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For some people, they may not see the connection between Zen and daily life. Some may even argue that it doesn't serve any purpose whatsoever in the real world. In truth, Zen is just a tool that doesn't have any inherent meaning or purpose. The essence of being human lies in our awakening to perceive our true nature and learning how to use it in our lives from moment to moment. Zen may offer a path towards this realization, but there are many practices that can help us lead to this realization. Zen has been described as investigating the great work of life and death, to help us see through our ..read more

Question: I’m curious about your opinion on Osho. I know there were problems with his community in the past, but I also think he had many interesting things to say. At the end of his life, he declared Zen as the way. Jason: I don’t know if I would ever say that, because there’s no such thing as “Zen”, and there’s no such thing as “the way”. Those are just words pointing to something. The Buddha said something very interesting in a sutra: all the different teachings are like fingers pointing to the moon. The problem is people attach to the finger so they cannot perceive the moon. What is the mo ..read more

Are you finding it challenging to restart your meditation practice? Are you lacking the motivation to sit? Here are three helpful tips that might help you with your practice: 1. Take Advantage Of Community (Sangha) For many people, it is very difficult to practice meditation on their own, but the support of a community, or Sangha, can make a significant difference. Whether joining a Buddhist group, a meditation community, or a Zen center, being part of a community can inspire your practice. If you’re feeling alone, unmotivated or disconnected, consider joining a Sangha to help support your pra ..read more

Question: Recently, I received a message from a Catholic friend who shared a link to a website where a man claimed that practicing Eastern pagan meditation led to possession by Satan. My friend, aware of my Zen meditation practice at the Zen Center, felt the need to warn me. Jason: There is a chant called the Evening Bell chant. The translation of the chant states: “Hearing the sound of the bell, all thinking is cut off. Wisdom grows, enlightenment appears, and hell is left behind.” In Buddhism and Zen, the concept of hell often refers to a state of mind, just as heaven and the pure land may a ..read more

I usually travel by airplane several times a year. At the beginning of the flight, the flight attendants announce the pre-flight safety instructions. I remember one of the first times I was traveling without my family and one of the flight attendants was giving instructions about the oxygen masks and said, “If you are traveling with a child or someone who requires assistance, secure your mask on first, and then assist the other person.” Hearing that, I thought, “What? No way! I would put it on my children first!” But after thinking about it for a moment, I realized that I probably couldn’t hel ..read more

Join us for a free online workshop on the Platform Sutra on Saturday, February 24th at 10am PT. Check your timezone here.  In this workshop we will cover: Hui Neng's life Teachings of Hui Neng How the teachings are relevant today Q&A Register for free here https://www.jasonquinnzen.com/pl/2148232960 ..read more

Happy New Year, everyone! Several people have recently asked me about making New Year’s resolutions. Usually, resolutions are about losing weight, quitting smoking, drinking less alcohol, or getting out of debt. The list goes on. There is nothing really wrong with these resolutions, but many times people can not keep them because they never get to the root of the problem. There is an old Zen saying, “forget about the branches, get to the root.” Many times we just try to cover or mask the real problem. It is like taking medication to relieve a symptom, but never discovering why we have the dise ..read more

I promised the community that I would do a free workshop at the end of this month covering Zen Koans. This workshop takes place on Saturday, December 30th at 10am PT and will include: This Workshop Will Cover: History of koans How koans are used today How to use koans in everyday life Q&A Register now at the link here.   ..read more

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