In news, student talks, interviews and personal reflections, members of the Hazy Moon Sangha share the ways practice has transformed every aspect of their lives—at work, at home, in relationships, and in handling the change, pain, loss, and fear that all of us face at times. The consistent message from any serious Zen student is that practice works.
Taisho’s Tokudo
In a ceremony that has been replayed over centuries, Patrice Taishō Bucher took the vows of tokudo, or ordination as a Zen Buddhist priest, committing herself forever to a life of service. Karen Maezen Miller was the preceptor in the ceremony, which took place on Dec. 27, 2018 during our Year-End Sesshin.
Forgetting Oneself
Nothing is more difficult for me than sitting in front of my computer to write this. Countless words are running through my head, leaving me unable to settle on the right ones. I’m not a creative writer, and I can’t remember the last time I read a novel. So this is intimidating in an all-encompassing way. When I read beautiful essays written by members of the sangha, it doesn’t only terrify me; it leaves my lips tight and my mouth dry. I don’t how to do this…
Bathing in Nature
A review of Forest Bathing by Dr. Qing Li
Forest Bathing tells us what we instinctively know to be true about being in the natural world: it “can restore our mood, give us back our energy and vitality, and refresh and rejuvenate us.”
The 49th Day
On this, the 49th day of your passing.
I’ve had a few people ask me, “How do Buddhists grieve?” Of course, the answer is simple. Like everyone else…
The Wisdom of No Thought
It’s hard not to feel grateful for a place like the Hazy Moon when you see what happens here. You show up for a retreat, full of turmoil. You spend a few days going through the ancient motions, sitting when it’s time to sit, eating in formal ritual, trying to sleep at nine every night. […]
The Bodhisattva Precepts
When we receive the precepts we are not given something that exists outside ourselves. To truly receive the precepts is to realize your true nature, revealing your life as the very body, form, and functioning of the enlightened state. — Maezumi Roshi
Alive in the Mire: Swampland Flowers
A review of Swampland Flowers: The Letters and Lectures of Zen Master Ta Hui translated by J.C. Cleary.
Vimalakirti said, “It’s like this: the high plateau does not produce lotus flowers; it is the mire of the low swamplands that produces these flowers…”
This Is Where I Am Today
Patrice Taisho Bucher’s poignant talk about caring for her elderly parents in her hometown of New Orleans reminds us that serious Zen practice can sometimes feel like trying to be quiet when you’re caught in a whirlwind. But the rewards are priceless. When she is able to get quiet, Taisho sees that her mother, who […]
Ascending the Platform
In a powerful conclusion to the 2018 Summer Ango training period, Head Trainee Rafael Doshin Carrasco presided over the traditional ceremonies of Shosan, or public dokusan, Tea Ceremony and Shuso Hossen, where he defended his presentation of the koan “The World-Honored One Ascends the Platform..”
Grass Huts and Hermits
A review of Road to Heaven: Encounters with Chinese Hermits by Bill Porter.
Not long ago I ran across a new Buddhist blog that says it is for people who “are interested in meditation but don’t want to pretend they live in ancient Asia.” I try not to get too worked up about how people characterize Buddhism, but that line about pretense got my attention…
Kinhin
Kinhin is walking meditation. At the Hazy Moon, we perform kinhin in between periods of zazen, or seated meditation. Kinhin is a continuation of practice that also refreshes your legs after sitting and gives you an opportunity to exit and re-enter the zendo if needed. A period of kinhin lasts 10 minutes. It begins with […]
Stefan Munen Kamph’s Jukai
Combining his commitment to practice with his love of travel, Stefan Munen Kampf has cultivated equal devotion for both the Hazy Moon and its sister temple, the Black Scorpion Zen Center in Mexico…
