Let's be clear --  a personal note from Seido, caretaker of Hokoku-An Zendo. I'm not a Zen Master; and as far as being a Rinzai Zen monk goes, I'm the first…

A monk asked Joshu: What is meditation?Joshu replied: Meditation is not meditation.The monk persisted: Why is meditation not meditation?Joshu replied: It’s alive! It’s alive! There are many so-called “methods of…

What follows is a non-sectarian approach to sitting still. It could be considered preparation for meditation. One: Breathing exercise for relaxation and focus; this exercise can be done seated in…

Someone asked me the other day, "Why do you meditate?" When I was a newly ordained monk and first started Hokoku-An Zendo I used to give a lot of Dharma…

For those of you trying to maintain a regular sitting practice at home -- please persevere; even if you sit for only 15 or 20 minutes a day, it's worth…

Maintaining a solo practice of zazen requires discipline, first and foremost. Becoming complacent with your practice leads to one end: no practice. Unfortunately it’s very easy to become complacent in…