The Zen Studies Podcast

Dharma Talks (a bit more personal take on Dharma topics)

333 – Buddha Is Like an Old-Growth Tree: Practice as Human Maturation

by | Jun 16, 2026
333 – Buddha Is Like an Old-Growth Tree: Practice as Human Maturation

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.

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332 – My Guidelines for Deepening Your Zen Practice

by | May 31, 2026
332 – My Guidelines for Deepening Your Zen Practice

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.

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331 – When Confronted with Great Difficulties: Zhaozhou’s “Just Right”

by | May 15, 2026
331 – When Confronted with Great Difficulties: Zhaozhou’s “Just Right”

How can we practice without ignoring the world, but also without being overwhelmed by it? We can learn something from a koan involving the 9th century Chan master Zhaozhou (Joshu): A monk asked, “When a great difficulties come, how should I avoid them?” Zhaozhou said, “Just right.” We can include great difficulties in our perception of this life without being destroyed by them, letting our hearts break without rejecting this world or becoming consumed by anger or grief.

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330 – Teisho: Awakening Bodhicitta, Seeking Your Heart’s Inmost Desire

by | Apr 30, 2026
330 – Teisho: Awakening Bodhicitta, Seeking Your Heart’s Inmost Desire

Teisho are sometimes called “encouragement talks,” and they are meant to help listeners connect with the Dharma in the spaciousness and silence of zazen. Teisho are not about explanations or the imparting of information, and they generally are not recorded. They are offered spontaneously, just for the moment, just for those listening. Although you may not be sitting zazen while you listen to this episode, I thought I would offer you a teisho as if you are.

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327 & 328 – A Place Where Everybody Knows Your Name: Sangha as Community

by | Mar 31, 2026
327 & 328 – A Place Where Everybody Knows Your Name: Sangha as Community

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.

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326 – No Buddhist Bible: A Brief Overview of 2500 Years’ Worth of Buddhist Texts (1 of 2)

by | Mar 17, 2026
326 – No Buddhist Bible: A Brief Overview of 2500 Years’ Worth of Buddhist Texts (1 of 2)

You may have discovered there are lots of Buddhist texts and teachings. Jews have their Torah, Christians their Bible, Muslims their Quran, and Hindus their Vedas, but Buddhists have no divinely-inspired central text, or even collection of texts, to serve as a definitive source of orthodox teachings. The texts considered authoritative in at least one sect of Buddhism would fill a decent-sized library. This episode (along with Part 2) is meant to be a brief and broad overview of 2500 years’-worth of Buddhist texts in the Zen lineage. Hopefully, it can give you some context for whatever text you might find yourself reading.

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325 – Imagine Yourself as a Buddha and Unblock Your Natural Generosity

by | Feb 28, 2026
325 – Imagine Yourself as a Buddha and Unblock Your Natural Generosity

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.

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323 – Zazen As Defiant Self-Care

by | Jan 29, 2026
323 – Zazen As Defiant Self-Care

Since the term arose in 1950’s, “self-care” has referred to a number of different things. If we consider self-care to be things you do to remain physically and mentally healthy, then Zazen – simple, goalless, Zen meditation – can be seen as excellent self-care. In these troubled times, such self-care can even be seen as defiant – refusing to be broken down by challenging circumstances. Other forms of meditation can also be seen as self-care, of course, but Zazen can be a little difficult to get your mind around. Framing it as self-care may help you appreciate what it’s all about.

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