“There are really no masters of Zen... there is sometimes, an insightful and well-trained teacher who can hold up the correct mirror. In this mirror, we can find reflected our true spiritual image, our own spiritual truth.”

For Jun Po Roshi, and for koan work, it’s not enough to notice the contraction, release the contraction, to drop into Clear Deep Heart/Mind. One must respond to the circumstances.

“Illuminating. It was beautiful to practice with many sangha members I've only known online. Much growth, hunger to continue my path.”

- Enso Alberto Mendez

“I really appreciate that I didn't have to sit around with a bunch of white guys or gals. But I saw where there was a commonality between all those people.”

- Koto Washi Dallas Chief Eagle

Many translations of the Satipatthana Sutta can be found in today's libraries. I’ve been cycling through three translations - Bhikkhu Analayo’s Satipatthana: The Direct Path To Realization, Thich Nhat Hanh’s, Transformations and Healing: Sutra of the Establishments of Mindfulness , and a recently published Being Nature: A Down to Earth Guide to The Four Foundations of Mindfulness by Wes Nisker. Each bring a refreshing perspective. Let’s take a look.

Sati can be translated as mindfulness or awareness. Patthana is Pali for foundation or cause. Satipatthana, Sutta is the Pali discourse recording Gautama' Buddha’s instructions for mindfulness. Often said to be the most succinct description of the practice leading to Buddha’s awakening, the Satipatthana Sutta offers a detailed articulation of mindfulness in four domains - kaya meaning body, vedana meaning feeling, citta translated as mind and dhammas meaning mind objects.

For those of us who had the opportunity to sit with Jun Po Roshi and respond to his open-hearted transmission, its easy to recall his commitment to the dharma being available for everyone.

I am pleased to share that the board of directors at Shining Bright Lotus Meditation Society approved our joining the community of Zen Peacemakers International(ZPI). We will be affiliate sangha, which means that we are in alignment with the mission with mission of ZPI and that we conduct activities in the spirit of the Three Tenants, Non-Knowing, Bearing Witness and Taking Action.

Buddhist Modernism is a term use to describe meditation-based convert Buddhist modernist lineages that have emerged in the 20th century. These communities are in contrast to traditional Buddhist that generally maintain Asian cultural norms, which are characterized as “immigrant”, “ethnic” or “heritage” Buddhism, largely practiced by Asian Americans.

With the “stand up” instruction, the ability for the mind and the body to settle, and to stay calm increases significantly, and the self reproach and mental debate of the “just don’t move” falls away.

Affirm Life
Act Generously
Be Loving
Manifest Truth
Respect Clarity
Honor Silence
Celebrate Others
Be Giving
Embody Compassion
Steward the Earth
Manifest this Way

Humility, curiosity, generosity, compassion, and respect, are all qualities that we recognize as worthy of our community commitment, and yet, these are not enough, we must learn to sit with one another in structured openness, safely allowing our hurts and the discarded parts to be welcomed into our circle, so the group’s deep commitment to compassion, can emerge and help one another heal.

Continuing the inquiry into compassion practice in preparation for the fall practice period. Geshe Chekawa, also listed Eighteen Don’ts as part of the root text ‘Training the Mind in Seven Points.’

I’ve been delving into compassion practice in preparation for the fall practice period. This lead me to stumble into the teachings of Geshe Chekhawa, a 12th Century Tibetan Boddhisattva.

We gathered to practice Mondo Zen with a diverse group with the intention of inclusion and awakening, taking refuge in the truth of the interconnection, interpenetration, and interdependency of all beings.

Let’s be clear, our intention is to be open to all, including people of different religious orientations, gender identities and preference(s), and socio-economic experiences, to name a few more.

A street retreat offer opportunities for awakening indeed.