Patheos Blog » Monkey Mind
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Patheos is the world's leading multi-faith site dedicated to hosting the conversation on faith. This blog is written by James Ford, who is a Zen Buddhist priest and author, which mostly addresses aspects of the Zen life.
Patheos Blog » Monkey Mind
3d ago
Burning burning burning burning O Lord Thou Pluckest me out O Lord thou pluckest T. S. Eliot, the Waste Land Jan and I live in the land of smog and dreams, also known as the Los Angles basin. After a quarter of a century out of state, mostly living in New England, our retirement ..read more
Patheos Blog » Monkey Mind
1w ago
Among the problems in transmitting Zen along with other Buddhist meditation schools to the west has been frequently the fact it is part of something larger is too often forgotten. Zen, for instance, has three aspects: First, Zazen and koan introspection, the particular kinds of meditation unique to the Zen schools. Along with that there’s ..read more
Patheos Blog » Monkey Mind
1w ago
I recall the late 1960s when I found my heart calling me to Zen, that there weren’t a lot of books available. Basically there were the works of the scholar D. T Suzuki, important, in many ways, if in some others a bit misleading. He had an Introduction to Zen Buddhism which was translated into ..read more
Patheos Blog » Monkey Mind
1w ago
I’ve been thinking a lot about Shinran Shonin of late He was one of those signal figures in the development of Japanese Buddhism. He has been compared to Martin Luther on occasion. Without the bad parts. Shrian was born into Feudal Japanese nobility in 1173. However, like many spiritual figures throughout history he was visited ..read more
Patheos Blog » Monkey Mind
3w ago
It was on the 25th of August in 1609 that Galileo Galilei revealed his telescope to the leaders of Venice. Much would follow. Among these things a terrible conclusion. In 1633 that Vincenzo Maculani da Firenzuola representing the Holy Office of the Inquisition, declared: “We pronounce, judge, and declare, that you, the said Galileo… have ..read more
Patheos Blog » Monkey Mind
3w ago
A dear friend, an old Zen hand and an apprentice teacher on the koan way shared her Buddhist Lord’s prayer with me. I immediately asked if I could share it at my blog. And she graciously consented. I find it a complement to the wonderful prayer attributed to Jesus. I would add that just as ..read more
Patheos Blog » Monkey Mind
3w ago
On August 20th in 1912, Philip Kapleau was born in New Haven, Connecticut. So, we’re now marking 112 years since that event. Kapleau Roshi was one of the pioneers of Zen come west. His importance in this project is impossible to overestimate. At the same time there were complications that have followed him. As recently ..read more
Patheos Blog » Monkey Mind
1M ago
The Assumption of Mary is a Christian festival universally celebrated in the liturgical churches. It is marked in the Eastern Christian churches on the 15th of August as the Dormition of the Theotokos. In the Roman calendar today is called the feast of the Assumption of Mary. In the Anglican calendar this day is traditionally ..read more
Patheos Blog » Monkey Mind
1M ago
(Senior dharma teacher with Empty Moon Zen, Dr Chris Hoff offered a meditation on the fine art of boredom at our Saturday Zazenkai on the 3rd of August, 2024. I asked if I could share this at my Monkey Mind blog, and he graciously consented. A worth while read for anyone who cares in ..read more
Patheos Blog » Monkey Mind
1M ago
My book the Intimate Way of Zen: Effort, Surrender, and Awakening on the Spiritual Journey was officially released by Shambhala Publications on the 23rd of July! It’s my sixth book. And the first not published by a non-profit house. Which has had small but discernible consequences. Mainly in that there is actually staff trying to ..read more