“Inattention is harmful. Attention is a refuge.”   Have you noticed how often we can lose contact with what’s around us? Even with the ones we love the most? Koshin Sensei invites us to consider this separation – to actually notice it and be embarrassed by the distances we create – and change our behavior. […] The post The Dignity of Each Moment | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“There is so much energy around being sure. Thinking ‘I know,’ we become so narrow.”       Do you ever think ‘I am right’ and ‘you are wrong’? “I, you, all of us, can get caught up in deeply entrenched ideas of truth.” Koshin Sensei invites us to pay attention to our minds, to […] The post Are We Seeking Controversy and Creating Deep Divisions? | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“How does what you say and do really benefit living beings?”     We live in a world filled with beauty and terror. Whether we are experiencing euphoric glee, wrenching pain, or something in between, can our feelings lead to actions that benefit living beings? And not just some beings from the specific groups we […] The post Doing What is Beneficial and True, Not Popular | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Our commitment to distractions and our commitment to not committing actually takes a lot of effort.”       The newest telescopes can see stars being born hundreds of millions of lightyears away. Innumerable stars, like the sun in our solar system, are scattered across the farthest reaches of the cosmos. It boggles the mind, […] The post Returning to the Original Place | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Those without virtue are to be pitied.”          As Dogen Zenji reminds us, giving, kind speech, beneficial actions, and cooperation are the “Four Attractions of the Bodhisattva”. How often throughout your day do you lift these virtues up, even praise them? What would it look like in your life to embody the […] The post Practicing Interdependence Through Kind Speech | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Koshin Sensei was recently featured on the KevinMD podcast where he explored the transformative power of contemplative medicine.   Koshin and Kevin also delve into topics such as reconnecting with patients, navigating difficult emotions in the workplace, and cultivating resilience and compassion in health care practice.   We share the twenty minute clip of the […] The post “How Contemplative Medicine Revived a Doctor’s Passion”: KevinMD with Koshin Sensei appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“It is not enough to have good intensions. It really matters what you do. It really matters what you say.”       Our human ancestors have been caring for one another for at least 75,000 years. We survive, carry on, thrive, and even flourish when we show compassion.  It is not about what we […] The post Just Do. Without Regressing, Without Adulteration | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“This practice has kept me alive.”     When what has been lost brings the return of something new, when the debilitations of illness remind us of the deep dignities of being alive, these are the healing stories of care and compassion.         During the final evening of the Closing Retreat for […] The post Stories of Loss and Return, Illness and Healing | Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“…those whose lose mindfulness, lose.”       From Shakyamuni Buddha, down through generations of ancestors, including Dogen Zenji, and into the present moment have come a series of teachings on the eight awarenesses of awakened beings. One is called Maintaining Right Mindfulness or Not Neglecting Mindfulness. Practicing this in the midst of our tumbling […] The post Always New and Coming Back | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“This practice is actually about liberation, not about being comfortable, feeling good, or getting a reward.”         What are you afraid of? Can we remain focused and grounded when what we fear is right in front of us?       In this recent Zazenkai dharma talk, Koshin Sensei challenges us to […] The post Facing Your Fear | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Treat others with great care.”   What is possible when we disbelieve our doubt? When we show up to wholeheartedly practice together, worlds come alive. There is an expansive reservoir of compassion and care for all beings.     In this dharma talk, Koshin Sensei shares a few teachings that are staying with him from […] The post Three Worlds and All Beings | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Non-doing allows us to cultivate compassionate presence.”         Doing nothing is not about inaction. In this dharma talk, Chodo Sensei invites us to set down our preoccupation with doing – excessive striving, frenetic working – and consider the generative possibilities of non-doing. Can we practice full presence, broad awareness, and deep compassion? […] The post The Art of Non-Doing | Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“The way of belonging is doing.”         On the occasion of Hana Matsuri, a ceremony to celebrate the Buddha’s birth, Koshin Sensei invites us to set down our demand for things to be a certain way, for things to be perfect, and to fully enter the world in all its messy beauty. […] The post The Magic of Entering the World | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“How do you practice not wasting time?”         Stories have impact. Our thoughts and beliefs can take over our minds and actually take us out of relationship. Koshin Sensei reminds us, “We waste a lot of time indulging our thoughts.”       In this recent dharma talk, Koshin draws on the […] The post Availing Not Awaiting | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“It is a form of generosity, how we show up.”         What do we do with the stories we often tell ourselves about ourselves? Many of us worry, ‘Am I good?’ or think, ‘I am no good’. Many of us feel, ‘No one sees me,’ or are sure that ‘Everyone is judging […] The post Engaged and Playful | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“How do your opinions and preferences take you out of relationship and a life of practice?”     Honoring the Buddha’s death, Nehan-e observance is an opportunity to pay closer attention to your life, to show up and step forward. How will you life your life without regret?       In this dharma talk, […] The post Step In | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“We indulge in our fears way too much in the guise of protecting our freedom.”     In this dharma talk, Koshin Sensei asks us to look closely at what separates us from ourselves and each other. There is difference and we are all one. But our fears hold us back and create distance between […] The post Difference and Oneness | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“If the practice is going well no one is becoming like anyone else.”     In this dharma talk, Koshin Sensei invites us to experience what happens when we wholeheartedly practice. What changes within ourselves? What blooms between one another?     Genyu Kojima Roshi asks his sangha to consider what ‘bad’ religion is. It […] The post Blooming Takes Time | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Do not take anything for granted. See everything as a gift.”   The sixteen bodhisattva precepts are guidelines to live by, aspirations to live into. In this talk, Chodo Sensei introduces us to an extended study of the precepts with a moving story from his experience as a hospice chaplain. It is about a “tiny […] The post Affirm Life In All Its Forms | Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“How do we create the conditions to become more free?”    We are here because of those who came before us. In this talk, Koshin Sensei gratefully reminds us that our continuing practice and commitment have deep roots going back eighty eight generations through ancestors from India, China, and Japan. From teacher to student, or […] The post Seeing Things Through | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“How often do you live by fear of what is going to happen?”    Can you actually be where you are and nowhere else? In this talk, Koshin Sensei explores this simple question as an invitation to experience its truth in your everyday life. Zen ceremonies are about bringing your mind’s full attention to this […] The post Who’s here and nowhere else? | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“It is not through ease that we open, but through challenge, the challenge of being in relationship.”    In this talk, Koshin Sensei encourages us to face our discomfort and notice all the ways we distance ourselves from everyone and everything around us. Imagine what encountering your life might look and feel like. Koshin explores […] The post How do you actually meet your life? | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Buddhism teaches that just like all of our other qualities, the love we possess is boundless…rather than view this as a limited resource to be shared sparingly, authentic love powers our commitment to support others and enable us to grow ever more human in the process.”   On the final evening of the Contemplative Care […] The post Stories of Love & Intimacy | Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“And what does Zen really look like? As if it actually looks like anything. When we think it looks like something, we’re on the wrong path. Mountains and rivers away from it. If it were to look like anything, it would be like the wind. We would hear and feel it. We wouldn’t see it. […] The post What Does Zen Really Look Like? | Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“If there is meaning in life at all, there must be meaning in suffering. Suffering is an ineradicable part of life even as fate and death. Without suffering and death, human life cannot be complete.” — Victor Frankl   In the talk, guest teacher Cristina Moon guides us through the teachings of the Four Noble Truths […] The post Cultivating the Immovable Mind | Cristina Moon appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Like lighted incense, when we sit Zazen, we burn away our self-centeredness and release our true fragrance.”   In this recent dharma talk, guest teacher, Shinzan Palma invites us to consider what we can give to the world and the different forms generosity may take. When we are dedicated to our practice, Shinzan teaches, we […] The post Generosity Takes Many Forms | Jose Shinzan Palma appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Call me naive, but I still believe in the power of love.”   During NYZC’s recent Contemplative Care Retreat, guest dharma teacher Pamela Ayo Yetunde shares a dharma talk focusing on love, a medicine for hatred. The understanding of Buddhist love Ayo offers here contrasts views of love that are delusional, clinging, co-dependent, possessive and […] The post Consciousness-Altering Love | Pamela Ayo Yetunde appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“It is very popular to see a life of practice as a transaction as opposed to just doing because that is what needs to be done.”   Totally engaged, to be no where else except here, this is the practice. In this talk Koshin Sensei reflects on what it is to practice a life lived […] The post No Escape: Fully Engaging Body & Mind | Koshin appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“When we get caught up in our opinions and evaluations, we miss the opportunity to feel compassion and love.”   The Contemplative Care Retreat this year focused on the three poisons of greed, hatred, and delusion. During this dharma talk, Koshin Sensei turns our attention to how hatred, or our anger & resentment, impacts our […] The post On Anger | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Hatred does not cease by hatred,  but only by love; this is the eternal rule.” ― Siddhārtha Gautama, The Dhammapada: The Sayings of the Buddha   In yesterday’s dharma talk, Koshin Sensei reminds us of our shared human connection. He invites us to weave together the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian violence, as we are all threads […] The post Hatred Does Not Cease by Hatred | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“How am I taking care of the whole? How are my actions bringing harmony to all?”   In this dharma talk, rich with detail and insight, Koshin Sensei recounts his recent trip to Japan, which he traveled to at the behest of his teacher, Genyu Kojima Roshi. Koshin’s insights into his experiences offer a unique […] The post The Dharma in What We Do, Not Say | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“The Middle Way means to demolish all concepts set up in our minds…allowing life to be life.” – Kōshō Uchiyama   During our recent Summer Sesshin, Chodo Sensei offered an instructive and expansive dharma talk weaving together several strands of guiding wisdom. His talk explores the three pure precepts of not-knowing, bearing witness, and loving […] The post Freedom in the Middle Way | Chodo Robert Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Who do you recognize as part of your community?”   In this talk from earlier in the year, Chodo Sensei introduces the Three Jewels – Buddha, Dharma, Sangha – and focuses his attention on the last; the Sanskrit word for community. Chodo invites his listeners to walk with him: past his doorman, through his neighborhood, […] The post The Three Jewels are Everywhere | Chodo Robert Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Life always presents us with pairs. There are always two aspects that complement each other – sun and moon, day and night, mother and father, life and death – but how easily our minds become occupied in a one-sided way. When we see one aspect and ignore the other, however, we feel incomplete and the […] The post Cultivating One Buddha Mind | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“When we do just one activity, we express our true nature.” – Suzuki Roshi    In this recent dharma talk, Chodo Sensei looks at the scattering tendencies of the mind. He shares his own difficulties remaining in the present. His invitation, and ongoing practice, is to fully attend to whatever experience is happening right now. […] The post Ichigyo-Zammai: Full Concentration | Chodo Robert Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Our willingness to be compassionate and generous in our speech changes relationships both inside of our selves, in our sangha, and in our world.”   What happens when we don’t hold ourselves and each other accountable? Koshin Sensei explores the meaning and implications of practicing “Kind Speech,” one of Dogen’s ‘Four Methods of Guidance’. We […] The post Kind Speech is Not Always Comfortable | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“If we know we are going to die, then we are right where we are supposed to be.”   In this dharma talk from our recent Winter Sesshin, Chodo Sensei explores three of the Buddha’s first five remembrances – that we are of the nature to grow old, to become ill, and eventually, to die. […] The post Zen Practice and the Body | Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“What does leaving our sense of loneliness and entering community have to teach you?”   In this opening dharma talk from Commit to Sit Winter 2023, Koshin Sensei invites us to explore what causes us to suffer. He encourages us to confront and work with what holds us back, what keeps us from living fuller […] The post Seizing Our Opportunity to Live | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“But most of all, continuing to sit without moving, not even shifting a foot or lifting our eyes, it builds the strength that we need, and that others need in us in the face of pain or crisis. Sit there with your heart breaking. But sit tall, see and hear everything. Breathe low and slow […] The post Train Hard, Your Spirit Counts | Cristina Moon appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“The flame of the dharma you have lit, humbly and respectfully, I transmit to the next generation.” —Shundo Aoyama Rōshi   In this opening dharma talk from our last Commit to Sit 90-day practice period (summer ’22), Koshin Sensei discusses a myriad number of things that a consistent practitioner will have to face as they […] The post The Importance of Good Spiritual Friends | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Enlightenment is the ending in yourself of that hope for something other than life as it is” —Charlotte Joko Beck   We can understand the craft of meditation as the joining of a physical posture with a mental posture. In this talk by guest dharma teacher and Guiding Teacher of Boulder Zen Center, Zenki Christian […] The post The Mental Postures of Meditation | Zenki Christian Dillo appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“We have to release the clamp of our own jaw around our suffering. The uniqueness that we want to hold on to is usually not our actual uniqueness. We get into a habit of holding on to some gunky old stuff that I call ‘me’. We maintain this strange altar of our own suffering and […] The post Running On the Edge of a Sword | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“It’s important to be courteous; not just to sit in Zazen but to cultivate the body and mind in the dignity of the Buddha. To give ourselves dignity and respect. This is difficult. It’s easier to welcome others than to welcome yourself.”   Rev. Anna Maria Iten Shinnyo Marradi, spiritual guide of Shinnyoji Temple in Florence, […] The post Cultivating the Dignity of the Buddha | Rev. Anna Maria Iten Shinnyo Marradi appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“So what is this great light flashing through her mind? (It is) how you really see the blackness of a cup of coffee… how you really see the fractals of the broccoli or cauliflower… how you are present to how you move.”    José Shinzan Palma, a Zen teacher and dear dharma friend from San Diego, […] The post Everything Must Go | Jose Shinzan Palma appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“This moment may be the only moment in the circle. But any point will do. Any point is the Alpha and Omega—a special time or place is not needed. In other words, you’re all exactly where you need to be whether you like it or not.”   In the midst of the New York Zen […] The post You Must Be Your Own Teacher | Dai En Friedman appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“One of the strongest characteristics of the role of shuso is its innate awkwardness. One is always both junior and senior. This is a given to the path to those on the shuso path. This fact is confronted deeply. The faces of the junior and senior are constantly being switched, sometimes both worn at the […] The post What is the Role of Shuso? | Chodo Robert Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“We are the like the apex of a pyramid – the levels of the pyramid ever widening toward its base represent past generations of our ancestors. Our present existence is the sum of all they did and we are the starting point for our descendants. All that our ancestors did reflect on us and all […] The post Practicing Appreciation for Your Ancestors | Chodo Robert Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“What helps to enrich us and make us strong is not favorable circumstances, but failure, misfortune, or illness. What matters most is how we take misfortune. The saying ‘A branch of plum blossoms harmonizes fragrantly with snow’ teaches us how to deal with difficult circumstances.” —Shundo Aoyama Rōshi   As part of our third annual […] The post Plum Blossoms Harmonize Fragrantly with Snow | Koshin Paley Ellison & Chodo Robert Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

If you do, you can. If you don’t, you can’t. When you say you can’t do what can be done, It means you haven’t set out to do it. —Junkyo Oishi (1888-1968)   Pulling from Zen Seeds, Shundo Aoyama Rōshi’s timeless book on life and practice, Koshin Sensei shares the story of Junkyo Oishi, otherwise known […] The post Do Not Let Your Heart Be Crippled | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Prajnatara asked, ‘What amongst all things is the greatest?’ Bodhidharma said, ‘True nature, of all things, is the greatest.’”   In this dharma talk, Sensei Koshin shares a koan describing the meeting between Prajnatara and Bodhidharma, which would lead to Prajnatara becoming Bodhidharma’s teacher and paving the way for the founding of the Zen lineage. […] The post Realizing the Tathāgata’s True Meaning | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Fear can lead us to do regretful, hateful, and even violent things. Lion’s Roar & NYZC’s new online course Medicine for Fear is inspired by Zen teacher Eihei Dogen’s essential instructions for awakening. The course, featuring Sensei Koshin and Sensei Chodo, as well as Mushim Ikeda, Pamela Ayo Yetunde, Kodo Nishimura, and Mirabai Bush, offers […] The post Fear and Knowing How to Be Satisfied | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“To devote ourselves to everything we encounter and throw our life force into doing just that is quite different from simply exhausting our energies playing with toys.” —Kōshō Uchiyama Rōshi   In celebration of the Shakyamuni Buddha’s birthday, the NYZC sangha gathered on April 10th, whether in person or virtually, to chant, bathe the baby […] The post Happily Putting Down Our Habits | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“How are you cultivating that space of no separation in each moment?”   Koshin Paley Ellison delivers a talk on the importance of commitment in relationship, whether it be commitment in how you show up for others in your community or the steadiness you display in a teacher–student engagement. He discusses the Zen ancestor Guishan […] The post The Glowing Ember of Sangha | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

What are the ingredients that go into your decisions today?   Sensei Chodo delivers a vulnerable dharma talk on a koan in which you find yourself trapped in an impossible situation and asks: “How can you get out?” Though koan practice is unusual in the Sōtō Zen sect, they are practiced and taught in the […] The post The Stone Grave You Find Yourself In | Chodo Robert Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Big mind, then, is not a matter of meditation on some vast floating spatial dimension. It is the practice of entirely devoting your life to each and everything that you encounter, no matter what it might be.” As the New York Zen Center continues in its 90 day ango (practice period), Sensei Chodo Robert Campbell […] The post How Do We Embody Big Mind? | Chodo Robert Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

For more than a decade, NYZC’s Foundations in Contemplative Care has transformed the lives of individuals from across the country and around the world by supporting the integration of spiritual practice and caregiving. In this info session (recorded on February 28th, 2022), guiding teachers, Koshin Paley Ellison and Chodo Robert Campbell, as well as staff […] The post Answering Your Questions about Foundations in Contemplative Care | February 2022 appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“How can you embody being settled into the Way?”   In this dharma talk, Koshin Paley Ellison cites our Zen ancestor, Dōgen Zenji, who, in his various guides explains that those who hold positions within sanghas are monks “settled in the Way”. Koshin sensei examines what it means to be settled as such and how […] The post Showing Up For Your Life | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“It is not valid to equate a fact, as real as it may seem to be, with the truth. It is just self deception. We deceive ourselves by believing a fact that exists in our mind is an absolute truth” —Kōshō Uchiyama   In this dharma talk, Koshin Paley Ellison draws from lessons learned during […] The post In Harmony With The Three Treasures | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“What I would encourage you to do is to reflect on: how you how you’ve deceived yourself this past year, how you’ve made excuses, and how can you take responsibility.”   On the eve of the new year, Koshin Paley Ellison and Chodo Robert Campbell deliver dharma talks on self-deception, taking responsibility, and setting intentions. Chodo […] The post How Will You Be In Time? | New Year’s Eve Dharma Talks & 108 Bell Ringing appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“If you just surrender your life to the dharma, then you no longer have to worry what the future will bring. You will bring forth the future out of your surrender. Just drink tea and the dharma will come to you. You don’t have to chase it. It is chasing you.” —Sandra Jishu Holmes Roshi […] The post Stop Chasing! Our Cultural Belief in Choice | Dai En Friedman appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“I’ve been practicing for twenty years and it’s so wonderful that I’m still not sure what practice is.” Sensei Shinzan Palma joins the NYZC sangha to deliver a dharma talk on the varying dimensions of practice. He shares his own journey in understanding what zazen means to him, navigating past delusions of his younger years. […] The post Grounding In Your Practice & Supporting Sangha | Jose Shinzan Palma appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Maintaining the sangha and showing up to serve the Buddhadharma is something beyond us, beyond ‘me’.”   Sensei Koshin delivers a dharma talk on perseverance and dedication to practice. He shares the story of Parsha, the 10th ancestor of Shakyamuni Buddha and a venerable monk born at the ripe age of 60 years old. With […] The post The Arc of Practice | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“When we give to others, we give without expectation or reward. We give without attachment to the gift or the recipient.” —Shakyamuni Buddha   Chodo Robert Campbell delivers a dharma talk on Dāna, the Pali word for generosity, or as Chodo refers to it, “the practice of giving and the release of self-clinging”. He discusses […] The post This Generosity Comes in Unexpected Ways | Chodo Robert Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Can you find the steadiness of your practice even when you don’t want to? Can you show up even when you’re not feeling well in your body-mind?”   During the last practice period and in the midst of a full day Zazenkai, Koshin Paley Ellison delivers a dharma talk on finding your breath and practice […] The post The Entire Universe is One Bright Pearl | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Many of us use spiritual practice as a transaction. We say to ourselves, ‘if I log in enough hours, I will get something.’”   In this dharma talk, Koshin Paley Ellison draws from one of this year’s practice texts, Bendōwa, in which Eihei Dogen exhorts his disciples to engage in continuous practice under the tutelage […] The post Practice and Realization Are Not Two Things | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“If I can practice having tenderness and compassion for my own experience, it’s like having a couple of extra windows in your house. You can then see what other people are going through and then we can have companionship.”   Further expanding on Bendōwa: On The Endeavor Of The Way, one of the study texts […] The post Waking Up to the Hidden Parts of Ourselves | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Zazen has nothing whatsoever to do with whether you’re sitting upright or lying down.”   Examining one of this year’s Commit to Sit practice texts, Koshin Paley Ellison reflects on the teachings of the Zen ancestor, Eihei Dogen, and how they relate to the meaning of zazen, the strength of community and legacy, and “giving […] The post For Zazen, A Quiet Room is Best | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“How do you experience the sound of raindrops as they land on the surface of the water? The breeze against your face if you’re flying in the sky? Or are you just ambling through your life with closed eyes? Stuck in your ‘I, I, I’, ‘me, me, me’.”   On the final Sunday of June […] The post 51 Years Later, Still Fighting | Chodo Robert Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“All people throughout the world are, without a doubt, equally imprinted with Buddha nature.”—Eihei Dogen   As the Zen Center begins to slowly open its doors for in-person sits, Koshin Paley Ellison addresses the different ways in which we defile or disparage the Three Treasures (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha) and what to do when you […] The post The Acupuncture Needle of Zazen | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Part of our practice is to educate ourselves about history but also about how we work with our rage; how we work with our feelings of difference.”   On May 30th, 2021, the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Massacres, Koshin Paley Ellison discusses the importance of Right View, the first step in the Buddha’s Eightfold […] The post How Do You Stop the Fighting Across the River? | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“What do you do in the face of horror, the face of fear, the face of the unknown? How do we give each other the courage to dig into curiosity and generosity?”   As conflicts in the Middle East spawn rising tension and animosity, Koshin Paley Ellison addresses the necessary strength one needs to maintain […] The post No Beginning and No End: What Do You Do in the Face of Fear? | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“How can my actions today foster and nourish other people’s spiritual lives?”   Drawing upon Case 33 of The Book of Equanimity, Koshin details the interaction between Sanshô and Seppô, in which the younger monk addresses his senior with contempt. This story illuminates the need for skillful means, but what is skillful means? Does the […] The post What is Skillful Means? | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“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.“   —Basho   In this recent dharma talk, Chodo Robert Campbell inquires how we take notice of details in our life that we otherwise may […] 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, Koshin Paley Ellison discusses the importance of getting up, even after failing miserably. He also asks us to examine our impact on others, and inspired […] 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 blind to the dirty face of a woman with a cardboard sign.   Without hunger, it’s easy to be heartless. Without hurt, you are disabled.” […] 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 senior student. As someone who had gone through this training period himself with its many humble responsibilities, he explains how the title and ceremony are […] 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 and the difficulty of opening and closing (when appropriate) to life. As he describes it, opening and the Bodhisattvic vow are difficult to do when […] 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, Dogen Zenji, tells us, “At the top of a 100 foot pole, take one step further!” Reflecting on this teaching and thinking of his own […] 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 post Guided Meditation: Magic Carpet II | Robert Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“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 […] The post What Do We Do With The Garden That Is Entrusted To Us? | Koshin Paley Ellison 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 post Guided Meditation: “Desert Journey” | Robert Chodo Campbell (Audio Only)⁠ appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“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 […] The post Do Not Chase The Tides Of Your Life | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“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 […] The post How Much Merit Have I Earned? | Robert Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“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 […] The post The Difference Between Student And Master | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“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 […] The post Speaking One Foot Does Not Compare With Practicing One Inch | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“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 […] The post Sit For Scholarship: “You Could Make This Place Beautiful” | Koshin Paley Ellison & Robert Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“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. […] The post Practicing Within The Imperfection | Robert Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“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 […] The post How much are we willing to change? | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“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 […] The post Whatever It Takes – Just Commit | Robert Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“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 […] The post Finding Groundedness After Violence and Tumult | Robert Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“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 […] The post Remembering George Floyd | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“The pitfall is always within yourself. Everything is already here with you! This body and mind is the Way. You are complete to begin with. There is no gap but you think there is.”  On the 25th anniversary of the passing of Taizan Maezumi Roshi, Sensei Koshin addresses the life and teachings of the eminent […] The post The Fullness of Harmony – Remembering Taizan Maezumi Roshi | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“How do you hold back? What’s your hesitation? Now that we’ve all bumped into the dharma, what next?” In this recent talk, Sensei Koshin reads the 25th case from the Blue Cliff Record: The Hermit Of Lotus Flower Peak Holds Up His Staff. He brings the story to life by examining how we show gratitude […] The post The Hermit Of Lotus Flower Peak Holds Up His Staff | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“She’s not the mother I would have asked for, but she’s the one that I got.” In this recent talk, Sensei Chodo discusses the perfectly-imperfect and powerful women that have granted us all life: from ancient bodhisattvas that visited the hell realms for the sake of all beings to a mother and daughter that find […] The post Three Mothers | Robert Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“In the world, there is nothing that is not your practice. How vast is your role? Who will you embrace in this suffering world?” Sensei Chodo Campbell gives a dharma talk on the state of the sangha in the midst of the Covid-19 lockdown: students of the Foundations course unable to meet patients and nursing […] The post You Will Want To Remember This | Robert Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“The constant learning of this time is: how do we want to be and how do we meet each challenge, particularly in our minds?” As the center adapts to a post-pandemic virtual existence, Sensei Koshin addresses the realities New Yorkers are facing in response to Covid-19. These harrowing tales highlight the practice of bearing witness […] The post What Happens To Delusion When You Recognize It? | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“There is a lot of talk in dharma practice about stillness, peace and perfect alignment with life — there’s something beautiful about invoking that possibility but it often contrasts very much with the lack of peace one might feel. How often do we judge that lack of peace as something that shouldn’t be happening?”   […] The post Getting Lost Is The Practice | Martin Aylward appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“What would it be like to say, with some humor, ‘Ah, who cares if I am uncomfortable?’ This whole world is uncomfortable! How do we find the softness and tenderness for that fear but not live in reaction to it?” In a recent virtual dharma talk, Sensei Koshin discusses the struggles the sangha has been […] The post Finding Generosity in the Midst of Crisis | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

In a recent book launch, Marie Howe, Victoria Redel, Tenku Ruff and Sebene Selassie read poetry from “The First Free Women: Poems of the Early Buddhist Nuns” by Matty Weingast. Composed around the Buddha’s lifetime, the Therigatha (Verses of the Elder Nuns) contains poems of princesses and courtesans, tired wives of arranged marriages and the […] The post ZenPoems: The First Free Women by Matty Weingast with Marie Howe, Victoria Redel, Tenku Ruff and Sebene Selassie appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“The beauty of this practice is that you can feel your feelings without identifying who you are by what you are feeling.” The Zen Masters of old would teach that those without preferences had their path laid out before them. Easier said than done! How do we soften the clinging to our preferences so that […] The post How Do You Practice Beginner’s Mind? | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“A human being is a part of the whole, called by us “Universe”, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness.” – Albert Einstein In this talk, Sensei Koshin shares his thoughts on the idea of self-compassion, and “practicing at […] The post Widening The Circle Of Who We Are | Koshin Paley Ellison appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“Learning how to relax is a place of practice.”  In this vulnerable dharma talk, Sensei Chodo engages the students in the ancient art of Mondo Zen, or dialogue between teacher and pupil. He first shares a story of a classic zen teacher/student interaction and then queries: what does it take to relax into this moment […] The post What Does It Take To Relax Into This Moment? | Robert Chodo Campbell appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

“No one can live your life except you. No one can live my life except me” – Maezumi Roshi   In this recent talk, Sensei Chodo Robert Campbell GC-C discusses a heart opening experience with an unexpected teacher, appreciating the miracle of natural-born abilities, and finding practice in the middle of New York City. The […] The post Slowing Down and Being In The Time Of Your Life | Sensei Chodo Robert Campbell GC-C appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

A talk by Sensei Chodo The post Winter Sesshin 2020: Realizing Awakeness appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

A talk from Sensei Shinzan The post Winter Sesshin 2020: Sad Buddha, Grumpy Buddha, Grateful Buddha appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

A talk from Sensei Dai-En The post Winter Sesshin 2020: Going Home appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

A talk from Sensei Koshin The post Winter Sesshin 2020: Ichi-go Ichi-e appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Koshin Sensei remembers Ram Dass and Iron Grinder Liu. The post Unconditional Love appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

A talk by Sensei Chodo Robert Campbell GC-C The post Summer Sesshin 2019: Stay Open appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

A talk by Koshin Sensei The post Summer Sesshin 2019: Legion appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

A talk by Shinzan Sensei The post Summer Sesshin 2019: What Is The Person Who Doesn’t Have Worries? appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

A talk by Sensei Chodo Robert Campbell GC-C The post Summer Sesshin 2019: Nothing Holy appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

A talk by Shinzan Palma Sensei The post Summer Sesshin 2019: Stay With The Method appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

A talk by Koshin Sensei The post Summer Sesshin 2019: Reveal It appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Koshin Sensei discusses case 2 of the Mumonkan: Baizhang’s fox, karma, and the four noble truths. The post Never Ignore Cause and Effect appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

A talk by Sensei Chodo Robert Campbell GC-C The post There’s No End To It appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Koshin Sensei discusses case #17 of the Book of Serenity: Hogen’s Hair’s Breadth The post Even A Hair’s Breadth of Distance appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Koshin Sensei discusses case 30 of the Mumonkan, mind, and interrupting the process of identifying with your brain. The post Mind Is Buddha appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

A talk by Koshin Sensei The post Open Your Treasure House appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

A talk by Chodo Sensei The post We’re All Doing It In The Way That We Do It appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Koshin Sensei discusses taking refuge in the three treasures. The post Dropping Down and Widening Out appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Chodo Sensei discusses the first noble truth. The post Being With Suffering appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Koshin Sensei discusses the fourth grave precept: not to lie but to tell the truth. The post The Great Combo Platter appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Sensei Chodo Robert Campbell GC-C discusses working with teachings we don’t want. References: Magdalene (Marie Howe), Zen Master Raven (Robert Aitken Roshi), Rumi The post Mara is Prodding You appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Koshin Sensei discusses delusion and impermanence The post We Just Don’t Know How It’s Going to End appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Koshin Sensei talks about taking the medicine of practice and how it serves the world. The post The Medicine We Need appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Koshin Sensei discusses the reach of our actions. The post We Are Never Just One Thing appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Sallie joined us in NYC to share her insights and answer questions around the dying process. The post Sallie Tisdale on her new book Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them): A Practical Perspective on Death and Dying appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

How can our grief merge with our practice? By Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison The post Intimacy with Grief appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Koshin Sensei speaks on Self Realization. The post Self Realization appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Koshin Sensei addresses the Third Grave Precept. The post The Third Grave Precept, Not Misusing Sexuality appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Appreciating all the Teachings by Robert Chodo Campbell Chodo Sensei urges us to appreciate our lives and the opportunity to practice together. The post Appreciating all the Teachings appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Dragon Howls and Tiger Roars by Koshin Paley Ellison In practice, you are learning how to trust your way, but not your conditioned way. You must realize it for yourself. The post Dragon Howls and Tiger Roars appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

In every moment, how can we embody the spirit of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva who hears the cries of the world and takes action? The post How Do We Just Give? appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Sitting down and having a meditation practice is one thing, but what you do when you're meditating is what really matters. Can you allow yourself to experience what you’re experiencing when you experience it? The post Zazen for Everybody appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Innkeeper of the Universe by Koshin Paley Ellison The post Innkeeper of the Universe appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Freedom is Total Responsibility by Koshin Paley Ellison The post Freedom is Total Responsibility appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

The Moon in the Water by Koshin Paley Ellison. The post The Moon in the Water appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Surrender Everything by Koshin Paley Ellison The post Surrender Everything appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Like a Baby by Koshin Paley Ellison The post Like a Baby appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Do Not Look Elsewhere by Koshin Paley Ellison The post Do Not Look Elsewhere appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Allowing Yourself to Get Out of Your Own Way by Koshin Paley Ellison The post Allowing Yourself to Get Out of Your Own Way appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Vow of Responsibility by Koshin Paley Ellison The post Vow of Responsibility appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Virya by Sensei Chodo Robert Campbell GC-C The post Virya appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

The Journey by Sensei Chodo Robert Campbell GC-C The post The Journey appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Nobody Knows the Troubles I Have Seen by Koshin Paley Ellison   The post Nobody Knows the Troubles I Have Seen appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Show Up and Participate by Koshin Palley Ellison In this dharma talk, Koshin discusses going beyond our usual habits of avoiding what we don’t like and grasping at what we like. When that happens we are able to relax and engage with whatever is going on. The post Show Up and Participate appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Kannon, The Bodhisattva of Compassion by Robert Chodo Campbell The post Kannon, The Bodhisattva of Compassion appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

The post Embody your Life appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

The post Encountering The Dharma appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Promise Nothing Other Than to Show Up Completely in the Moment by Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison In this podcast, Koshin talks about how to inhabit the present moment. Are we going to spend our time in reactivity with our storylines and habits, or are we willing to remain open-hearted and grounded to whatever we encounter? The post Promise Nothing Other Then to Show Up Completely in the Moment appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

Not Holding on to Anger by Sensei Chodo Robert Campbell GC-C The post Not Holding Onto Anger appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

The post Frank Ostaseski: The Five Invitations (Part 1) appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

The post Staying Close to Our Own Nature appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

The post The Delusion of Sepertness appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

The post The Distractions From Life in Today's World appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

The post The Mind Of The Past Is Ungraspable appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

The post Whatever Is Needed To Help At The Time appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

The post Learn to Live, Give, and Accept Friendship without Clinging appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

The post Is it Right to Lie or tell the Truth appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

The post Complete Equality appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

The post Practice Within Illness appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.