by Domyo | Jul 31, 2026 | Buddhist Practice
In the previous episode (Part 1), I talked about what your practice edge is not, and what it is. I discussed why it’s valuable to stay in touch with your edge, and the first step in finding it. Then I presented the idea that first you practice for the sake of your own suffering, then you practice for the sake of others, and finally, you practice for the sake of the Dharma. I am using this teaching to organize my discussion, and in the first episode I talked about finding your practice edge when you are suffering. Now I move on to the second two motivations for practice.
by Domyo | Jul 19, 2026 | Buddhist Practice
To keep your Dharma practice lively, it’s important to regularly identify the “edge” of your practice. This is your growth point – the current limit of your understanding and your capacity to embody it. Of course, you don’t have a single practice edge; it might be more accurate to say it’s important to identify something on your growth “perimeter,” or find one of your many edges, so you can focus your practice or have a dialogue with a teacher. I discuss what an edge is, what it means to find one, why this is important, and how to go about it.
by Domyo | Jun 16, 2026 | Buddhist Practice
Sometimes it’s difficult to relate to the goal of “awakening” or “enlightenment.” Especially if we’ve gained a hard-won sense of peace with ourselves and our lives, it can seem counterproductive to dwell on some experience or understanding we don’t yet have and then drive ourselves to achieve it. I want to share an alternative way to frame your practice that might kindle your Bodhicitta in a different way.
by Domyo | May 31, 2026 | Buddhist Practice, Ten Fields of Zen
For many years now, people have been asking me how to deepen their Zen practice. They wonder, “What’s next?” Some lay people are perfectly content guiding their own practice, but others long for more structure – some kind of program to which they can apply themselves. I have long desired to meet such requests, but I wasn’t clear how. After teaching Zen for over 15 years, I have developed a clearer sense of what to require of my students if they are asking me to personally guide their practice. I share my practice agreement for formal students here.
by Domyo | Mar 31, 2026 | Buddhist Practice
In Buddhism, we have three treasures: Buddha, teachers or our own awakened nature; Dharma, the teachings or the truth itself, and Sangha, the community of people who practice and maintain the tradition together. From the beginning of Buddhism, then, community has been considered essential – but in what sense? We may think of Sangha primarily as an impersonal institution providing access to Buddhist teachings and practice. It certainly fulfills that function, but I believe it’s equally important that our Sanghas be welcoming, loving, joyful, mature communities: A place where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.
by Domyo | Feb 28, 2026 | Buddhist Practice
In Buddhism, we are guided by the ideal of a Buddha, or awakened being. One of the characteristics of a Buddha is unconditional and selfless generosity, and when your generosity is blocked, you can be sure that some part of you still needs understanding, healing or liberation. On the other hand, when you’re able to set aside your self-doubt and imagine yourself as a Buddha, when you look on other beings as if they were your children, you may find your generosity flows more naturally.
by Domyo | Dec 2, 2025 | Buddhist Practice, Zen Teachings
Zen Buddhism exemplifies practice based in self-power, or jiriki. Pure Land Buddhism exemplifies practice based in other-power, or tariki. These are very different entry gates, but when we examine self-power and other-power more closely, we see that the ultimate goal of practice requires both.
by Domyo | May 31, 2025 | Buddhism Today, Buddhist Practice
In this episode I make the case for accommodations for people with physical challenges, even in sesshin, and then describe a number of tried and tested ways Sanghas can do this. I finish by talking about how to negotiate with a Sangha if you are someone with physical challenges and hope to be accommodated, particularly in the practice of intensive retreat.
by Domyo | May 24, 2025 | Buddhism Today, Buddhist Practice
People with extra physical challenges – disabilities, chronic illnesses, or advanced age – often find it impossible to participate fully in Zen practice without special accommodations. Seated meditation (zazen) can be painful, and the demands of silent meditation retreats (sesshin) can be prohibitive. However, an important part of Zen practice – especially sesshin – is how everyone follows the forms together, doing the same things at the same times. The whole idea is to minimize the need to exercise personal choice, and to use a certain amount of physical discomfort to bring us up against the existential matter of our lives. How can Sanghas support the Zen practice of people with physical challenges while preserving what is supportive to those without them?
by Domyo | Mar 31, 2025 | Buddhist Practice
Chances are, whether you’re aware of it or not, you have a certain way of framing your Dharma practice. That is, you function using a conceptual framework that defines your relationship to your practice, the intent of that practice, and what is supposedly being transformed by that practice. When you’re centered in the moment, you can practice without framing, but most of the time you’ll be framing things whether you mean to or not. It’s good to be conscious of your framing and choose a framing that’s helpful.
