Turning Words
1 FOLLOWERS
Hi, I'm Jeff Kogen Seul, a teacher at the Greater Boston Zen Center. I post my talks and other musings about Zen here. Turning words in Zen prompts realization. Your mileage may vary, but I thought it was a catchy name for a Zen blog.
Turning Words
59m ago
I gave this talk at our Full Moon Zen Sunrise Sit today. A recording follows the text. I gave a Thursday evening talk earlier this month about Zen and what I called “the other mindfulness”: the work of Harvard psychology professor Ellen Langer, whose research has revealed the surprising power, and many health and other ..read more
Turning Words
4d ago
I gave this talk on March 15, 2025, at our annual Two Traditions, One Family Zazenkai (one-day retreat) with and at Providence Zen Center. Yun Yen asked Tao Wu, “What does the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion use so many hands and eyes for?” Wu said, “It’s like someone reaching back groping for a pillow in ..read more
Turning Words
2w ago
I gave this talk on March 6, 2025. A recording follows the text. There are thousands upon thousands of students who have practiced meditation and obtained its fruits. Do not doubt its possibilities because of the simplicity of the method. If you cannot find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect ..read more
Turning Words
2w ago
A Cursory Side-by-Side Comparison This is a talk I gave at our Full Moon Zen Sunrise Sit on February 19, 2025. A recording follows the text, which includes some elaboration on a few of the closing points not included in the recording. We’re midway through the progression of our Precepts Study Group, in which many ..read more
Turning Words
1M ago
Here is a recording of a talk gave at our Full Moon Zen Sunrise Sit on December 18, 2024 ..read more
Turning Words
3M ago
I gave this talk today at our Rohatsu Zazenkai. A recording follows the text. This is Case 32 in The Gateless Gate, A Non-Buddhist Questions the Buddha: A non-Buddhist in all earnestness asked the World-Honored One, “I do not ask about words, I do not ask about no-words.” The World-Honored One just sat still. The non-Buddhist ..read more
Turning Words
4M ago
I gave this talk at our Sunrise Sit today, the day before Thanksgiving. A recording follows the text. This is Case 6 in the Blue Cliff Record: Yunmen gave a teaching, saying, “I’m not asking you about before the fifteenth day of the month. Why not say a word about after the fifteenth day of ..read more
Turning Words
4M ago
I gave this talk on November 8, 2024, during our Full Moon Zen sesshin. A recording follows the text (which is lightly edited). Our koan for this sesshin is Linji’s famous line, “If you meet the Buddha on a road, kill him.” If I had to pick just one koan or phrase to sum up all ..read more
Turning Words
6M ago
I gave this talk at our Full Moon Zen Sunrise Sit on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. I recording follows. I thought we’d reflect on the Five Remembrances briefly this morning: I am of the nature to grow old; there is no way to escape growing old. I am of the nature to have ill health ..read more
Turning Words
6M ago
This is a brief eulogy I offered for my dear friend and Dharma Brother, Tim St. Onge, during a memorial service on September 15, 2024. Tim was the second dharma heir of our teacher, Kevin Jiun Hunt, Roshi. He died of cancer on August 28, 2024. Good evening. I’m Jeff Seul, another of Fr. Hunt’s ..read more