août 2009
Always returning, wherever I go
Coming and going again. Corsica was a marvelous Mediterranean gem. A perfect nine days wandering amid turquoise sea, white sand, rugged mountains. Kindness also bountiful. Now for something completely different: Normandy for final summer retreat. More joys and much else to come. Always returning, wherever I go.
Talk in August 2009, Portugal
Out of Bounds: The Bodhisattva’s Way Since yesterday I’ve been thinking about a question someone asked: Is there ever any mention of compassion in this Zen practice? Is there any emphasis on compassion? I was thinking about how best to address that question, all the while asking myself that question. I have many answers for [...]
Retreat notes, Portugal (II)
As we sit in the cool room in the midday heat, the roof cracks and creaks overhead. I am filled with a swelling love for this beautiful building, its selfless giving of itself so that we may have shelter from the elements. In fact, it just sits with us and we just sit with it. [...]
Retreat notes, Portugal (I)
A woman tells me on the first night during my introduction instructions that although she didn't know anything about Zen, she came to the retreat because, she said, she told herself that if she didn't like it she could leave. I smiled and said, yes, that is true. I didn't say, however, that this practice [...]
Teaching – Portugal, 04 Août 2009 : The practice of compassion
Talks by Amy “Tu es cela” Hollowell Sensei from the summer 2009 retreat in Quinta das Águias, Portugal.
