Category: zen
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Growth and Comfort
Shared by Chris on 12/17 What is the relationship between comfort and growth? Often, discomfort is the gateway or catalyst to growth, which means we should be wary of being overly focused on comfort. A reading from “The Prophet” illustrated this: And tell me, people of Orphalese, what have you in these houses? And what is it…
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“Fear is nothing more than a negative stream of consciousness”
Shared by Anand Reference and Acknowledgement – The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, by Robin Sharma, Page 101, 102 “Study a baby. She has no limits. Her mind is a lush landscape of potential and possibility. Properly cultivated, it will lead her to greatness. Filled with negativity, it will lead her to mediocrity, at best.…
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Sitting
Shared by Nan I am grateful for having this time to share my meditation practice with our group. I have been experiencing the joy of in person sitting in California. Recently, I was fortunate to have a vacation in Japan, and I was able to do zazen while I visited Kencho-Ji Temple at Kamakura. My…
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下山路是上山路 “The path down the mountain is the way up the mountain”
Shared by Kaz Grateful that we’re sitting together and sharing. Let me share a recent Zen saying I came across: “下山路是上山路” (asan no michiwa kore jozan no michi) translates to “The path down the mountain is the way up the mountain.” The lesson is all about “sharing what you’ve got” in a positive way. If…
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Frustrations
Shared by Susan Good morning, everyone. I’m Susan and I am a teacher and my students are second graders. There are certainly rewarding experiences about teaching but there are also frustrations. Today I am sharing about frustrations. Sometimes my students have frustrations and sometimes I do. I have been thinking about how I sometimes think…
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Milarepa’s Demons
Shared by Linu I recently came across a story that resonated with my own battle against a personal problem – fear. I was afraid of conflicts, confrontation, and embarrassment, and it was messing with my self-esteem. I tried for years to get rid of this fear, but it just wouldn’t go away. The below story…
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Invictus by William Ernest Henley
Shared by Reni ( William Ernest Henley) Invictus Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody,…
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Taming the Monkey Mind
Shared by Michael The origin of this share was on a 3-week trip to Japan my wife and I took back in June. The trip itself was amazing, taking us across multiple regions and cities over the course of our stay. It was on our walking tour of Kyoto, as we approached Kenninji Temple when…
Hakone Zendo 