Category Archives: Zazen / Meditation

Silence

Here’s a little gem of a piece by Stuart Hollyoak. ‘The word listen contains the same letters as the word silent’ – Alfred Brendal Our culture never tires of dangling carrots of satisfaction over my head. Industries vie for my attention and money with new fragrances, fashions, gadgets and entertainment. Though I’m hardly coerced by […]

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What does it mean to be a member of a Sangha, and why do we sit?

Dear Folks, Following the fascinating and stimulating discussion we had in the Liverpool Zendo on Wednesday night about attendance and absence etc. I thought a summary of my own thoughts might be useful for further discussion and thought. For me both in my own training and as a teacher, maintaining connection (even if this would be to […]

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Sore legs, headache and what’s all this about the ungraspable?

This week, a post from Martie Griffiths, who only recently joined us at the Liverpool group. Martie’s post is a timely reminder of what it can be like to view the practice with fresh eyes. It’s great to have contributions from people who are new to this Zen stuff as well as the more jaundiced experienced folks! If anyone else would like to submit something, I’d be delighted to get your articles (or questions) at editor@stonewaterzen.org.

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The Three Signs and Zazen (Audio)

“Zen is often talked about as the ‘religion before religion’… in Zen, we look into the very nature of Mind, the very nature of the whole thing, why we’re alive, what’s the point, why are we here? And what we discover is… that the whole thing is empty of any solidity.” Keizan Sensei looks at the Three Signs of Buddhism and the links to zazen… what’s it all about?!

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Seeing Stars

At the zazenkai in Liverpool last Saturday, Keizan Sensei gave the talk and was asking us why we sit and what we really want from life. He talked – for the benefit of two newcomers – about what happens when you sit in zazen. About how, with regular practice, the space between the thoughts of our constant mental chatter somehow increases and something, a different reality, is glimpsed from which a sense of peace arises.

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