“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere.” - attributed to Guatama Buddha This essay has been edited from its original form, first published to the True Nature
“Is there anything you have not experienced? For example, staying put in a single place and really trying to experience something deeply?” – Soko Morinaga Roshi ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I looked in every direction for fulfillment. If my compass rose was anchored by achievement, relationships, creative expression, and spiritual growth, I also scanned between
“Every enemy is your medicine - your beneficial alchemy and heart healing.” - Rumi This essay was first published to the True Nature community on January 31, 2025. A couple of weeks ago, I thought I would continue to flesh out the “most important thing” theme we considered and discussed in our
All men, without exception, sit in the front row. – Kodo Sawaki Roshi This essay has been edited from its original form, published to the True Nature community on December 20, 2024. I’ve recently returned from a 2 week training period at Daishu-in West, my teacher’s temple in
I know you’re tired, but come. This is the way. - Rumi In September of 2013, I made public vows known as “taking the precepts” and “taking refuge.” This involved chanting in Pali my promise to do my best personally to uphold a set of ethical values, and to look
“We have a choice, we can continue to give in to that impulse of wanting to get away, looking for comfort elsewhere, looking for solutions in other places, or . . . we can develop a close, intimate relationship with that which is right here. That’s what practice is about.” – Ursula Jarand
Friendship means little when it’s convenient. – “Shimazu Koji,” John Wick 4 On a long flight last fall, I watched John Wick 4 after recently discovering for myself that the John Wick universe is more like Harry Potter than it is about serious assassins and revenge. Everyone in a John
You want to be on both sides of the wall at the same time. You can, but you must remove the wall. – Nisargadatta This essay has been edited from its original form, published to the True Nature community on October 22, 2024 At the fall, 2024 CCE women’s retreat,
"Cut off all present thoughts And do not follow successive thoughts. This is sufficient. There is no need to torment yourself over the past Or concern yourself with the future." -Da Hui (12th Century) This essay was originally published to the True Nature community on September 8, 2024.
Earlier this fall, I spent ten days in Turkey & Greece. I saw layers upon layers upon layers of empires - civilizations built literally on top of civilizations. It’s so recent in human history that we’ve begun in earnest to look closely at who we’ve been so far
Welcome, friend - This Quakeresque greeting comes immediately to mind when I consider how to welcome people I have met and not met alike, but all of whom are drawn to some degree by what we’re offering here at the Center for Contemplative Enrichment. You are my friend before I