Category: zen
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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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Am I Actually Living, or Am I Just Busy?
By Chloe In my professional world of AI and technology, everything is about optimization—speed, scale, accuracy, cost, and reaching the next milestone. We build systems that learn, rank, predict, and automate. We watch dashboards the way pilots watch instruments. And without noticing, we start living the same way: always monitoring, always adjusting, always looking forward.…
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Sugar and Salt: My Four Days at Hosen-ji
By KazIt was a privilege to sit with all of you this morning for our final session of the year. As we look back on our time together at Hakone Zendo, I wanted to share a personal experience that has deeply shifted my perspective on our practice. Two weeks ago, before a business trip, I…
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The Non-Discriminatory “Merry”
By Ann I’m wearing my seasonal shirt today. It’s pink, and it has the word MERRY written across it. A number of people have commented on it, and I always tell them the same thing: it’s a non-discriminatory shirt. You can be Merry Christmas, you can be Merry New Year, or you can be Merry…
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Reflections on Why Buddhism Is True by Robert Wright
By Michael I recently finished a book by Robert Wright entitled Why Buddhism Is True… a very daring title, I thought. The book has been out for a few years and was a New York Times bestseller, but I only encountered it recently. What I found most interesting is how Wright focuses on the philosophical side…
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