We welcome all who want to learn more about Zen Buddhist meditation. Our vibrant community is committed to Zen practice and teachings, and offers daily sitting meditation, weekly classes and lectures, and monthly intensive meditation retreats.

Our Center is located on the eastern shore of Lake Calhoun in south Minneapolis. People from all over the region come to here to listen to talks by teachers, attend classes and workshops, participate in retreats, attend services, and, most importantly, to do sitting meditation (zazen).

A good place to begin would be Introduction to Zen Meditation on Sunday mornings or Tuesday evenings. Each session includes meditation instruction and teaching on how meditation and Zen relate to daily life.

For Introduction to Zen Meditation join us any Sunday morning or Tuesday night and then return the next three Sundays/Tuesdays to complete the four-week cycle. The four parts are not sequential, so you may attend them in any order. You are welcome to attend as many sessions as you like, but attend all four for the best overview. These classes are open to all with no pre-registration necessary. Admission is first come, first served, and the class often fills. We advise that you come a few minutes early. Those who can't attend the Introduction generally stay and enjoy the talk in the main hall instead. Donations are gratefully accepted.

The class meets every Sunday from 10:00 11:00 a.m. and each Tuesday 7:30 8:30 p.m. Participants are welcome to stay for tea and social hour after the class.

If you are visiting MZMC to fulfill a class requirement, we suggest attending the talk in the main hall on Sunday at 10 a.m. or Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

Nothing Holy About It: The Zen of Being Just Who You Are by Guiding Teacher Tim Burkett published by Shambhala Publications in April 2015

Tim's new book was published this spring. He is currently touring the Bay Area for the month of September. Click here for more information on the tour and the book. Click here to listen to his recent talk on the book at San Francisco Zen Center. Click here to order the book.

Sunday mornings and Tuesday evenings are good times to become familiar with the MZMC community. The weekly talk (same talk is given Sunday morning at 10 a.m. and Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m.) provides continued learning about Zen Buddhism and offers you a chance to know the teachers more fully. You are invited to join us for any part of the Sunday and Tuesday schedules. We hope to see you then!

Sunday Morning Schedule 9:10 Meditation 9:30 Short Stretch Break 9:50 Meditation Ends 10:00 Introduction to Zen Meditation 10:00 Sunday Talk Click here for a list of Sunday/Tuesday Speakers 11:00 Tea/Social Time (except during retreats)

Tuesday Evening Schedule 6:40 Meditation 7:00 Short Stretch Break 7:20 Meditation Ends 7:30-8:15 Tuesday Talk Click here for a list of Sunday/Tuesday Speakers 7:30-8:30 Introduction to Zen Meditation 8:15-9:00 Tea/Social Time (except during retreats)

Click here to listen to Sunday/Tuesday Talks online

Subscribe to our Sunday/Tuesday Talks podcast using iTunes.

To subscribe to our Sunday/Tuesday Talks podcast with another service, use this rss feed:http://mnzencenter.org/audio/rss.xml

Activites are listed here on the "Home" page for convenience but can also be found under the "Schedule" tab and on the calendar.

Dharma Family Sundays Coordinated by Susan Nelson Second Sunday of each month 11:45 am 12:45 pm, with tea and social time at 11:00 am This group will not meet when retreats are taking place. Please check the calendar. By donation; no preregistration required

Dharma Family Sundays is for parents and children of all ages to come together to share the dharma with stories, meditation, songs, activities and food. This is a time for parents to share their practice place with the rest of the family and for children and parents to make connections with others in the Zen community, (not limited to members of MZMC).

Fall Practice Period: Nothing Holy About It (Tim's new book!) with Tim Burkett and Wanda Isle Wednesday evenings, October 7 November 18, and Monday, November 23, 7:15 8:45 p.m. (There is also a morning option for those who cannot attend Wednesday evenings: Thursdays, 7:30 9:00 a.m.) Cost: $145 members; $180 nonmembers Register Please register five days in advance.

In this practice period (led by Tim Burkett with the assistance of Wanda Isle) we will read and reflect on the first half of Tim's book, Nothing Holy About It. In the first two chapters we'll reflect on ways in which our longing for a timeless joy may be transformed into a powerful aspiration to realize and manifest this joy. In chapter 3 we'll discuss how this penetrating joy is actually an aspect of who we already are. Then in chapters 4 and 5 we'll see how the path to joy leads right through the fear body. But we don't have to get stuck there. Chapters 6 & 7 offer ways to move through the fear body to the abiding joy that is always with us.

Participants are expected to attend the eight weekly meetings, commit to regular zazen practice, attend at least one day of retreat and one work practice day, read the assigned text(s), and have regular meetings with an assigned practice partner.

Zen Forms and Etiquette with Bussho Lahn Choose one the following dates: October 16 or November 29 5:30 6:30 p.m. Suggested donation: $10 Register Please register five days in advance.

This class is one-hour long. The same information is covered each time. We will cover the basics of traditional Zen forms: bows, entries and exits, walking meditation, etc. This offering is designed for the newcomer who would like an overview of forms to help them be more comfortable when joining us for morning zazen or one of our sesshins. It is also a great refresher course for those more experienced.

Sitting with Sutras: A Contemplative Afternoon with Bussho Lahn Saturday, October 10, 12 3 pm Cost: $30 members; $35 non-members Register Please register five days in advance.

Spend a weekend afternoon in silent contemplation with some of the great words of Buddhism. We'll read short passages from the sutras, listening deeply as we prepare to enter into silence with them. Short periods of shared reading will be followed by longer intervals of meditative silence as we quiet our ordinary minds in order to immerse ourselves in the experience underlying the words.

Half-Day Sesshin October 17 with Bussho Lahn Hours: 5:45 am noon Cost: $30 members; $40 nonmembers Register Please register five days in advance.

This brief immersion in the traditional sesshin schedule is a good opportunity to become familiar with the forms, stay in practice, or brush up after some time away. This morning includes an orientation, zazen, kinhin (walking meditation), liturgy, a formal vegetarian breakfast using oryoki bowls, and one-to-one meetings with the teacher.

Fall Work Practice Afternoons Sunday, October 18, 11:45 am 3:45 pm Saturday, November 7, 11 am 3 pm

Work practice is our opportunity to give our efforts to the community by taking care of the space we share. In work practice we can express the essence of Zen, the delight of mindful activity, and appreciation of the manifest world.

Work practice afternoons include a vegetarian lunch or snack, so please let us know in advance if you plan to attend. Thank you. info@mnzencenter.org

One-Day Retreat November 14 with Guy Gibbon Hours: 8 am 5 pm Cost: $50 members; $65 nonmembers Register Please register five days in advance.

One-Day Retreats are conducted in a contemporary context, without the formal elements involved in sesshin. They include walking and sitting meditation, a dharma talk, one-to-one meetings with the teacher, a vegetarian buffet lunch, and work practice. Meditators at all levels of experience are invited.

Rohatsu Sesshin 2015 with Tim Burkett Seven-day option: Sun., November 29, 7 pm Sun., Dec. 6, 4 pm Five-day option: Wed., December 2, 5:45 am Sun., Dec. 6, 4 pm Two-day option: Sat., December 5, 5:45 am Sun. Dec. 6, 4 pm One-day option: Sat., December 5, 5:45 am Sat. Dec. 5, 9 pm Hours for full days: 5:45 am 9:00 pm

Cost for seven days: member $335; nonmember $435 Cost for five days: member $250; nonmember $325 Cost for two days: member $100; nonmember $130 Cost for one day: member $50; nonmember $65 Register Please register five days in advance.

Rohatsu (Buddha's Enlightenment) sesshin is arguably the year's most important event for Zen Buddhists. All over the world we sit in meditation, celebrating Buddha's awakening to an intimacy with all life as our own awakening. This formal retreat includes zazen, kinhin (walking meditation), liturgy, dharma talks, formal vegetarian meals using oryoki, dokusan (one-to-one meetings with the teachers), and work practice. All participants should attend the orientation on Sunday, November 29, at 7 p.m.

The MZMC primer series is composed of short overviews of topics of interest in Soto Zen Buddhism and in Buddhism more generally. The series is intended to give readers a comprehensive, but brief, introduction to a topic. Click here for more information and to download primers.

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Minnesota Zen Meditation Center

To the uninitiated, Eckhart Tolle might be mistaken for a nature photographer. His personaa soft German-accented voice, a boyish visage, his love of vestsdoesnt exactly scream, guru! Yet Tolle is one of the worlds most popular spiritual teachers and a literary powerhouse whose best-selling books The Power of Now and A New Earth have influenced millions.

Born in Germany, educated at the universities of London and Cambridge, and now a resident of Vancouver, Canada, Tolle writes and lectures on the evolution of human consciousness. His work synthesizes many world views and spiritual teachings, including those of Buddhism, the New Testament, the Bhagavad Gita, and the German mystic Bo Yin Raall delivered with wry, gentle insights.

Tolle has embraced new technology to connect with others, airing videos and live feeds of his lectures and guided meditations on his web channel, Eckhart Tolle TV. In June, he plans to be in San Francisco, where hell record new material to share. S&H Editor-in-Chief Karen Bouris spoke with Tolle recently about how we can best deal with daily human challengesboth personal and collectiveand transform them into opportunities.

Why are people so focused on this notionof enlightenment?

If people are focused on enlightenmentor whatever word they are using to describe self-realization or awakeningat least theyve realized that the answer does not lie in external things. They have realized that the answer lies within rather than in obtaining more possessions, or achieving this or that, or changing the world out there. So its a good thing. Its a transitional stage from the normal state of consciousness, where all the solutions and problems are seen as external, to realizing that whatever we experience as our external reality is a reflection of our inner state of consciousness.

Its true that the people who are looking for enlightenment are a minority. In ordinary human existence, people want to find the ideal partner, acquire more things, gain power, or acquire a better body. And in ordinary consciousness, you look to those things for salvation, fulfillment, and happiness. As youre beginning to awaken, you realize its not there. But even for those who are beginning to awaken, the old mind patternthe deeply ingrained pattern that always looks to the future for fulfillment and salvationstill tends to operate.

So, even when we are searching, we are stilllooking toward the future?

Yes. This mind pattern assumes that the future is going to be more important than the present. It ignores the present moment, does not honor it, and does not give it its due. I have met people who have been spiritual seekers for 20 years, have read hundreds of books, attended workshops, gone to ashrams in Indiaand they are getting frustrated, asking, When am I going to get it? When am I going to get enlightened?

The actual experience of awakening can only be in the present moment. The future does not exist, because nobody has ever experienced it. You can only ever experience a present moment. The future is a mental projection that you are having in the present moment. Im not talking about the practical aspects of the future, like booking a flight or planning what you want to do this year, but the psychological future. Thats where we can get trapped. If you are always focused on the future, you miss the reality of life, which is the present moment.

When people get very old, there isnt much future left, so they tend to focus mainly on the past. But they are still not in the present moment. Life is now.

How do you catch yourself from drifting into the past or the future, maybe even avoiding the present moment?

Whenever you get drawn back into the mind and into the future, youll notice it because usually you dont feel so good anymore. You become upset, discontented, irritated, depressed. It means you lost the present moment, you lost the vertical dimension, and you lost awareness of yourself as consciousness. [Youre back to being] a mind-created person with this limited personal history and a mind- created little me, the ego. Its never satisfied for long.

You can only break through to a deeper level of ones self in the vertical dimension of the present moment. Thats regardless of the circumstances of your life. So many people say, Oh, if I had more free time, if I didnt have to worry about my finances, or I didnt have this or that, I could dedicate all my life to spiritual awakening. Wouldnt that be great?

Yes, the idea of the monk sitting peacefully on themountaintop.

It would not be great, because its through the very challenges of daily life that you become more motivated to awaken. You can actually use whatever the circumstances are, and instead of working against them, see if you can align yourself with the present moment internally.

When people talk of being present, though, there is this idea theyll only encounter good, positive feelings. Can you talk about observing presence, as you call it, in the face of negative feelings or situations?

Its important to bring awareness into whatever arises in the present moment. Negative feelings arise, and negative is not a moral judgment; it just means it doesnt feel good.

The difference between being aware and being unaware of the negative feelings is that when theres a lack of awareness, then you get completely taken over by those negative feelings. Theres no inner space anymore, and you think, say, and do things that are controlled by that negative energy inside you.

Often it happens that people get taken over by that temporarily, and then when they become a little bit more conscious again, they say, Oh, how could I have done that? or, How could I have said that?

So the difference is, when the same thing happens again and you become irritated, you become angry, whatever it isreactive in some waysad or depressed, theres an awareness that this is happening to you. You have the observing presence in the background thats more who you are rather than the emotion. You are still there as it happens.

Can you give an example of an observing presence?

Lets say youre in a long line at the supermarket or the airport. The line isnt moving and youre getting irritated and angry. If youre present with it, you may realize its not the line thats causing you to be angry. Its your mind, whatever your mind is telling you. And the emotions are your bodys reactions to your thoughts about the situation. Thats a very important realization, because now an element of choice comes in. You see that it just makes your life unpleasant to be feeling those thingsthe irritation and anger serve no purpose. It doesnt change the situation. And now you have the choice of letting go of those thoughts, to experiment to see what the situation is like when you dont attach these thoughts to it. Youre in the same situation, totally free of negativity.

What about dealing with other people? Isnt that harder?

You have a lot of power and freedom to become free internally from external conditions. That includes other people and whatever they do and how they behave. They no longer have the power to determine your inner state of consciousness.

If you meet a person whos rude to you, for example, your thoughts automatically are, You shouldnt behave like that! But of course, these thoughts conflict with reality, because the person is behaving like that. [When you are observing,] youre able to let go of those thoughts. Youve realized the fallacy of internally arguing with what is. And you can simply be with what is in any given situation.

How should we look at global challengesthings like climate changefrom this place of awareness? Is it a response of my ego, for example, to think that I have a responsibility to help save the planet?

Personal challenges can sometimes be quite big, whether theyre challenges with health, finances, or relationships. Yet sometimes those personal ones are actually connected to the larger challenges in the collective.

We need to save the planet, of course. Yes, its true that we need to save the planet. But lets not fall into the erroneous thinking that all the solutions are out there somewhere. Because most of the problemsviolence, pollution, war, terrorismall those things have their origin in human consciousness or unconsciousness. So your primary responsibility is not doing anything outside of you; your primary responsibility is your own state of consciousness. And once that is achieved, then whatever you do and whomever you come into contact with, and even many people you dont come into direct contact with, get affected by your state of consciousness.

If you dont take responsibility for your state of consciousness, and you believe all the solutions are out there, then you fall into errors like they did with communism, for example. The initial motivation for communism was actually idealistic; it was good. The proponents said, Theres so much injustice in the worldthere are people who are exploiting millions of others, which was true. They wanted to create a society that was more just and fair and do away with personal property. It all sounded wonderful, but what they had neglected was there was no change in their state of consciousness. And once they got into power, they re-created the same evils. What they ended up with was as bad as, if not worse than, what they had fought against. So many revolutions have ended up like that. Initially people had good intentions, but good intentions are not enough if you bring your old state of consciousness to them.

So if you have awareness, then you can beginto engage in awakened doing?

Yes. Awakened doing is when you dont create suffering anymore for othersor for yourselfby your own actions. It also implies that your primary intention, the focus of your attention, is on the doing in the present moment, rather than the result that you want to achieve through it. Joy flows into what you do, rather than stress. Stressful energy arises when you think some future moment is more important than the present moment, and the doing becomes only a means to an end. Many people look always to the end of the workday, or the end of the week, or the next vacation or a better job. Millions of people live in almost continual stress because they are not aligned with the present moment.

In some of your books, you mention the imbalance between the male and the female energy. Can you talk more about this?

Yes. Male energy doesnt necessarily mean men, and female energy doesnt necessarily mean confined to women. But male energy resonates more with doing, and the female energy resonates more with being. The world is out of balance because it is focused primarily on the doing, and there is a loss of the awareness of being. This is when stress and negativity arise: when people try to get things done and they no longer are centered within that aware space of being. You cannot feel your being anymore; you cannot feel the consciousness behind all the doing. So many women these days have internalized the imbalance and are also out of touch with being more focused on doing.

Both society as a whole and individual humans needto find some kind of inner balance between the ability to be still and the ability to do. Personally, Im more in the feminine realm than in the male realm. Im much more drawn to being than doing. Every human needs to look within to find some kind of balance. In the famous symbol of the yin and yang, the two sides are embracing each other. But in the middle of the white side there is a black spot, and in the middle of the black side there is a white spot. Even within the stillness, there needs to be the dynamic quality of doing so that you dont go to sleep. And when youre doing, there needs to be a stillness at the center. Otherwise youll lose yourself in the doing.

Its sounds so simple, the idea of balancing presenceand stillness. So why does it feel hard?

The difficulty is the shift from the old consciousness to the new, because the old consciousness still has a momentum behind it. When we step out of the old consciousness, yes, the transition may be difficult, but the more we embody and live through the new consciousness, life actually gets easier for us. It doesnt mean that there wont be any more challenges; the challenges will continue to come, but youll find youre more capable of meeting the challenges when you arent creating the negativity around them. S&H

One Perfect Sentence

You may remember the book The Road Less Traveled. The first sentence of that book is Life is difficult. I think its the best beginning of any book Ive read, says Tolle, referring to the 1978 classic by M. Scott Peck, a psychiatrist who blended theology and science in the study of human behavior. He says once you accept the fact that life is difficult, its not really difficult anymore. Its only when you think it shouldnt be, that it makes it very hard. Were here, were meant to be challenged by life, and that is part of the how consciousness evolves.

Tolle asks us to imagine a world where we could all choose our own life circumstances. Everyone would say, I want love. I want to have absolute financial security. I would like to have perfect health. I would like to have a wonderful and happy relationship with no conflict, children who are no problem. A good job, a fulfilling job. But if you actually had that ideal life, he says, it would not contribute to your awakening. Its the very things that we dont want that provide the motivation for becoming more conscious.

Originally posted here:
Eckhart Tolle: The Easier Path | Spirituality & Health Magazine

Eckhart Tolle is author of the New York Times #1 best seller The Power of Now and the highly acclaimed follow-up A New Earth, which are widely regarded as two of the most influential spiritual books of our time. He is also a pioneer in using technology to disseminate his teachings. Through EckhartTolleTV.com, he gives monthly talks, live meditations, and answers questions from viewers.

Not aligned with any particular religion or tradition, Tolle excludes none. His profound yet simple teachings have already helped countless people throughout the world find inner peace and greater fulfillment in their lives. At the core of his teachings lies the transformation of consciousness, a spiritual awakening that he sees as the next step in human evolution. An essential aspect of this awakening is transcending our ego-based state of consciousness, a prerequisite not only for personal happiness but also for ending violence on our planet.

Eckhart was born in Germany and educated at the Universities of London and Cambridge. At the age of 29, a profound spiritual transformation virtually dissolved his old identity and radically changed the course of his life. The next few years were devoted to understanding, integrating, and deepening that transformation, which marked the beginning of an intense inward journey. Later, he began to work with individuals and groups as a counselor and spiritual teacher.

Widely recognized as one of the most original and inspiring spiritual teachers of the modern age, he now travels and teaches throughout the world.

I keep Eckharts book at my bedside. I think its essential spiritual teaching. Its one of the most valuable books Ive ever read. Oprah Winfrey, Oprah.com

I would do anything to be anywhere in the vicinity of Eckhart Tolle. Jim Carrey, actor

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Eckhart Tolle | Omega

"Just as in the great ocean there is but one taste the taste of salt, so in this Doctrine and Discipline there is but one taste the taste of freedom." - The Buddha

Buddhism teaches that every human being has the potential to become happier, kinder and wiser - even infinitely so. The Buddha was a human being who, through his own efforts, realized the Path to Enlightenment. Rooted in awareness that all things are impermanent and constantly subject to change, Buddhist teachings are a means by which, through our efforts, we too can realize our fullest potential.

The Seattle Buddhist Center is part of an international Buddhist movement known as the Triratna Buddhist Community (formerly the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order). The Triratna Buddhist Community is dedicated to communicating Buddhist teachings in a context that is both understandable and appropriate for the modern Western world.

The Seattle Buddhist Center is a great resource for newcomers to Buddhism. We offer ongoing introductory classes on meditation and Buddhism in a welcoming and casual atmosphere. Our introductory meditation courses are good place to learn how to meditate, whether you consider yourself a Buddhist or not.

We offer a wide variety of activities using many different approaches to practice. Visitors and members are encouraged to participate to the degree that they feel comfortable. Although we have a strong and dedicated core membership, our approach is casual and friendly, and we are always happy to see new faces.

The Seattle Buddhist Center is entirely volunteer-run. To find out how you can support us, check out our 2015 Pledge Drive.

Continued here:
Seattle Buddhist Center Home

According to Benjamin Radcliff, the key beliefs of Zen focus primarily on The Four Noble Truths and The Noble Eightfold Path.

In general, Zen is different from other religious groups. Zen is not a religion in the sense that religion is generally understood. Zen has no God to worship, no ceremonial rights to observe, no "future abode" to which the dead are destined. Zen is free of all dogmatic principles that Christianity and other religions are tied to. Zen has no set doctrines which are imposed on its followers for acceptance. Zen teachings come out of one's own mind. It is addressed to the human heart. It is a living experience, a "creative impulse."

All major religions, Buddhism included, have split into schools and sects. But the different sects of Buddhism have never gone to war with each other and they go to each others temples and worship together. This understanding by the different Buddhist sects is vary rare. Buddhism has evolved in different forms so it can be relevant to different cultures. For example, the practice of Zen Buddhism is different among the Chinese, Americans, and Japanese. Becuase Zen Buddhism is the creation of the T'ang dynasty in China (where it originated), it is difficult for Anglo-Saxons and the Japanese to absorb anything quite so chinese as Zen. The Chinese practices involves the achievement and respect for a vision of a universal way of nature, where in good and evil are both considered as parts of existence. Japanese Zen promotes rigid self-discipline and was popular among the Samurai class. Meanwhile, American Zen is self-conscious and subjective and is used to justify life and one's desires. The types of Buddhism all may seem very different but at the center of all of them is the Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path.

Zen @ Sunsite If you are wondering what Zen is, this is a link for you. It gives you some direction on what sites to explore based on what you want to discover about the wonderful world of Zen. Included are links to The Electronic Bodhidarma, The Zen Garden, and The Zen Mountain Monastery. Also, one can explore Zen "texts" by taking a peak at this site. http://sunsite.unc.edu/zen/

Journal of Buddhist Ethics Click here to explore the many global resources for Buddhist studies. Connect yourself to the Center for Buddhist Studies in Taiwan or perhaps you want to visit the Albuquerque Zen Center or the Toronto center. Introduce yourself to the study of Buddhism in a "global" way. http://www.psu.edu/jbe/resource.html

Dark Zen: The Teachings of Mystical Zen Watch this website to explore the teachings of Dark Zen. Read the essays and lectures on Mystical Zen and join in on the Zennist e-mail discussion group. Perhaps an on-line chat group would answer your uncertainties about Zen. Come take a trip the Zennist and explore the Buddha mind. http://www.teleport.com/~zennist/zennist.html

Nifty Links to Buddhist Sites This "nifty" link provides connections to "women active in buddhism," a link to additional Buddhist resources, Tibetan Buddhism, Zen Buddhism + links to many more fascinating and educating sites. Come explore some nifty links to enhance your knowledge about Buddhism. http://www.lancs.ac.uk/staff/miltonj/buddhism.htm

The Ultimate Buddhism Glossary A great way to introduce oneself to the Buddhist religion! A large index of Buddhist terms. Differences between Mahayana Buddhism from Theravada. Also The Five Precepts, The Four Noble Truths, and The Eightfold Path are simply defined so anyone can understand these concepts. http://www.uwyo.edu/A&S/RELSTDS/budglent.htm

Rich Resources on Buddhism This is a link to the Buddhist studies database of Taiwan University: a very rich resource in Buddhist text collections and Buddhist scholarly works. An excellent research tool for one interested in doing an in depth examination on the Buddhist faith. Very up-to-date! http://www2.gol.com/users/acmuller/index.html

Buddhism China Established by East Asian Libraries, this megalink provides connections to sites on Buddhism, including the Buddhism Virtual Library. Other links include Buddhist art, journals and periodicals, and an abundance of resource materials and texts. http://www.uoregon.edu/%7Efelsing/cstuff/bud.html

Questions about Zen This link provides those interested in discovering the world of Zen with answers to frequently asked questions. Questions concerning the history of Zen, the spirituality of Zen, Zen writings, and the experience of Zen practices in meditation all are answered and easily understood by those unfamiliar with Zen practices and Zen faith. This link also provides an introductory reading list for those who become interested in further exploring the wonderful world of Zen Buddhism. http://www.teleport.com/~zennist/zenfaq.html

The Buddhist Resource File Take a look at this immense list of Buddhist resources on Buddhist activities and literature. It provides an index that easily accesses the web browser to different Buddhist associations, centers, texts, and more..... Come explore the different schools of Buddhism by clicking on this incredibly resourceful link. http://www.io.com/~cin/bibliography.html

The Buddha Room This site provides links to those who seek more of an understanding of Buddhism. It guides you to Buddhist resources on the internet as well as Zen organizations and sources. http://edge.edge.net/~jimreid/buddha1.htm

Iriz Home Page Boasts one of the largest collections of Buddhist primary texts materials on the internet. Includes Zen art, zen centers, news, and many more interesting topics for the Zen Buddhist navigator. http://www.iijnet.or.jp/iriz/irizhtml/irizhome.htm

Zen: Lineage of Master Deshimaru A great website to find understanding to what is Zen, the posture of Zazen, Zen in western countries, and Master Kosen Thibaut. Also provides links to Zen hot lists, teachings, and even a Zen Master on Line! http:www.cwi.nl/~gruau/

Zen Buddhism Provides links to understanding Zen Buddhism by providing links to resources and information, magazines, and newsletters, and teachings. http://www.math.uic.edu/~dturk/zen.html

A Lighter Side of Buddhism Are you tired of reading dry and dull topics on Buddhism..if so, click on this link. According to this site, Buddha was known to have a good sense of humor. This link presents some funny short stories, comments on Buddhism, and links to another "Buddha World." http://www.cologne.de/~cmtan/buddhism/Lighter/index.html

A Spiritual Quest In search for spirit? This link provides related Zen/Buddhist sites on the web that have much to offer. Some sites that are included are: The Zen Web of Original Mind, Zen Mountain Monastery, and a guide to meditation. http://www.hnt.com/tc/spirit.html

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Zen Buddhism - Primus Canada

Psychedelic experience is only a glimpse of genuine mystical insight, but a glimpse which can be matured and deepened by the various ways of meditation in which drugs are no longer necessary or useful.If you get the message, hang up the phone. For psychedelic drugs are simply instruments, like microscopes, telescopes, and telephones. The biologist does not sit with eye permanently glued to the microscope, he goes away and works on what he has seen.

Alan Watts

Alan Watts (1915-1973) was one of the foremost interpreters and popularizer of Zen, eastern and western philosophy and psychedelics. A poet, an ex-priest, a modern mystic and a close friend of Aldous Huxley.He was a critic of modern society, especially with regards to its infinite feeble attempts to bring everything under its control. He always saw the big joke of it all, continually making fun of institutions and gurus, and thereby also himself. He labelled himself a philosophical entertainer and with his clarity of thought and masterful use of prose he inspired many to re-think their way of life. His famous if you get the message, hang up the phone was certainly meant to be applicable to every external crutch.

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Top 5 Videos Of Alan Watts | High Existence

Those who cant resist the urge to take popular heroes down a notch will tell you that Alan Watts was an alcoholic and was addicted to nicotine. They will tell you that he was a victim of his own excesses. They will tell you that he sometimes mischaracterized Buddhism and Taoism, and turned them into hippie fantasies. In saying this, they wouldnt be entirely wrong, but at the same time they would be completely missing the point. Nobody says Alan Watts was a saint. Watts himself never claimed it, nor would he have been interested in it. What he craved was an intense life, not a perfect one. And those who cant appreciate his philosophical genius, just because the good man had some issues, miss out on the contributions of one of the most brilliant and influential minds of the 20th century.

Odds are that if you have any remote interest in Taoism or Zen Buddhism, you owe a debt of gratitude to Alan Watts. No Westerner, in fact, has done more to popularize these philosophies in the English language. People with no previous exposure usually hit a stumbling block the second they try to read one of the many translations of Taoist and Zen classics. Allusions, paradoxes, the foreignness of some concepts, an unorthodox sense of humor, the many things left unsaid lots of factors contribute to discourage prospective readers and make them give up. And this is where Alan Watts talent came to the rescue. In his own unique fashion, he managed to explain Taoist and Buddhist ideas without losing their poetry and subtlety along the way. He communicated Taoist and Buddhist insights in ways more easily understandable for Westerners without killing the wonder of it all in the process. He guided adventurous readers through unknown lands, lighting the path along the way. His radio lectures for the Pacifica Station, and his many excellent books cracked the door open introducing Taoist and Buddhist ideas to mainstream Western consciousness. His influence reached hundreds of thousands, among them the great Bruce Lee, whose own philosophy sprouted in large part thanks to Watts ideas.

But Alan Watts was much more than a brilliant Western interpreter of Eastern philosophy. In his hands, Taoism and Zen Buddhism were but tools serving him in the quest to create ones own way of life. The wide range of his interests had a Renaissance Man ring to it. Art and philosophy to him were not important for their own sake, but for how they could enrich everyday living. As much as he loved Taoism and Zen Buddhism, he was interested in any field of human experience that could offer him anything capable of elevating the quality of existence. It was in this spirit that he experimented quite a bit with psychedelics (he even wrote a book about the intersection of spirituality and psychedelics long before Terence McKenna, or even Timothy Leary did)

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Alan Watts - disinformation

Ask any person who is successful in whatever he or she is doing what motivates him/her, and very likely the answer will be "goals". Goal Setting is extremely important to motivation and success. So what motivates you? Why are you in college? If you are in college because that's what your parents want, you may find it difficult to motivate yourself. Sure, it's possible to succeed with someone else providing the motivation for you. ("If you graduate from college, I'll give you a car!" or worse "If you don't graduate from college, you won't get a car.") But motivation that comes from within really makes the difference.

Certainly, you need some intelligence, knowledge base, study skills, and time management skills, but if you don't have motivation, you won't get far. Think about this analogy. You have a car with a full tank of gas, a well-tuned engine, good set of tires, quadraphonic CD system, and a sleek, polished exterior. There it sits. This car has incredible potential. (Have you heard that before?) However, until a driver sits behind the wheel, puts the key in the ignition, and cranks it up, the car doesn't function. You guessed it; the KEY is MOTIVATION.

Interest is an important motivator for a student. So is a desire to learn. When you link these two things together, you create success. Often success in an endeavor leads to more interest and a greater desire to learn, creating an upward spiral of motivation toward a goal you have established.

So be honest with yourself. Are you genuinely interested in being in college? Have you set realistic goals for yourself? How can you develop the internal motivation that really counts? When it comes to motivation, KNOWING is not as important as DOING.

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Motivation

Filled with practical and effective strategies, skill-building techniques, and advice based on the most recent research on the psychology of aging, Dr. Hill demonstrates how people can help themselves age productively and positively.

In his new book, Robert Hill explains how anyone can adopt and develop positive aging skills. Dr. Hill has drawn upon the theoretical perspective first presented in Positive Aging to develop practical exercises and techniques that are easily accessible to the reader interested in discovering how best to adapt to the aging process. The reader will discover meaning through lifespan learning, learn how to transform age-related decline, and find out how to employ the principles of continuity in order to feel good about oneself, even during challenging times. The reader will also learn how to apply meaning-centered techniques of belonging, altruism, gratitude, and forgiveness in his or her own life, in order to enhance emotional health. These techniques are organized into seven distinct chapters: Learning, Meaning, Wisdom, Belonging, Helping, Gratitude, and Forgiveness.

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Amazon.com: Seven Strategies for Positive Aging (Norton ...

Please take some time to read our Zen FAQ (Zen Frequently Asked Questions) that answers the most common questions related to Zen Buddhism.

No he is not and, contrary to Christ, he never claimed to be the son of God or even a messenger from God. He was a human being like you and me, but perfected himself to a state of enlightenment and taught that if we follow his example, we can also perfect ourselves.

Zen Buddhists do not believe in a personal God or in a Divine being that reign on the Universe. Zen Buddhism do not have any sort of worshiping, praying, or praising of a divine being.

In Zen, followers and monks pay respect to images of the Buddha, but do not worship or pray to him. Bowing to a statue representing the Buddha is simply an expression of respect towards the teaching (Dharma) and the teacher (Buddha).

Since Buddhists do not believe in a personal God, they don't pray. In Zen, nothing in the Universe exists independently, separated from the rest. There is not separation between me and the Universe, therefore to whom could I address my prayers to?

Zen goes beyond religion, it is free from all these religious and dogmatic encumbrances that you find in Christianity. Zen masters from old times called Zen the 'Natural Religion' as it includes everything. Call it 'religion', call it 'philosophy', it doesn't matter, Zen is the spirit of man.

Around five centuries after the Buddha passed away, Buddhism traveled to many Asian countries where it often got modified into a dogmatic religion with rituals and ceremony, departing from its true origins. Zen stayed true to the original teaching of the Buddha which lays emphasis on Zazen, and not on rituals and theoretical concepts.

As previously mentioned, bowing is simply an sign of gratefulness and respect towards the teaching of Buddha and the Buddha himself.

Zen is beyond religion, so the choice is entirely up to you. Some Christians priests and nuns practice zazen on a daily basis.

Practice Zazen, here and now. Ideally, find a zen dojo where you can practice with a Master that will guide you, especially at the beginning.

Sexuality is a part of life. Denying sexuality is denying humanity. Avoiding sexual misconduct and attachment to sex will lead you to develop a strong sexual ethic, automatically, naturally.

Desires, like sexuality, are an integral part of the human nature, we could not live without desires. People without ambitions, desires, aspirations or goals are like wandering ghosts. The Buddha never said we must suppress or eradicate desires, but said that we must suppress attachment to desires. Desires and ambitions should not becomes a prison and we should not become its slave.

You live your life normally, you work, you eat, you kiss you children before bed, you do whatever you like! You don't really have to change for Zen, Zen will change you, unconsciously, automatically, naturally. Zazen will make you concentrate on each act of everyday life, so when you will be in bed with your wife, you will concentrate on her, not on work. You will harmonize with the people around you and in return, naturally, they will harmonize with you! Zazen will make you become calm and unshakable.

Zen do not care about the after life, what matters is the present moment, here and now. Furthermore, nobody can tell you what is happening after death, unless they suffer from mental illness. The wood cannot see the ashes, the ashes cannot see the wood.

Zen Buddhism is very tolerant towards other Religions and generally agrees with their moral teachings. Some traditional religions are growing weak because they are no more than mere decorations, relying too much on imagination (dogmas), ceremonies ans texts. Zazen makes you cut away the decorations and look for what is really the core of Religion.

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ZEN BUDDHISM | Zen FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)