Travel, Work, Life, Practice Etc. Update December 2024

A little part of what’s recently been happening in work / life / practice, etc for the past roughly two months here at the end of December 2024 https://kwanumzen.org https://musangsa.org/international/kyol-che/

Guesting On The Zen Commuter Podcast (Episode #2077)

After recording an interview with Tom Walters of the Zen Commuter podcast in February 2024 the episode #2077 is finally out! Thanks so much to Tom and all the great work he does around the many worlds of meditation and beyond. https://www.zencommuter.com/blog/2077 Here’s his show notes for it: Today I share with you my interviewContinue reading “Guesting On The Zen Commuter Podcast (Episode #2077)”

Can Ai Teach Zen (Via The Gateless Gate)?

Early April UPDATE: Microsoft’s CoPilot AI robes up to explain and give teachings for each of the Gateless Gate Zen stories No; maybe just a little? Ready to get your distortion on and feel more or less reassured about beating ai to the zen punch (at least in images)? Meh? MEH!? OK, ok then AreContinue reading “Can Ai Teach Zen (Via The Gateless Gate)?”

Lankavatara Sutra: Notes And Questions

Shortcut to this blog post: https://tinyurl.com/redpinelanka If remembering correctly the only text the legendary Bodhidharma took with him to the East was the Lankavatara Sutra. That in itself ought be enough to read it. So after urging of a Dharma friend; the perception were it seems Chan has moved away from [amazon affiliate program link]:Continue reading “Lankavatara Sutra: Notes And Questions”

Bodhinaut: (Traditional) Zen For The Meme Generation

Recently got this ping from Dharma friend Kyle Shive whom I’ve enjoyed very much studying, practicing and talking deep dhamma with in real life and online: I started my Zen channel today! Like and subscribe. I’m gonna start doing a video once a day. Taking old Zen stories and giving them a little modern twist:Continue reading “Bodhinaut: (Traditional) Zen For The Meme Generation”

Integrating Presence Interviews And Talks On YouTube: Creativity, Communication & Heartful Presences

I somewhat recently started recording chats with folks online again and recording them, but for the time being, much of them just for my YouTube channel. I may or may not go back and add them to my traditional podcast feed later Amrit Singh and I talk about spiritual practices, Kundalini Yoga, service work, workingContinue reading “Integrating Presence Interviews And Talks On YouTube: Creativity, Communication & Heartful Presences”

Awakening: A Two Part Series With Randi Green And Alex Manning — (Part 1:) Definition, Purpose & Probability And (Part 2:) On Tools & Teachers

(Note: If listening to this as/in a podcast (app) please visit the episode page for part two) In February 2023, Randi Green and I were joined by Alex Manning to discuss awakening. In the first of this two part series we talk about the definition, purpose and probability of awakening as well as the processes,Continue reading “Awakening: A Two Part Series With Randi Green And Alex Manning — (Part 1:) Definition, Purpose & Probability And (Part 2:) On Tools & Teachers”

Multi-month Pāramitā (Perfections) Challenge For January 2022

Meditation, concentration, contemplation, intoxicating substances, cravings, awakening, wisdom, and future Buddhahood round out the main topics for month five of “The Pāramitā Challenge” in January 2022. See also Months 1-3 and Month 4.

In addition to contemplating topics about the Pāramitās or Perfections, so far, this challenge also includes precepts, the (10 Abodes from the) 52 Stages of the Bodhisattva Path and Bodhisattva vows.

Instructions are to journal contemplations resulting from observed intentions, opportunities, and actions to be generous, moral and ethical while arousing faith in the Triple Gem then seeing where/when confident and where/when in doubt.

Multi-month Pāramitā (Attainments/Perfections) Challenge For December 2021

Apparently November 2021 was a break so December is month 4 of “The Pāramitā Challenge” (which I previously wrote and spoke on the first three months.)

In addition to contemplating topics about the Pāramitās or Perfections, so far, this challenge also includes precepts, the (10 Abodes from the) 52 Stages of the Bodhisattva Path and Bodhisattva vows.

Instructions are to journal contemplations resulting from observed intentions, opportunities, and actions to be generous, moral and ethical while arousing faith in the Triple Gem then seeing where/when confident and where/when in doubt.

This month includes the Pāramitā on diligence, the Right Speech precept (also doubling as a past Insight Timer live event) and the middle stages of the 10 Abodes from the 52 Stages of the Bodhisattva.

Multi-month Pāramitā (Attainments/Perfections) Challenge For August, September And October 2021

When presented with “The Pāramitā Challenge” I accepted and here we are. In addition to the Pāramitās or Perfections, so far, the challenge also includes precepts and the 52 Stages of the Bodhisattva Path and Bodhisattva vows.

So far, instructions are to journal contemplations resulting from observed intentions, opportunities, and actions to be generous, moral and ethical while arousing faith in the Triple Gem then seeing where/when confident and where/when in doubt.

I’ve not taken Bodhisattva vows, and so with little instruction in Mahāyāna Buddhism, apart from maybe a smidgen of the zen stuff, there’s the benefit of beginner’s mind is a nice way to put it. I shoot from the hip with a lot in this recording and will often use a Theravada lens and a lot of inquiry as I ponder out loud. It may come off at times as criticism and sometimes it may actually be, but these are mostly solo efforts at summonings what is really meant by the material.