Author Archives: Miranda Wayu Forward

Miranda Wayu Forward – Jukai and Tokudo, then and now

When I told my mum I was receiving Jukai, she said, “You always were a joiner”. At the time, I felt hurt, although I knew on one level she was right. I’ve always been looking for tribes of like-minded people following some path, sharing an understanding of the world, working together for a common cause. […]

Awakening, letting be and simplicity – Miranda Wayu Forward

What for you is the essential teaching of Buddhist practice and how does it influence your life? I find that this, the essential teaching, varies for me. When I read Buddhist books, I usually think – aha, this is it! And then, on the next page – no THIS is it! But also, when things […]

‘Showing up, insecurities and all’ by Miranda Wayu Forward

I’m top of the class at avoiding showing up, that I readily admit! But something tells me that the previous sentence itself is a good example of that very thing. It’s too easy to admit to failures if the alternative is to ‘just do it’, as Roshi said. But it’s a start – here are […]

Women ancestors – why honouring them by name in our services is important to me – Miranda Wayu Forward

When I first joined StoneWater Zen way back in 2001, I couldn’t help noticing that all the ancestors named in our services were male. Women did get a mention, however, but only as ‘all women lineage holders whose names have been lost or forgotten’. How sad, I felt, but unsurprising to me as a feminist […]

Who are these women? Explaining the female names in our dedication chant – Miranda Wayu Forward and Sarah Kokai Thwaites on behalf of the StoneWater Zen Women Ancestors Group

In 2016 the names of 4 female ancestors were added to the dedication chanted in StoneWater services alongside 5 male ancestors, including the Buddha himself. Previously the dedication paid tribute to women ‘lost and forgotten’. With a resurgence of interest in female ancestors and the publication of several notable books on this subject (see references […]

Where are the Women? Here are some of them!

An update from the SWZ Women Ancestors Group by Miranda Wayu Forward In September 2015, I wrote a piece for the SWZ website entitled ‘Where are the Women?’ about the invisibility of women in our chants, dedications and lineage, how this feels as a woman in the sangha, and the research which has been done […]

Where are the Women?

Here’s a thoughtful and thought provoking piece by Miranda Forward: “Something has been bothering me for a while: – Every Wednesday evening during the service at StoneWater Zen Liverpool, we chant the Identity of Relative and Absolute Sutra. After the sutra, the Ino chants a dedication – In reciting the Identity of Relative and Absolute, […]

Room For Improvement

It’s funny the effect that sitting and retreats have on people. Here, for example, are Miranda’s thoughts; she writes: “This daft ditty is based on the last week of our Lakes retreat, August 2015. To be sung to the tune of Strawberry Fair – in company, with people joining in the chorus, of course! Please add […]