Seeing Through - Zen Practices of Emptiness- Online Retreat

 “..knowing there is something fundamental in oneself, when one turns the light around (shifts attention from sense experience to the essence of mind) one ejects form, sound, smell, flavor, touch, and phenomena, and attains tranquility. Then..one does not grasp sense data but descends among them without being blinded, letting them be…” – Sozan Zenji

“Now think of what is without thought. How can you think of it? Be Before Thinking. This is the essence of zazen. Shatter obstacles and become intimate with Awakening Awareness.” – Keizan Zenji

Unfortunately, there is a common misunderstanding about Zen meditation- that it is a passive practice of acceptance with no intention towards or methods for seeing deeper into the nature of reality. This is false.

Celebrated lineage ancestors in both Soto and Rinzai Zen have presented inquiries, contemplations and methods, subtle and dynamic, for liberating awareness and therefore the body, mind and world from it’s contraction into a separate self. Traditionally, these methods have been presented in the Zen style of poetic expression which may explain why they are so easily misinterpreted or overlooked. 

Kisei and Jogen Sensei(s) will guide participants through several contemplations, inquiries and methods, grounded in specific historical teachings from Zen masters of Soto and Rinzai Zen that can be integrated into daily practice.

Meditation sessions will bookend each session of Saturdays deep exploration.

Zoom link will be sent on Friday afternoon by 5PM.