Dharma Podcast

Recorded: April 9th, 2008 Speakers: Joan Halifax Show: 81 Vice Abbot Beate Seishin Stolte discusses the need to understand our fundamental loneliness in order to practice Zen. She emphasizes that we need to understand and practice the lineage of the ancestors which requires us to discover the true attitudes and vision of Zen practice. Zen practice ShareThis

Recorded: May 21st, 2008 Speakers: Joan Halifax Show: 80 Roshi Joan Halifax uses the koan of the Iron Flute to speak about legacy (the effects of our efforts). She discusses our imperative to live fully every moment but tempered by the commitment and responsibility to nourish the Dharma. Koan ShareThis

Recorded: April 9th, 2008 Speakers: Joan Halifax Show: 79 Roshi relates her recent experience at Eihei-ji Monastery in Japan, founded by Eihei Dogen, father of the Soto Zen school. Experiences at the monastery illuminate a realization and experience of continuities punctuated by the natural cycles of seasonal change. Eihei Dogen Soto Zen ShareThis

Recorded: April 23rd, 2008 Speakers: Beate Seishin Stolte Show: 78 Beate Seishin Stolte, Vice Abbot of Upaya Zen Center Beate references several koans in this talk about the quality of aliveness and how it is measured in degrees of awareness and awakeness. Our aliveness arises in direct proportion to the quality of selflessness or self-forgetting in us. selflessness koan ShareThis

Recorded on: May 23rd, 2008 Posted on: July 3rd, 2008 Speaker: Roshi Joan Halifax Show: 82 Roshi Joan Halifax speaks during the Yoga and Buddhism retreat about the fine points of discerning the difference between attention, presence, consciousness and awareness; the mind/body dichotomy; various forms of meditation and focus. ShareThis

Recorded: July 6th, 2007 Speakers: Roshi Joan Halifax and Richard Freeman Show: 76 Roshi Joan Halifax and Richard Freeman talk about the interplay of Buddhism and yoga. Both disciplines share strong mental and physical practices. Roshi uses stories from Buddha s life and her interactions with the Lacandon Indians of Chiapas Mexico to illustrate. Master Yoga teacher, Richard Freeman describes and teaches a method for the most powerful yoga practice the heart opening practice of loving all sentient beings. Yoga Opening the Heart ShareThis

Recorded: July 4th, 2007 Speakers: Roshi Joan Halifax Show: 75 Roshi Joan Halifax retells the history of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and explores the differences and similarities between the concepts of independence and interdependence. Samadhi Declaration of Independence ShareThis

Recorded: May 30th, 2007 Speakers: 4 Students Show: 74 Upaya Residents Rinshin, Jisen, Yushin and Myokei discuss the factors and conditions which led them to the practice of Zen and the long term commitment to engaed service through residency at Upaya. ShareThis

Recorded: May 23rd, 2008 Speakers:Roshi Joan Halifax Show:73 Roshi Joan Halifax gives this Dharma talk about the 5th Precept by focusing on the need to practice presencing each moment just as it is without needing to change anything including altering our mind state. She explores the truth of many substances and experiences which can toxify our capacity for embodying wisdom and compassion. ShareThis

Recorded: April 16th, 2008 Speakers: An Evening with Natalie Goldberg and Wendy Johnson Show: 77 Authors and Zen practitioners, Natalie Goldberg and Wendy Johnson share stories and readings from their newly released books: Old Friend From Far Away and Gardening at the Dragon s Gate, respectively. As the talk progresses we learn from the authors that the themes of the two books: writing memoir and gardening are not really what the books are about Natalie Goldberg Wendy Johnson ShareThis

Recorded: October 24th, 2007 Speakers: Tias Little Show: 72 Tias Little, founder of Prajna Yoga gives this talk about the bservation of movement and change both within and without. He quotes from Buddha, Dogen and Thich Nhat Hanh as he explores the most powerful of mindfulness meditations that on birthing and deathing. He discusses how our bias towards the present moment creates a tickiness which pulls us out of the present moment and discusses ways we might right our boat and re-orient our attention. More on Prajna Yoga ShareThis

Recorded March 17th, 2007 Speakers: Roshi Joan Halifax Roshi Joan Halifax discusses how Buddhism views sex and sexuality. She decries the fact that historically the canons spoke mostly about constraints having to do with women. Roshi differentiates the expectations for monastic vs. lay conduct and defines misconduct:actions which encompass any or all of the qualities of violence,manipulation, and deceit (e.g rape, bestiality, prostitution, adultery, sex with minors) and right conduct including deep respect, deep responsibility and deep caring. ShareThis

Recorded: May 11th, 2007 Speakers: Enkyo Roshi and Roshi Joan Halifax Enkyo Roshi and Roshi Joan Halifax use this koan to discuss practicing moment to moment awareness. The historical significance of koans which depict the wisdom of old women who see into the nature of reality is related as is the historical connection between Mt Taishan and Manjushri. The old woman as symbol of discernment and complete freedom is explored as it relates to the parts of ourselves which embody these qualities and experiences in our practice of the Way. The importance of defeat and getting lost (stepping out of the known) is also illuminated. More on Koan ShareThis

Recorded: May 9th, 2007 Speakers: Enkyo Roshi and Roshi Joan Halifax Enkyo Roshi and Roshi Joan Halifax discuss the story of he Buddha s birth while weaving the natural world into the theme both as it expresses birth seasonally and also how it figured into the Buddha s whole practice life. Enkyo Roshi tells a baby koan and Roshi Joan ties the birth theme to a quality of mind. ShareThis

Recorded: May 8th, 2007 Speaker: Roshi Joan Halifax and Enkyo Roshi This talk was given during Day 1 of the Mountains and Monastery Sesshin and revolves around the theme of rolling everything we encounter into our practice. Enkyo Roshi opens the talk with a discussion about koan stories and then Roshi Joan uses several personal anecdotes from a trip to Tibet to humorously depict the need to learn sensitivity to life as it unfolds and to learn the deep use for everything and how to discern the right place to put things. More on Upaya More on Tibet ShareThis

Recorded: September 26, 2007 Speaker: Roshi Joan Halifax Roshi Joan Halifax gives this dharma talk on the subject of karma. She distinguishes among the antiquated idea of karma as a system based on causality versus the reality of a huge net of interacting factors both knowable and never to be discovered. She compares her experiences with the political and civil unrest of the 60 s to the unfolding of current events in Burma. More on Joan Halifax More on Burma ShareThis

Recorded: September 19, 2007 Speakers: Natalie Goldberg and Wendy Johnson Natalie Goldberg and Wendy Johnson share this talk about being awake in the natural world and the role of structure in the awakening process. Natalie discusses the essential relationship of the individual to structure in two beneficial ways: we need to either break open the structure to awaken or becoming completely intimate with the structure such that any separation dissolves. Wendy then speaks about the interplay in the natural world of light and dark; of the earth being laid open at harvest time in order to rest and renew, of destruction and laying waste in the world and our imperative to rebuild upon a damaged surface. Works of literature and art are used to illustrate these themes and the audience is invited to a question and answer ending. More on Natalie Goldberg More on Natural World ShareThis

Recorded: September 5, 2007 Speaker: Vice Abbot of Upaya, Beate Stolte-Overtheil Vice Abbot of Upaya, Beate Stolte-Overtheil reviews the history of philosophical views of human happiness starting with the Greeks, through the Middle Ages, and into modern philosophers and even neuroscience research . She describes several experimental studies to illustrate the influence of expectation upon the sense of happiness and then distinguishes between pleasure and true serenity or contentment. More on Dharma More on Upaya ShareThis

Recorded August 29, 2007 Speakers: Roshi Joan Halifax, Irene Kyojo Bakker, Beate Stolte-Overtheil, Jean Wilkins, Jisen MacFarland Several Upaya priests reflect upon the buddhist precepts and elaborate on several themes arising from the Jukai ceremony including: letting go into our natural goodness, summoning the courage to live an ethical life, comparing dualistic, absolute and transcendant views of the precepts through koans, and deep transition as an aspect of commitment. More on Jukai More on Upaya ShareThis

Recorded August 22, 2007 Speaker: Roshi Joan Halifax Roshi Joan Halifax gives this talk during the intensive Bodhidharma sesshin. She talks about stripping away adornments, the importance of mutuality, panoramic perspective, and the practice of shikantaza. She relates Bodhidharma s journey as a metaphor for our own lives. More on Bodhidharma ShareThis

Recorded August 15, 2007 Speaker: Irene Kyojo Bakker Irene Kyojo Bakker speaks about the ways in which Zen ritual, liturgy and gestures serve to connect us to everything. How practice perfecting the craft of Zen creates skillful means through its emphasis on precision and gentleness, and dissolves the individual into a sangha body. More on Zen Training ShareThis

Recorded August 8, 2007 Speaker: Natalie Goldberg Natalie Goldberg, well known author and Dharma holder, tells us a real life story about her experience of an unusual fugue state and her inability to resolve what happened to her. She has been trying to write an essay about the experience but feels that her understanding of what happened is blocked. She asks the listeners to help her explore the story by choosing whatever she said that had energy for them. She points out the connections between dreams, koans, and insights and emphasizes the embodying component of knowing deeply. More on natalie goldberg

Recorded: January 17th, 2008 Posted on: July 15th, 2008 Speakers: Roshi Joan Halifax, Jim Austin MD, Neil Theise, MD, Jason Buhl, BA, Al Kaszniak, PhD Show: 85 Neil Theise, MD, discussed his years of stem cell research involving primarily, the human liver. He takes us on an astonishing journey into the cellular organization of the human body, it s correlates in the natural world (ants) and the incredible synchronicity with ancient buddhist teachings about the bodymind. bodymind ShareThis

Recorded: January 16th, 2008 Posted on: July 11th, 2008 Speakers: Roshi Joan Halifax, Jim Austin MD, Neil Theise, MD, Jason Buhl, BA, Al Kaszniak, PhD Show: 84 Neil Theise and Roshi Joan Halifax discuss zazen and the scientific method as two forms of focussed observation, and attention to processes. They ask us to be both practitioners and scientists and discuss the unusual circumstance of being that which we are studying . zazen zen focus ShareThis

Recorded: January 16th, 2008 Posted on: July 7th, 2008 Speakers: Roshi Joan Halifax, Jim Austin MD, Neil Theise, MD, Jason Buhl, BA, Al Kaszniak, PhD Show: 83 Introductory opening of the Zen Brain retreat by Roshi Joan who acknowledges the pioneering work of Jim Austin and Francisco Varela. Each of the featured presenters then gives a quick overview of what participants might expect from their respective presentations and include some historical background to the field of study. ShareThis

Recorded August 1, 2007 Speaker: Roshi Joan Halifax In this talk, Roshi reflects upon her recent 65th birthday, her long history of collaboration with the Lindesfarne Fellows and the importance of mentoring ourselves and others so that those doing important work in the world can create continuity. She discusses developmental changes occurring in both persons and systems. She uses a koan to illustrate our tendency to get stuck in our personal story, thus creating unnecessary drama that negatively affects us and those around us.

Recorded December 5, 2007 Speakers: Kazuaki Tanahashi Sensei, Roshi Enkyo O Hara s response to his monks when asked about the Buddha s enlightenment. Next Enkyo Roshi speaks the error of seeking enlightening as something outside ourselves or different from what we are and how we cut off and separate ourselves allowing the formation of other and enemy . Roshi Joan speaks about the Denkai ceremony, the central importance of relationship and mutuality in the practice, of coming to know one another in an uncommon way, of coming to know our own heart, and of the importance of not finding fault with the present moment.

Recorded December 4, 2007 Kazuaki Tanahashi Sensei s enlightenment with his gentle teasing and provocative questions. Next, Beate Seishin Stolte, the new Vice Abbot at Upaya asks us to reflect on what it means to have an enlightened mind. She relates a story from childhood to illustrate the concept of the field of mind and speaks about finding stillness and ease both in our meditation and our lives.

Recorded December 3, 2007 Kazuaki Tanahashi Sensei and Roshi Enkyo Pat O Hara Tanahashi Sensei speaks on Buddha s enlightenment leaving us with an vocative question for reflection. He is followed by Enkyo Roshi who uses koan stories and writings from Stephen Dunn, W.H. Auden, and Zen Master Dogen to illustrate the theme of Buddha s enlightenment by asking the questions, What really is the transformation known as enlightenment? What, exactly are we celebrating?

Recorded December 2, 2007 Kazuaki Tanahashi Sensei & Roshi Joan Tanhashi Sensei opens this first dharma talk of Rohatsu sesshin by speaking about ignorance and stupidity in relation to both violence and wisdom. Is meditation an escape for us or a way to see our own violence? Roshi Joan Halifax speaks next about bringing everything into the practice. She quotes from Helen Keller, Arthur Miller, Viktor Frankl and others and includes recent experiences from a trip to Vietnam and Nanjing as she asks us to presence things just as they are.