We are Here to Awaken from the Illusion of Our Separateness

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (affectionately known as Thay by his followers) says, “We are here to awaken from the illusion of our separateness.” This quote appeared in a Tricycle.com article by dharma teacher Wendy Johnson. She is the longest-running writer for Tricycle Magazine. Her articles on gardening appear each month and we have been […]

Forest Bathing

Today is  November 7, 2014. I arrive at the Ben Lomond Quaker Center snuggled in the redwood forest of the Santa Cruz Mountains. I walk in the woods a bit and realize I am forest bathing. The joy I feel being there is enhanced by the early morning sunlight streaming through the trees. The canopy […]

Beginner’s Mind

Shunryu Suzuki Roshi was the founding teacher of the San Francisco Zen Center. His simple teachings have inspired many new dharma teachers such as Myogen Steve Stucky, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, Wendy Johnson, and many others. My first experience at the San Francisco Zen Center was in 1972. I did a seven day sesshin there with […]

Moral Injury

Today, I am in the beautiful redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Ben Lomond, California. The trees are so beautiful. People know about the redwoods in Muir Woods, and these are just as wonderful. Just a little while ago, I was walking on a path and felt a gentle breeze blowing in the wind. […]