“The source of ethical conduct is found in the way things are, circumstance itself: unfiltered immediate reality reveals what is needed.”

-Lin Jensen

This Week’s Discussion Topic
What are some misconceptions you initially had about meditation/Buddhism that you’ve discovered aren’t true once you began earnestly practicing?

“As long as we think we shouldn’t feel something, as long as we are afraid of feeling vulnerable, our defenses kick in to try to get life under control, to manipulate ourselves or other people. But instead of either controlling or sequestering our feelings, we can learn to both contain and feel them fully.”

-Barry Magid

This Week’s Discussion Topic
What does the famous Zen saying “If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha,” mean to you?

“Zen is becoming one with all truths. It is easy to be misled by the word ‘zazen’ and think that it refers to some special practice, but this is not the case. If the goal of all religious practice in the world is to become one with the truth, then this is all Zen.”

-Harada Sekkei Roshi

This Week’s Discussion Topic
Has practice ever made your life seem more stressful than before you started? How so?

“I used to think the point was to pursue happiness and flee misery, and this attitude extended to Zen practice. But now I see a new way of looking at things: What if the point is to start by accepting suffering?”
-Henry Shukman

This Week’s Discussion Topic
What are some of the most persistent thoughts, anxieties, memories, etc. that have distracted you from the present moment in the past few weeks? Do you have any strategies for limiting their ability to steal your attention?