The Unconditioned Vow

The Unconditioned Vow

Author: Amy Kisei September 19, 2023 Duration: 32:09

The question of life purpose is one that comes up throughout our lives.

Maybe you are in a life transition

Maybe you started out pursuing one career because family or societal pressure and now want to do something that is more in alignment with your heart

Maybe you are in a career change for another more unexpected reason

Or are feeling the heat of the climate crisis and fraying of culture–that you wonder–what can be done? What can I do?

To be willing to ask the question What is this life about? What is my offering? What do I do now, with these resources and time? What is my legacy? What is my Vow? Or Heart’s Aspiration? Has the potential to connect us to something beyond or individual human life.

This talk is an exploration of our unconditioned vows or primary vows. An exploration of what we want to live for or from, no matter what the conditions of our lives. Whether we are healthy, sick, in a natural disaster or working a job that we don’t like, but need. What is the moment to moment vow or intention that guides your life?

How do we re-connect to our heart’s aspiration when maybe we feel confused or out of sync? The unconditioned vow is the foundation for re-connecting with purpose.

This is the first talk in a series of talks exploring vow and life’s purpose from a dharma lens.



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Hosted by Zen teacher Amy Kisei, Earth Dreams: Zen Buddhism and the Soul of the World is a quiet space for exploring what it means to be truly awake in a living, dreaming world. Rather than treating spiritual practice as a retreat from daily life, this podcast gently examines how the core insights of Zen-interconnection, non-separation, and our original nature of freedom-are intimately woven into our dreams, our relationship with the earth, and our sense of soul. Each episode feels like a thoughtful conversation, where ancient teachings meet the raw material of our inner lives and the ecological world around us. You’ll hear Kisei’s reflections on how dreamwork can be a surprising ally on the path of awakening, revealing our deep entanglement with the cosmos. The aim here isn’t abstract philosophy, but a palpable sense of how these liberating perspectives can reshape our experience of reality itself. Tuning into this podcast offers a rare blend of grounded spirituality, where the soul of the world speaks through both silence and symbol, inviting a more creative and loving engagement with existence. It’s for anyone curious about how the heart of Zen Buddhism illuminates our most profound connections.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 95

Earth Dreams: Zen Buddhism and the Soul of the World
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