The SFZC Audio Archive

Serial: SF-08831 12/03/2023, Chosetsu Lauren Bouyea, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Suzuki Roshi said that beginner's mind - meeting the world and ourselves just-as-it-is - is the secret of Zen practice, but there are many powerful cultural and... The talk explores the concept of "beginner's mind" within Zen practice, emphasizing the importance of maintaining an open and unfixed mindset despite the tendency to settle into habitual, self-centered thought patterns. It...

Serial: SF-09546 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Uji Gui Spina on 2023-12-03 The talk centers on the profound changes at Green Gulch, where senior members are leaving, prompting reflections on impermanence and community through a deeply meaningful ceremony. The speaker also discusses a workshop...

Serial: SF-08763 Talk by Kyoshin Wendy Lewis at City Center on 2023-12-02 The talk explores the philosophical dimensions within Buddhist practice, focusing on the fourth foundation of mindfulness as described in the Satipatthana Sutta, which involves contemplation of dharmas, including the exploration...

Serial: SF-09533 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Uji Gui Spina on 2023-11-26 The talk examines Dogen's "Uji: The Time Being," emphasizing the inseparability of time and existence within the present moment. It discusses interpretations of the term "uji" as the fusion of time and being, contrasting with...

Serial: SF-08884 This talk, from Beginner's Mind Temple, was given by City Center tanto (head of practice) Tim Wicks. Virya Paramita is often translated as "joyful" or "enthusiastic" energy. Working with the shadow side of energy — depression and... The talk provides an in-depth exploration of the concept of "virya," or energy, particularly within the context of the Six Paramitas in Mahayana Buddhism. The focus is on understanding energy as an essential practice for...

Serial: SF-08752 Talk by Paul Haller at City Center on 2023-11-22 The talk focuses on the theme of gratitude amid adversity and the importance of shared challenges within the human family. The message conveys how Thanksgiving can be an opportunity for healing relationships and fostering...

Serial: SF-08911 11/19/2023, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. The one practice for every moment of our life is just to welcome and care for whatever is right here - why do we forget that so easily, and how can we train in... The talk focuses on the practice of Zen embracing each experience as an opportunity for compassion, as illustrated by the metaphor of perceiving everything that arises—thoughts, sensations, beings—as "baby newts" seeking care and...

Serial: SF-09785 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2023-11-19 The talk explores Dogen Zenji's philosophical insights, focusing on his essay "Uji" which delves into the concept of "Time Being." The speaker reflects on the unity of body and mind, practice and enlightenment, and the embodiment...

Serial: SF-08879 Talk by Andre Elsen at City Center on 2023-11-15 The talk centers around the application of Zen Buddhist teachings and psychotherapeutic techniques to manage anger and emotional turmoil. The narrative of a monk's experience with anger demonstrates the practice of the paramitas...

Serial: SF-09745 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2023-11-12 The talk explores Dogen Zenji's "Tenzo Kyokun" and its relevance to the roles of the Tenzo, focusing on how mindfulness in everyday tasks, such as cooking, can be a form of spiritual practice. It discusses the embodiment of the "...

Serial: SF-08709 Talk by Paul Haller at City Center on 2023-11-08 The talk explores the challenges and growth experienced through chaplaincy training, drawing parallels between beginning new practices and early education. It delves into the application of the Six Paramitas—generosity, virtuous...

Serial: SF-08725 11/05/2023, Eijun Linda Cutts, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. After finishing 11 days on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain, Linda brings up the koan, Case 20 in the Book of Serenity, "Not Knowing is Most Intimate,"... The talk explores the practice of pilgrimage, suggesting it as a metaphor for life's journey, integrating Zen teachings with personal experiences from the Camino de Santiago. The discussion weaves the concept of being a pilgrim...

Serial: SF-09766 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2023-11-05 The primary focus of the talk is an exploration of Dōgen's "Tenzo Kyōkun," emphasizing the practice of wholehearted attention and the respect for both the material and spiritual aspects of daily tasks within the Soto Zen...

Serial: SF-08782 This talk, from Beginner's Mind Temple, was given by senior dharma teacher Ryushin Paul Haller. As we witness the war in the Middle East and the suffering it creates, it's challenging not to get caught in choosing which side has... The talk explores the concept of "trusting the moment" amid life's turmoil, emphasizing Zen practice's role in addressing life's challenges through a combination of the "Genjo Koan" and the Six Paramitas, focusing particularly on...

Serial: SF-08824 Talk by Andre Elsen at City Center on 2023-11-01 The talk discusses the practice of zazen and the study of the self through Dogen's "Genjokoan," highlighting the philosophical and experiential aspects of self-awareness in Zen practice. The speaker emphasizes the physical and...

Serial: SF-09768 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha on 2023-10-29 The talk discusses the importance of community and the interconnectedness of shared practices across diverse beliefs, drawing parallels between Buddhist and Jewish traditions and emphasizing the historical relevance of community...

Serial: SF-08961 10/28/2023, Shosan Victoria Austin, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk from Beginner's Mind Temple, Shosan Victoria Austin discusses working skillfully with anger. Many ancient texts mention anger as an unwholesome emotion... The talk addresses the challenge of manifesting anger while maintaining loving-kindness in relationships, emphasizing the application of the paramitas, or perfections, to transform anger into a beneficial force for oneself and...

Serial: SF-08743 Talk by Paul Haller at City Center on 2023-10-25 The talk centers around the exploration of Zen Master Dogen's teachings in "Genjo Koan," with particular focus on the concept of "whole body and mind" participation in everyday practice. The speaker discusses the nuances of...

Serial: SF-08913 10/22/2023, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. For those who have vowed to "do all good" and "avoid all evil," Zen offers a compassionate but counter-intuitive teaching, equally relevant to meditation and to... This talk centers on the practice of including everything as taught in Zen Buddhism, with emphasis on openness and acceptance in meditation and life, drawing on Dogen Zenji's statement from "Eihei Koroku" about the...

Serial: SF-08846 Talk by Marc Lesser at City Center on 2023-10-21 The talk focuses on the concept of "finding clarity," exploring its role as a path to awakening or enlightenment within the Zen tradition. It recounts a retreat with CEOs where meditation and introspective questioning transformed...

Serial: SF-08976 03/08/2023, Ryushin Paul Haller, dharma talk at City Center. A description of the function and symbolism of the Mountain Seat ceremony. The talk focuses on the application of Dogen Zenji's teachings as outlined in "Genjo Koan," alongside the practice of the six paramitas, to cultivate awakening within life's challenges. Through personal anecdotes and reflections...

Serial: SF-09487 Talk by Fu Schroeder Sangha Sessions Bendowa Gui Spina on 2023-10-15 The talk centers on the concept of "Bendowa," or wholehearted engagement with life's surprises and challenges, drawing on Dogen's teachings to highlight the continuous interplay of practice and enlightenment. It underscores Dogen...

Serial: SF-08802 10/14/2023, Tenzen David Zimmerman, dharma talk at City Center. In this talk from Beginner's Mind Temple, on the occasion of SFZC’s Members and Volunteers Appreciation Day, central abbot Tenzen David Zimmerman speaks to the value... The talk emphasizes the critical role of Sangha, or community, in Zen practice, arguing that Sangha is not merely supportive but integral to the path of awakening. It discusses historical and contemporary understandings of Sangha...

Serial: SF-08847 10/18/2023, Steve Weintraub, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. In this talk, Senior Dharma Teacher Steve Weintraub explains that our practice is a big help to us; but it may not be a help in the way we usually think. How our... The talk explores how Zen practice aids practitioners, emphasizing that it is not about eliminating suffering or attaining perpetual ease, but rather about engaging with suffering as an essential aspect of human experience. It...