Author Archives: EmptyCloudWestZen

[AUDIO AND TEXT] Zen practice is easy. All we have to do is sit still and pay attention. And we don’t even always have to sit still; we practice every moment, doing whatever it is we happen to be doing, being mindful of whatever it is we happen to be doing. If we’re lucky, weContinue reading “letting go of “letting-go””

[AUDIO AND TEXT] These past few days and weeks have seen some momentous events in the country. I don’t need to enumerate them for you. But many are saying that we have reached a pivot point, an inflection point, in the country’s history where social justice – especially racial justice – is concerned. My responseContinue reading “being in balance”

[AUDIO AND TEXT] If you’ve read much Zen literature, or even studied some koans, you’ve probably seen or heard references to “weeds and grasses” – sometimes together, sometimes separately. These terms are often-used pointers to stuff that’s beside the point, stuff that’s extraneous to what is here and now, stuff apart from Just This. Here’sContinue reading “weeds and grasses”

[AUDIO AND TEXT] We come here with nothing. That is, when we’re born, we have only our bodies, our brains and other organs, and possibly some propensities and talents. Whether we really have propensities and talents at birth depends upon where you come down on the nature vs. nurture debate that is, I think, stillContinue reading “shedding our props”

[AUDIO AND TEXT] There’s been a lot of violence in the news lately, most recently the mass shootings in Atlanta and Boulder. These events are painful to witness and experience for everyone, but especially for people of a religious or spiritual bent. It’s natural to wonder where all this violence originates. Or is it soContinue reading “do no harm”

[AUDIO AND TEXT] Sometimes, our practice goes awry. Just like everyday life. One day everything’s coming up roses; the next, we’re in the muck and mire. We can’t seem to move our feet to get out of our own way. Or sitting,  we can’t still those annoying thoughts that come up, or we can’t seemContinue reading “unblocking the way”

[AUDIO AND TEXT] An article in last week’s newspaper suggested that President Biden establish a commission on loneliness in the United States. It seems that both Great Britain and Japan have already done that, with officially appointed ministers to see to the business. These ministers are supposed to come up with programs and such toContinue reading “despair and joy”

[AUDIO AND TEXT] The various flavors of spiritual teaching speak of “It” as Ultimate Reality, the Absolute, Emptiness, Essential Nature, the Divine, God … whatever. The names are many. But let us always remember that as soon as we presume to give It a name, we objectify it. We turn it into an object thatContinue reading “mystery and awareness”