Author Archives: Guro Huby

Guro Shoshin Huby – Reading about Zen: Reflections on China Root, Taoism,Cha’n and Original Zen by David Hinton. Shambala 2020.

Why and how do we read about Zen, Buddhism and Buddhist practice? Indeed, is reading a good thing, or will this detract from the focus on an experience-based practice? Francis Dojun Cook in How to Raise an Ox makes the point that reading and talking about texts is not necessarily a different activity from washing […]

There is Zen – and then there is StoneWater: reflections on lineage as “home” – Guro Shoshin Huby

What is a lineage? It has a name, denoting a tradition, a teacher’s efforts and experience, a particular slant on the teachings, a version of form, a certain way of doing things and expressing the dharma. At a personal level I find that a lineage speaks to who I am, or rather, how I want […]

Jukai: my rakusu – Guro Shoshin Huby

I received the precepts from Maezumi Roshi in London sometime in the early 1980s. Sumi Komo took a photograph as I was given my rakusu. Isshin is in the picture! I look very serious, and very young. And I had very little idea what it all meant. I am sure you never do with occasions […]

Koans are for life, not just interview: reflections of a koan committed – Guro Shoshin Huby

“Koans are not for me”, I used to think. “My practice is woefully inadequate. Koans are for serious and accomplished practitioners of Zen”. “Besides”, I would go on, “I live too much in my head. Koans would only make my head even fuller of words and distract me from the practice of being in the […]

My Sesshin moment: a realisation – Guro Shoshin Huby

Sesshin used to be an even more special place than it is today, and that is saying something. Sesshin was Special because this was where that SOMETHING was going to happen. Exactly what that SOMETHING was was not clear to me, and I couldn’t put it into words. I don’t think I even realised I […]

Why am I missing Sesshin? by Guro Shoshin Huby

I miss Sesshin! Trying to write down what I am missing and why, and what I can learn from this has helped me make sense of things. We had been thinking about the April trip from Norway to Crosby since the end of October sesshin. Then by March it was clear that the trip was […]