One Bright Pearl

Things change in the vast emptiness of ever present changiness(Yup, it’s a new word, it represents itself, a complete expression). Anyhow, I will be laying this blog to rest and starting something else that cost’s less money. Think Blogger or Wordpress or something that is free like my spirit.
The good news is that I have [...]

as far as the eye can see
nothing to be seen
just this
not even this
ta ta ta…
.

Rohatsu Sesshin is upon us here at Sanshinji. We will begin by having dinner together at 6:00pm and then meet again at 7:30pm for Okumura Roshi’s orientation talk. When he finishes sharing his words of encouragement, we will turn and face the wall, as the Buddha did all those years ago.
We sit a classic Uchiyama [...]

My life is not theoretical. It is real. In this life, at all times, all things are possible. Only I can obstruct myself. I have met many students of Zen over the years, and one thing that seems to be common, is the lack of belief in their own innate wisdom. As if what the [...]

As the Universe continues to manifest itself through my five skandhas, a deep sense of Universal enjoyment rises and subsides, moment by moment. With this deep abiding joy comes acceptance, acceptance to what is right here now. And what is right here now, often looks like, feels like suffering, and it is, but it is [...]

the wind murmurs
ghosts
through gnarled limbs
this old pine
feels like home

There was a time when I was doing the ‘done in a city of broken dreams filled with the sound of coming down. So I kinda like this song in a “just like me” way.  Just like me, you don’t wish to suffer, or be the cause of another’s suffering. Just like me, you wish [...]

Life and Death
ghosts walking
everywhere
How beautiful
this dewdrop life

My teacher, Shohaku Okumura-roshi, gave me the name Kozan when I received Jukai earlier this month. He said that this “Ko” was the same kanji as in Sawaki Roshi’s Dharma name, Kodo. The meaning of this ko, is - raise up, support. The other kanji, “zan”, stands for mountain. So Kozan means to hold up [...]

Total dynamic function, or Zenki, is our life.
What does this mean? Who am I? What is this!? I ask myself these questions regularly. I remain curious, letting go of what I think.
With no inside or outside, no second person, it is radically different than what I think. And yet, this thinking is not outside of [...]