In my practice, I love when I’m standing there and I deeply relax, and then relax further. Sometimes I get so relaxed I almost fall asleep for a moment, and then in that softening, somehow my firm ideas suspend, and this kind of innocent vulnerability emerges. It’s like I’m walking into a blank prairie. I’m…
Category: zen
Make Friends with Reality
In our January Month-long Intensive, we have been talking about how to deal with stuck places and emotions. This is a rich topic. Here are a few reflections from my own experience. I remember my first New Year at Sogenji. On the New year, we had to write a poem and present it to entire…
In Response to the October Online Intensive: The Energy Collective is Born!
Last month we organized an online intensive group. It went so well, I started to think about this idea of a group to keep the spirit of the October Intensive going. It was magical to see people changing and to hear how people were feeling supported as a group. It was kind of shocking to…
Notes from Our October Online Intensive Beginning Today
Here are some notes from the first meeting of the October Online Intensive I shared to begin to frame what I hope to happen in the group. -Let’s take this opportunity of the month to saturate ourselves in practice. Let’s take the time to explore what it is that is walking around, moving, etc. It’s…
A Couple of Spots Left in the Mini- Retreat This Sunday
Hi all! Thank you all for reading this blog and for those of you attending my online classes. I am writing to let you know that we have a couple of spots available still for our online Mini-Retreat- Sunday, August 30th 8am-12 noon PST Via Zoom Price: $60 (Please talk to Corey if the you…
How do Qigong, ZZ, NDBM, Zazen Relate to Sussokan?
This morning a person in class asked about how doing NDBM fits in with Sussokan. He had heard a talk about Sussokan and felt confused about how NDBM could work with it. So here is a note about Sussokan and how, in my process, it relates to Qigong, Zhan Zhuang, Zazen, and Non-Directed Body Movement….
Awareness Tidbits: Removing Ideas of Good or Bad
In Japan in the monastery I used to go out into the kyudo area behind the Hondo on the free days before the 6pm mandatory dinner. I wanted to take some time to address what was happening inside of me in an unstructured way. Try to allow it to sort out if I gave it…
Little Tidbits from Class: Non-Directed Explorations
Just now in class, at the end with the non-directed standing, I try to let go of my intentions. I try to let go of that “fix-it” head. I try to feel the actual present reality. What is happening?? And my head moves forward on my neck, bobbling over the edge. A little voice says,…
Internal Alchemy: When It is Too Much
A couple of people in my classes have asked what to do when, while doing the Qigong or Zhan Zhuang, the energetic internal process is too much? This is a really good question, and for some people it will make complete sense, while others will have no clue what we are talking about, as we…
