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Algernon D'Ammassa
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Commented Feb 26, 2013 on 100-Day Solo Retreat at Ox Herding
100-Day Solo Retreat
Twenty-three years ago, when I was just beginning Zen practice, I met a long-time practitioner who told me that he was going on a 100-day solo retreat to "face my demons." Demons? I had no idea that Zen practice involved demons. Actually, I had no idea about demons at all and the whole thing ...
Nice shot! Seems to capture the motion of the tree in the wind.
Commented May 29, 2012 on Tree at Ox Herding
Tree
A tree being itself by the highway south of Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico.
Yes.
Commented Apr 27, 2012 on The Wildness of Human Life at Ox Herding
The Wildness of Human Life
Today's video, the last of three from a talk at Cambridge Zen Center in early April, focuses on the inevitable challenges of life. None of us like getting shaken out of habitual patterns, of course. That's why it sometimes requires an earthquake before we can experience ourselves and the world i...
Bam! Wonderful.
Commented Apr 12, 2012 on Don't **** Around at Ox Herding
Don't **** Around
Just before I left for Kyol Che, my guiding teacher, Tim Lerch JDPSN, sent these encouraging words: Don't fuck around, even for a moment. Tim's message hit me like a hammer between the eyes - the right langauge, delivered at the right time. I made a small poster of his teaching and fixed it on...
Welcome back, Barry, and thank you for your practice.
Commented Jan 31, 2012 on Retreat at Ox Herding
Retreat
Road to Diamond Hill Zen Monastery I was walking down the street when I saw the movie marquee: "Barry Briggs International Film Festival." That sounded pretty interesting so I purchased a ticket and went inside. I was the only one in the theater but I attributed that to my superior taste. The...
May your socks remain dry, your muscles at ease, and your gaze clear. Thank you for your practice.
Commented Jan 4, 2012 on Ox Herding in 2012 at Ox Herding
Ox Herding in 2012
Dear Friends, Beginning today, Ox Herding will undergo a significant change, the result of my commitment to participate in several long retreats and travel extensively in 2012. These activities will result in fewer posts and occasional multi-week gaps between posts. After all, it's hard to pos...
"Reality is optional." I think of this as akin to the "bargaining phase" in the stages of dying, prolonged.
Commented Jan 2, 2012 on Reality at Ox Herding
Reality
As the new year begins, I find myself working daily with this notion: Anguish, unease, dissatisfaction, suffering, and unsteadiness arise from my deeply-held belief that reality is optional. Perhaps this resonates with you, as well. Best wishes for the new year!
Nice to see them!
Commented Dec 15, 2011 on A Visit to Empty Gate at Ox Herding
A Visit to Empty Gate
Zen Master Dae Kwang in San Francisco's Japantown Last week I spent several days at Empty Gate Zen Center in Berkeley, California, simply hanging out with dharma friends. Some of these relationships go back more than 20 years while others began only recently. Their preciousness does not depend...
Just had a severe reminder of this in my life. Story is too long to assay here, but my god, desire is a mind-altering phenomenon. Took me by surprise despite my dry cognition about it. And the knowledge doesn't make the desire less potent. Powerful stuff.
Commented Dec 2, 2011 on Desire at Ox Herding
Desire
Wise people say that we should never underestimate the power of desire over behavior. Of course, most of us don't really believe that. We want our cookies. And we want them now. Ormie wants his cookies, too, and will pay any price to get them. Thank you for reading Ox Herding! Best wishes for a...
Curious!
Commented Nov 27, 2011 on Go Mindful at Ox Herding
Go Mindful
Last week I was contacted about a new site designed to support and inspire people of all traditions in their meditation practice. Go Mindful provides a place where people can talk about their practice and offer testimonials about the ways in which mindfulness practice has supported their lives...
That's beautiful.
Commented Oct 7, 2011 on The Painted People at Ox Herding
The Painted People
I sit here at my desk, surrounded by wires and cables, papers and books, and computers and phones. And in this nest, I forget completely that not everyone experiences the world in this way. In this moment, I'm stunned at how little awareness I have of life beyond the display. But life goes on in...
Thank you for sharing Michael's powerful poem.
Commented Sep 11, 2011 on One Kind Word at Ox Herding
One Kind Word
My friend and fellow Ocean Light Zen Center sangha member, Michael Schutzler, was working in New York City ten years ago today. From the 40th floor of a mid-town building Michael watched the collapse of the World Trade Center. And on his week-long journey home to Seattle, Michael wrote the fol...
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