Wisdom teachings are fascinating things. They may not appear to be special. They are never complicated. They can sound so ordinary that we don’t even hear them or grant them consideration. But like seeds, they burrow into us and one day surface in full bloom. Only then are we ready to appreciate them. Here are Maezumi’s Three Admonitions, which you’re not likely to find elsewhere…
From the Sangha
Stay
I once heard Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron talk about the instructions she gave to people who came to retreats while dealing with trauma. She gave them the mantra, “Stay.” Whatever is going on, stay with it. Thoughts might be crazy — let them fly but stay with the moment. Want to get up and run — don’t, just stay. Stay within the body; stay within your field of hearing. Just stay. After a while, the individual would invariably settle.
The Overstory
“I read a book that changed my life,” says Claudia Hosso Politi. The Overstory–a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about inter-connection between human beings and the natural world, especially trees–sparks wonder and a new passion for nature in Hosso…
This Is Where I Am Today
Patrice Taisho Bucher’s poignant talk about caring for her elderly parents in her hometown of New Orleans reminds us that serious Zen practice can sometimes feel like trying to be quiet when you’re caught in a whirlwind. But the rewards are priceless…
If I Don’t Do It Now . . .
Lailah Dainin Shima will sit as head trainee during Summer Ango 2019 at the Hazy Moon. In this video statement, Dainin talks about the life-and-death concerns behind her desire to sit as head trainee, as well as her growing appreciation for the Hazy Moon’s lineage of practice…
A Buddha Knows How to Talk
Nyogen Roshi tells us that when he used to resist giving talks, Maezumi Roshi would say: A buddha knows how to talk. My work as an assistant professor requires me to give many presentations on topics related to social development, which is a subject I feel very connected to. However, as long as I can remember, I have been terrified of speaking publicly—especially when I have to say something personal…
Statement from Rafael Doshin Carrasco, Head Trainee for Summer Ango 2018
I am from Santiago, Chile and I have been meditating for some years. I do not have a Sangha there, so I usually practice alone. For me, it’s really important to know that I have my teacher and my Sangha here in Hazy Moon…
My Life As It Is
I was looking for a teacher. My busy life as a mother, wife, and physician was becoming more chaotic. Meditation had intrigued me ever since I’d had a lesson at a spa. For the first time, my mind had felt relaxed—quiet yet alert. After searching local meditation groups and Zen centers, I found the Hazy Moon…
Sewing the Rakusu: A Formless Field of Self-Observation
In our Japanese Zen lineage the precept-taking ceremony is called Jukai. Those who wish to take Jukai begin by sewing a Rakusu, a bib-like garment assembled from cloth strips. The practice emerged from the custom set by the Buddha, whose followers sewed their own robes. On the back of the Rakusu, the teacher writes the Dharma name chosen for the student…
