something to calm my mind. I was having a lot of thoughts; it felt like a…
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Small Courage, Small Steps
By Kaz Today, I want to share two simple ideas that have been on my mind: Small Courage and Small Steps. We often imagine that to change our lives or deepen our practice, we need “Great Courage.” We think we need to be fearless warriors. But in Zazen, we truly only need Small Courage. Small…
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The Sacred Act of Being Bored
By Ann (The following is a synopsis of the actual article found on the Substack Link to the original article) I think we are all lucky to be here together this morning. I’ve been reflecting on a challenge we often face on the cushion—one we don’t talk about enough: boredom. I recently came across a…
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The “Toe Handshake”: A Surprising Secret to Zen Stability
by Kaz For several years, I have closely followed the current Abbot of Engaku-ji—listening to his daily broadcasts, reading his books, and making it a point to sit at Engaku-ji whenever I visit Japan. During a visit there just last week, I joined a sitting that perfectly illustrated his modern approach to the path. Before…
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What Is Dog?
By Lakshmi I don’t know if any of you have heard of a dog named Bunny—the one who learnedmore than a hundred words by pressing buttons.After learning all that vocabulary, Bunny started asking, “What is dog?” and later, “Whydog?” People started to feel that the dog was having existential angst. But I wondered if dogseven…
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