Yasutani writes that even with the bath, the makeup, the new set of clothes, the true 'making oneself beautiful' is not only of the body, "but of the heart-mind.“ The post Who Calls You Home from the Rough Mountains? appeared first on San Mateo Zen ..read more

The Way of the Sage King is from The Record of Dongshan, appearing soon after his Five Ranks, equally rich in poetic expression and serving as markers on the path of awakening. The post The Way of the Sage King appeared first on San Mateo Zen ..read more

The epic journey of a thousand faces is a story older than humanity itself. How, in this ordinary world of struggle, can we return to our original dwelling place? The post The Fifth of Dongshan’s Five Ranks: Returning Home appeared first on San Mateo Zen ..read more

When we read any koan, poem, or myth, we often encounter bits that stand out and speak to us, shiny objects that say, "Come closer, look at me, play with me." Sometimes, they hook us and refuse to let go. The third line in this week's poem was just such an ornament. Who doesn't want to ascend to heaven? The post The Fourth of Dongshan’s Five Ranks: Finding Heaven in This Natural Realm appeared first on San Mateo Zen ..read more

“The challenge of my whole life has been to slow down. I find it very difficult to be still—to endure it.” —Marie Howe The post Something from Nothing: The Poetry of Marie Howe appeared first on San Mateo Zen ..read more

The Third Rank is called "Coming from Within the Real," and we are learning to embody, to become intimate, with emptiness. We make it our own. The post The Third of Dongshan’s Five Ranks: Speaking and Not Speaking appeared first on San Mateo Zen ..read more

The second rank is called “The Real within the Apparent,” written in the 9th century by Dongshan, the founder of the Caodong (Soto) Chan-Zen School. His Five Ranks present a kind of lyrical roadmap of the process of awakening. The post The Second of Dongshan’s Five Ranks: You Come Upon an Ancient Mirror appeared first on San Mateo Zen ..read more

Dongshan’s Five Ranks form the final collection of koans in Pacific Zen’s curriculum. The first rank recognizes darkness and shadow in our lives: the dirt, the mud, the smelly garbage. It is this dark matter that of necessity accompanies us in our search for light in the universe. The post The First of Dongshan’s Five Ranks: Hidden in Deep Midnight appeared first on San Mateo Zen ..read more

“Politics is a power struggle to get to the top of the heap. Calcutta and Mother Teresa are about working with those who are at the bottom of the heap. I came to see them as no different from myself and their needs as important as my needs. And you're there to serve them, and in doing that you are attaining as great a state of being as one can.” —Governor Jerry Brown The post Saving the Earth, Helping the People: A Spiritual and Political Journey – A Visit with Governor Jerry Brown appeared first on San Mateo Zen ..read more

Where do we go when we enter dreamland? Talking with her teacher a week ago, a friend said how for some months leading up to her diagnosis she felt as though her ‘self’ was dissolving into the environment around her. The post Where Do We Go When We Dream? appeared first on San Mateo Zen ..read more