Zencare Podcast

“Treading the Mountain Path,  The Violets Fill My Heart, With indefinable gracefulness. Though no one pays any attention to the violets along the path, they still bloom, quietly beautifully elegantly.“ […] The post The Unborn Mind | Chodo Robert Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“The world is a beautiful place to be born into, if you don’t mind a touch of hell.”   On one of the final days of our last practice period, […] The post What will the Zen Center be in 450 years? | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“But the curse of this charm is exile from the unlucky, how gifts make you deaf to the sudden shout   of a man camped in the ravine, make you […] The post The Curse of the Charmed Life | Chodo Robert Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“There is not a single thing that is not Buddha.”   On the night after the center’s first Shuso empowerment, Chodo Robert Campbell discusses the importance of the Shuso, or […] The post What is a Shuso? (Shuso Empowerment) | Chodo Robert Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“We are here to feel all of the waves, from the great joys to the great sorrows.”   In this Sunday morning dharma talk, Koshin Paley Ellison discusses the need […] The post How Do We Consider What Is Spiritual? | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“This practice is about a daily struggle!”   Given on February 28th, the 47th day of our Commit to Sit practice: In that day’s source text, the Soto Zen founder, […] The post Be Determined: Letting Go of Attachment | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Sensei Chodo gives a talk on the importance of virya, the sanskrit word for strength or energy, and how it can be used when the forces of Mara (depression, ill-temper, addictive behavior) attempt to seduce you. The post What Happens When Mara Shows Up In Your Life? | Robert Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Free live guided meditations every Thursday at 6:30 PM ET. Find out more here: https://zencare.org/online-zendo/ ZenTalk Notes: Sensei Robert Chodo Campbell is a co-founder of the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care and is part of the core faculty for the Buddhist Track in the Master in Pastoral Care and Counseling at Zen Center’s

“The bones and skulls of those who did not turn back from this continuous practice are enshrined in seven treasure pagodas and given respect by humans and devas.” Drawing inspiration from his teacher’s two-acre garden on Long Island, NY, Sensei Koshin wonders what it means to tend to the gardens of our own lives, especially

Free live guided meditations every Thursday at 6:30 PM ET. Find out more here: https://zencare.org/online-zendo/   ZenTalk Notes: Sensei Robert Chodo Campbell is a co-founder of the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care and is part of the core faculty for the Buddhist Track in the Master in Pastoral Care and Counseling at Zen Center’s

"Gossiping and taking sides does not take a lot of practice." In this dharma talk, Sensei Koshin discusses the importance of not being swayed by one's emotional reactivities. Drawing upon examples of teachers who were able to remain completely present with outright injustice against them, he urges us to continue practicing, especially when it is

"Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble." — John Lewis Sensei Chodo gives a moving and wide-ranging talk, discussing: Bodhidharma meeting Emperor Wu, breaking down and explaining the meaning behind the heart sutra, and the wisdom inherent in our primordial nature. He also shares lessons from The

"Not holding back is a place of practice." Drawing inspiration from the teachings of Dogen, Koshin gives a wide-ranging talk on the importance of practicing past the point of discomfort and not having the practice adapt to your preferences. He also reminds us of the debt we owe to teachers of old who have kept

"Everything is an aspect of continuous practice, particularly what we think shouldn't be happening." Sensei Koshin delivers an important talk on the merits of both study and practice; how the two compliment and deepen each other. But, as he is quick to mention, practice of mindfulness must always take precedence. He also discusses the importance

“How can we sit just for ourselves with what is happening around us?” On Saturday, June 27th, the Zen Center's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Group launched its Sit for Scholarship 2020 event where formal students, members, friends and fans of the Zen Center sat together (online) in meditation to raise funds for the Zen Center’s

"Flow and swirl at the world, carried along as if by a dark current. All you can do is keep swimming. All you can do is keep singing." In this vulnerable dharma talk, Sensei Chodo describes the grief he and Sensei Koshin experienced as they witnessed the passing of their beloved Maine Coon cat, Obi.

"Sacrifice is a way to connect to what we give most value." How much are we willing to shift? This is the question posed by Sensei Koshin several weeks after protests broke out across the country and the world, highlighting racial and economic inequalities. Connecting to ancestors in the zen lineage and his own family

"Living for 100 years doesn't compare with living for one day and arousing determination for the Way." As the New York Zen Center engages in a Commit to Sit period and as the world reels from issues of inequality, Sensei Chodo delivers a dharma talk on the importance of practice. He reminds us to practice

"This kind of group practice can be of real benefit to a world such as ours. Perhaps it is not so irrelevant to a world in which harmony is scarcer than diamonds." — Taizan Maezumi Roshi Tensions and protests are escalating throughout the United States. Several weeks ago, Sensei Chodo addressed the sangha after an

"What’s inspiring about this practice to me is: How do we make it a land of the free for everyone? This is a liberation practice." On the 7th day of the passing of George Floyd, the New York Zen Center held a memorial service in remembrance. Sensei Koshin delivers a dharma talk on the excruciating