All is blessed, all is blessed

Greetings Friends,

I am returning from the Grasses, Trees and Great Earth Sesshin at Great Vow Zen Monastery. An outdoor sesshin I have had the deep pleasure of co-leading for the past six years. During the sesshin we practiced various ways of listening to the dharma of the natural world, including:

* Hearing with the eyes, heart, whole body.

* Letting ourselves be seen by the sky, ferns, rocks and queen ann’s lace.

* Becoming tree, black-berry, forest, ground.

The great earth and sky speak the dharma through their constancy, reminding us that we too belong to this world, that our presence is medicine, that we aren’t separate or alone.

Have you ever…(a poem) Have you ever, sat down with a tree and said hello, as if greeting a friend? And then listened to her story? Have you ever gazed into the face of a flower, with wonder and delight and asked how are you today? Have you ever laid down on the earth, and kissed her dry grasses, or soggy soils and let her touch you in 10k different ways? Have you ever held open your heart to the sky, in astonishment of their vastness and let them fill you with their roaring absence? Have you ever quieted your mind, and listened to the bird’s song how it accompanies the wind --as the grasses, leaves, flowers and trees all add their music? The natural world speaks in a voice before human words it is our native tongue Listen And you can almost remember how to hear it

Another dharma theme that we explored during the sesshin was recognizing the contentment, pleasure and joy of meditation. This is a teaching that transformed the Buddha’s own path to liberation, and is such an important resource in our own practice. To know the satisfaction of not seeking satisfaction elsewhere.

Are you afraid of this happiness?

Lastly, I want to share the story of Senjo and her soul are separated, which is what we explore in this dharma talk. It is a Chinese folk-tale turned koan, that speaks to the sense of living a divided life and remembering home. The koan and it’s poem can be found below.

Once, in a village by a river, a girl and a boy, second cousins, grew up together as inseparable companions. They were so close that the girl’s father once joked that they seemed married already. Eventually, they did fall in love. However, the girl’s father announced that she was to marry a different man.

The girl, Senjo, and her sweetheart, Ochu, were devastated, and Ochu was so upset that he decided to take his boat and leave the village. Just as he began to sail down the river, he saw a shadowy figure standing on the riverbank. Senjo stepped into the boat and they escaped down river together.

Five years passed. They had two children and were very happy, except that from time to time Senjo would burst into tears because she missed her family. They decided to return, and when they arrived home, Ochu went up to Senjo’s house to ask forgiveness for leaving with her. Her father seemed surprised, and said, “What? From the day you left, Senjo has been upstairs lying on her bed, looking so sad, and she’s never said a word.”

Just then, Senjo from the boat arrived at the door, and suddenly the Senjo from upstairs appeared, smiling. The two Senjos looked at one another, smiled, and walked right into one another. Instantly, they became one.

So the question is: “Senjo and her soul are separated. Which is the true one?”

Mumon's Poem The moon above the clouds is ever the same mountains and valleys are separate from each other all is blessed, all is blessed are they one, or two?

Have you ever felt like you were living two lives? What has helped you resolve this tension? What helps you return home?

Weekly Online Meditation Event

Monday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring the Identity of Relative and Absolute.

Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINK

In-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus Sangha

Weekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

I’m back in Columbus for a while, and we have a lot happening. Check out our website for retreats, weekly meditations and other events.

I’m Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha.