Category: Weekly Sharing
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The Specifics of My Practice
Chris shares insights into his meditation practice, emphasizing personal adaptations for comfort and focus. He discusses his preferred half-lotus position, a unique mudra, and breathing techniques, alongside strategies to handle intrusive thoughts. His approach combines physical alignment, attentive breathing, and a compassionate acknowledgment of distractions, offering guidance for fellow practitioners.
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Sitting Tall: Finding Peace Beyond the Internal Dialogue
By Diana A few weeks ago, Kaz shared with us the proper way of sitting in the Zendo, drawing from his observations during a recent visit to a monastery in Japan. I listened closely, but I’ll admit my “Type A” mind immediately started questioning: How is this going to help me? I already do everything right.…
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Finding Your Altitude: The Power of “Let Them”
By Chloe I’ve been diving into The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins lately, and there’s a specific passage that has fundamentally shifted my perspective: “When you let people be who they are, it frees up all the energy you’re using to try to change them, or manage their opinion of you. When you say…
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The Difference Between Knowledge and Knowing
The piece highlights the difficulty of truly grasping and embodying common advice like “be present.” It explores the temptation to trade present experiences for future ones, illustrating how knowledge does not necessarily lead to real understanding. Meditation is suggested as a means to pause and discover deeper fulfillment in the now.
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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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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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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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