For the past many years, Clouds in Water starts the New Years off with an Intention and Vow Workshop. It was my answer to the failure, year after year, of … Continue reading Intention and Vow, New Years
Tag: present moment
A Splendid Opportunity
Here is a terrific quote from Dogen Zenji on being in the present moment: “This is a splendid opportunity for buddha-dharma to enter into mud and water. If you do … Continue reading A Splendid Opportunity
Abandon any hope of fruition
Abandon any hope of fruition. If there is a “time” which is more than just linear, than this Tibetan Lojong slogan makes sense. If we believe solely in a linear … Continue reading Abandon any hope of fruition
The Spiritual Structure of each day
In Clouds in Water’s new design for practice period, we are emphasizing the spiritual structure of the day. What we do at the beginning of the day, during the day … Continue reading The Spiritual Structure of each day
Holding up the Moon
“Who sweeps the ground and also sees the moon? Holding up the moon, her sweeping is truly not in vain.” —Dogen Zenji from Eihei Koroku Our chores and repetitive actions … Continue reading Holding up the Moon
Circle of the way #2
“Our practice is not a kind of training for the sake of making an ignorant person smart, clever and finally enlightenment. Each action, each moment of sitting, is arousing Bodhi … Continue reading Circle of the way #2
Now, Now, Now
Bring your whole, unified body and mind to this moment, fully knowing that this moment is impermanent. This moment arises and disappears in 1/62nd of a finger snap. That happens so … Continue reading Now, Now, Now
Worry and Fear
Worry and fear can alter our perceptions until we lose all sense of reality, twisting neutral situations into nightmares. Because most worry focuses on the future, if we can learn … Continue reading Worry and Fear
Saying “Yes” to this moment!
It’s strange how many decades it takes to digest the simplest instruction. So many layers and “ideas” about the instruction have to be peeled off. Our intellectual understanding keeps us … Continue reading Saying “Yes” to this moment!
Practice points for opening to the moment
In early May, Greg Kramer came to Clouds and gave a retreat. His emphasis is on how to bring meditation and mindfulness into activity, relationships and verbal dialogue. I found … Continue reading Practice points for opening to the moment