Author Archives: Karen Robbie

Autumn Sesshin 2017 – Karen Robbie

Many thanks to Karen Robbie  for sharing these poems about her experiences on the last Crosby sesshin in October and for this image of her painting, Flower.   Morning Zazen The zendo warm and smoky. Glowing with a candle. I sit on my zafu. The fold of robes as they fall. Think about words. Letting […]

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Bright and Clear by Karen Shoji Robbie

We are currently gathering contributions from sangha members of the theme of showing up with our insecurities. Here Karen shares her experience of facing hers on a Chan retreat. In between branches the moon bright and clear I look up I arrive in the dark in the mud. A bright head torch and a friendly […]

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Crosby 2015

First day of sesshin with endless possibilities I’m here to find out what my body needs, begins to hurt bones in a furnace time is slow, time aches in straight spine inside this human triangle there is space to feel fear at a deeper level I might go off the edge days continue in silent […]

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On Silence

Here’s a wonderful post from Karen Robbie who has just been on the Crosby Retreat: “My name is Karen Robbie.  I have been practising zen for 19 years.  I would like to share a few of my personal thoughts on silence. I’ve always wanted to write something about silence. It feels difficult to write about […]

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