Tag: meditation
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Finding Balance in the Midst of Life’s Chaos
Shared by DongminFor the past year, I’ve been working on finding balance in my life—between work, daily responsibilities, and the elusive sense of “me.” I’ve tried many approaches, like carving out time for walks or runs each day. While these activities helped ease the stress, I still felt as though something was missing. Life in…
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Understanding Zen Meditation: Embracing Wandering Thoughts
Shared by Kaz The bamboo: straight and upright, yet flexible and resilient. This simple yet profound metaphor beautifully captures the essence of Zen practice. Shared by Roshi Joan Halifax in an NHK program I recently watched while in Japan, it offers a powerful way to understand meditation and mindfulness. The NHK program explored why meditation…
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Meditation Posture: Finding What Works for You
Shared by Chris. I’ve been reflecting on my meditation practice lately and wanted to share some specifics that have evolved over the years, in the hope that it might be helpful to others—or perhaps spark some suggestions for improvement. Since I started attending regularly in 2019, a significant part of my journey has been about…
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Calm Your Mind: Embrace Inner Clarity
Shared by Kaz. Our mind is like a pond. Beneath the calm surface, dirt settles at the bottom. However, when the water is disturbed—when our mind is agitated —the pond becomes muddy and unclear. Life offers countless things that can upset us. At work, perhaps it’s a demanding boss, a challenging coworker, or a difficult…
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Zazen: What to Keep in Mind 坐禅心得 (zazen kokoroe)
Shared by Kaz In 2012, Rev. Ito provided guidance to students on how they should prepare for zazen practice at our zendo. This guidance, titled “Rinzai Hakone Zendo Zazen Kokoroe,” outlines the essential principles and practices. I have included additional explanations to enhance understanding. 礼儀作法 (reigi saho) Etiquette and Courtesy. Students are expected to show…
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Happiness is a habit
Shared by Peter In the book titled “The Art of Living”, it said “Happiness is a habit. It’s training” The author was Thich That Hahn, a renowned Buddhist monk. Habit can be either an exceedingly good servant or a very bad master. So how do cultivate a good servant and stay away from a bad master?…
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the 4 rules from the late Master Sheng Yen
Jia shared the 4 rules from the late Master Sheng Yen of the Dharma Drum Mountain: 四要：需要、想要、能要、該要。When you wish for something, ask yourself these fourquestions: Is it needed? Is it wanted? Is it obtainable?Is it advisable? 四感：感恩、感謝、感化、感動。The four attitudes to take towards others: grateful,thankful, transforming, and inspiring. 四福：知福、惜福、培福、種福。The four keys to good fortune: know what…
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What is “Mu”?
Shared by Ann. Mu is a koan associated with Rinzai zen. In one story associated with this koan, a monk asks a teacher whether a dog has buddha nature, and the response is “Mu!” – (No). Later, the monks ask the teacher the same question and get the opposite answer – “Yes”! (Note: this article references a book focused on…
Hakone Zendo 