Earth Dreams: Zen Buddhism and the Soul of the World

• One Hundred Demons Night Parade

  I am currently spending some time with this beautiful teaching poem, Affirming Faith in Mind as part of Autumn Ango through ZCO. As I was reading it this week, I thought about how would I summarize this teaching in one sentence. I came up with:Everything’s Included on the Path!Everything is included. Maybe it seems too simple, too obvious. And yet, how often are we looking outside of our experience for satisfaction, the answer, some-thing-else. How could it be that our doubt, fear, the wars and violence we bear witness to, as well as the love, pain, empathy, grief, sadness we feel is part of awakening? That anything the mind thinks, or the body feels. Not just the good feelings, the spiritual thoughts—but everything. Everything is included, is an expression of the Awakened Heart. Is liberation itself.If everything is included. What does that mean for our living? For our practice? Maybe best not to try to make meaning of it. But to practice, to live with this inquiry. For faith is something we discover through our embodiment.So we can ask, we can invite—Can I practice here? With these emotions? In this relationship? In this political environment? With this activation? When I am triggered or hurting—what does practice look like, where can I find refuge?Sometimes we imagine that if our meditation or dharma practice was “working” we would get immediate relief from the challenging emotion, the pain, the difficult belief. Or we would have the answer about how to respond to the complex relational and societal patterns we are a part of. Though sometimes astonishingly this does happen. I find that practice often offers a little more space, to be with and recognize things as they are.Practicing the all-inclusive heart can take many forms. At this time of year in the Zen Buddhist tradition we have rituals for turning towards the monstrous, neglected, wayward, confused, unruly energies in ourselves and the world—energies that we are often trying to control, get-in-line or banish. One Hundred Demons Night ParadeAt Mud Lotus Sangha on Sunday night we did a practice of the 100 Demons Night Parade. It was inspired by a scroll that the 17th Century Zen Master, Hakuin Zenji painted. The 100 Demons Night Parade or Hyakki Yagyo is a procession of the supernatural from Japanese folklore, that artists would often attempt to depict. It is said that Hakuin allowed his inner demons to take form and join this other worldly night parade.So we drew our demons, inner enemies, monsters, hungry ghosts—as a practice and way of expressing inner thoughts/feelings through art. Many people remarked that what feels scary or frightening inside—actually looked scared on paper. Others said that they recognized that all their demons seemed connected around a fundamental belief or feeling. We taped our pictures on the wall. It felt easy in that form to accept and love these creatures—that represented our challenges, fears, pains and struggles, the parts of ourselves that at times feel difficult to love. They were cute, awkwardly fearsome, sad and lonely beings. What is a demon, anyway?The 12th Century Tibetan Yogini Machig Labdron defines a demon as “whatever appears to hinder liberation—awakening to true nature.”What hinders awakening? Can anything hinder awakening?Yet, sometimes we feel hindered. Sometimes awakening seems 100 demons away.Machig Labdron categorized these “demons” or apparent hinderances to liberation into four categories.* Outer Demons—situations and circumstances outside of our control, this includes other people, organizations, institutions, diseases, wars, relationships that we tend to blame or feel burdened by in some way* Inner Demons—the thoughts, emotions, feelings, sensations, beliefs that we have a tendency to identify with, evade, push away, attempt to control or fight with this can include pain, irritation, rage, fear, anxiety, doubt, unworthiness, shame, disappointment, sadness, feeling not-good-enough, etc. (she also called the inner demons, the demons that go on and on and on…referring to mind’s capacity to constantly generate/pick-up on new information, stories, memories, etc)* Demons of Elation—pride and the good feelings that we tend to identify with but in doing so they make us feel as if we are superior to others* The Demon of Self-Clinging—our mis-identification with this elusive sense of self and our strategies of “selfing”Machig developed a practice for meeting these demons with wise unconditional love. A practice that sprung from her own meditation experience. One night she was meditating in a tree over a lake when suddenly the Naga-protector of the lake appeared and threatened her. Instead of retreating in fear or engaging in a fight with the Naga, Machig offered her body. The Naga-protector was so moved by Machig’s selfless generosity that he offered to be her protector.Making Friends with the MonstrousThe practice Machig developed is called Chod. It is a practice of all inclusive awareness, where everything and everyone is included. Her practice was to invite all the demons to a feast—the difficult people, the troubling emotions, the waring countries, the greedy billionaires, the sicknesses, the fears, the anxieties, the pride—as well as all the buddhas, bodhisattvas, guardian spirits, dharma protectors. You invite them all. And your body becomes the offering. This is a deep practice of prajna wisdom and generosity, recognizing that all that appears has this same root of Mind. All the demons, all our troubles, all the greed in the world, all the enlightened states of mind and heart—it all comes from the same source and appears in the same heart-mind of liberation.In Zen we have a similar practice called Sejiki or The Ceremony for the Hungry Ghost. It’s a ritual of inviting the lost, confused, needy-at-times, wanting parts of us as well as these energies found in the world—to a feast of debauchery. We make an altar with all the things we crave or thirst for, that the hungry ghost desires or reaches for. During the ceremony we invite them to come to the feast, we meet them with love, tenderness, an open heart of understanding as well as clear seeing. In this meeting transmutation is allowed to occur, like Machig’s Naga protector —in the space of kind acceptance and non-judgmental generosity transformation happens. We see the ghosts for who they really are, not monsters to be feared or gotten rid of—but creative, unruly-at-times, confused-at-times, fun-loving, a bit wayward energies that want satisfaction—the deep satisfaction of liberation —truly they are allies on this path! They are manifestations of bodhicitta—the deep-heart-vow for awakening.Ritual is powerful. We will be doing a version of the Sejiki Ceremony this coming Monday, you are invited to join! Information can be found below.Weekly Online Meditation EventHungry Ghost Ceremony and Meditation Monday Night Dharma — Monday, Nov 3rd 6P PT / 9P ET. Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. This week we will be doing a ceremony for the hungry heart. There will be a guided meditation to help us connect with this energy, a short dharma talk and ceremony. You are invited to bring an offering for your hungry heart. This could be something that represents what you crave, reach for, long for, want, desire. Also bring a small piece of candy that we will offer to the hungry heart during the ceremony.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Earth Dreams is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.I’m Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

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• The Bright Dark

  Deep Autumn Greetings Fellow Travelers of the Way!As autumn becomes us, I have been contemplating darkness and the creaturely way my body seems to respond to the cold-dark. Maybe you too feel a little more intimate with the night and the dark creature of the body at this time of year. Sometimes I feel, and I know others feel, that we are living in dark times—and whether this feels true for you—I think we all know something about the dark. Whether its as the seasonal darkening of autumn, energetic darkness, or political, personal, emotional, technological, relational, spiritual—darkness is often something we fear or feel uneasy about.Is it what is potentially lurking in the dark, or the darkness itself that sends shivers up the spine, drops dread in the gut, and perpetuates a sense of an impending doom?We often invoke darkness when hope feels sparse. When the way ahead feels hard, dismal, heavy, untenable or uncertain. Will we be ok? Will those we love be safe? Will the things we value and care about continue to be available?Dharma teachings throughout time remind us that there is a light within the dark. Call it bodhi, the awakened heart, vow, love. When we recognize even just an ember of this light—liberation is unstoppable. I feel grateful for my dharma friend Taishin Michael Augustin for reminding me of the unstoppable nature of bodhi this week. Having friends and practice companions on this path is essential. Our warm hearts and bright minds can point out a path together, footstep by footstep through whatever apparent darkness. I’m grateful for the many teachers, guides and friends that grace my life—they are truly bright points of light in this great mystery.Sometimes, and I imagine you have experienced this as well, we even find the dark nourishing in itself. The dark invites unknowing, unbecoming, self-forgetting, openness, mystery, shunyata. Darkness is alive—emergent, subtle, bright.darkness is the home from which we come—zen koanJogen and I will be exploring this theme of the Bright Dark in our upcoming non-residential retreat at Deep Waters in Portland, OR. What is your relationship to the dark? What happens when you get curious about the darkness? Is there a bright thread in the dark in your life? How do you nurture it? Universe Somatic: The Bright Thread in the Dark — January 22nd - 25thUniverse Somatic is a practice that integrates group meditation, movement and energy work with a spirit of experimentation and playfulness. We explore the union of spaciousness and embodied energies in a contemplative practice that is embodied and expressive.The theme for this Universe Somatic is The Bright Thread In the Dark. We will play in knowing and not-knowing, hope and despair, yin and yang, creation and destruction, dancing in deep relationship with these polarities while also listening for the thread that doesn’t get stuck on either side.During this retreat you will be invited to give expression to a full-range of energetic experience some of which may be familiar and comfortable, others which may challenge core implicit beliefs about who you are and what you do. We will be engaging in practices using our voices and our bodies, integrating movement and stillness, sound and silence.The retreat will commence on Thursday January 22nd from 7-9pm. The schedule on Friday and Saturday will run from 9am to 9pm with two separate two hour breaks for lunch and dinner. Sunday will conclude the retreat and we will meet from 9am-2pm.You, Darkness by Rilke You, darkness, that I come from I love you more than all the fires that fence in the world, for the fire makes a circle of light for everyone and then no one outside learns of you. But the darkness pulls in everything- shapes and fires, animals and myself, how easily it gathers them! - powers and people- and it is possible a great presence is moving near me. I have faith in nights. Faith in the Heart-MindThe Great Way is not difficult for those who do not pick and choose. When preferences are cast aside, the Way stands clear and un-disguised. But even slight distinctions made set earth and heaven far apart. If you would clearly see the truth, discard opinions pro and con. To founder in dislike and like is nothing but the mind’s disease. And not to see the Way’s deep truth disturbs the mind’s essential peace. The Way is perfect like vast space, where there’s no lack and no excess. Our choice to choose and to reject prevents our seeing this simple truth.Another light in the dark this autumn is the Faith Mind poem of the early Chan tradition. The podcast episode above is an exploration into the practice of awakening faith in ourselves as we walk this path of liberation in our lives. A reminder that the light of awareness is always right here, and that we can recognize this light for ourselves. The poem is an invitation to recognize Mind beyond thought and discrimination. An appeal to the seeker in us that knows that all that arises is the Way.We are exploring this poem on Monday Nights, feel free to drop in!On Monday Nov 3rd we will be doing a Ceremony for the Hungry Spirit. A practice of honoring the parts of us whose hungers and desires at times can feel bottomless. This ceremony will take place as part of the Monday Night Online Dharma offering. Bring an offering to your hungry spirit to participate in the ceremony. I will also offer a guided meditation to help us connect to the energy of the hungry heart that lives in us.If you live in Columbus, we will do this ceremony in-person on Wednesday Oct 29th!Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. We are currently exploring the Faith in Mind poem by the 3rd Chinese Ancestor.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website.Earth Dreams is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.I’m Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

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• Playing in Polarizations

  Polarization & PlayPolarization (def)—division into two sharply contrasting groups, sets of opinions or beliefs. When we stop seeing similarity or what is shared, but only see difference. When difference becomes a threat.Play (def)— to engage in something for enjoyment or for sport. Be cooperative. Try something out.I want to say, we are living in a polarized time. But I find myself questioning each word. I look for polarization and find it in my social media feed, in the news, in my own inner dialogue —as certain views and opinions claim their rightness about what I should or should not do, believe or say.But, I don’t see such polarization in the setting sun, the migrating monarch butterfly who is sitting on this sunflower, here in my front garden. It seems like the monarch, the sun, the sky and serenading cicadas are not so concerned with the rifts of mind or media feed.Is it disrespectful to place play near the gravity of polarization, when Webster warns that play has nothing to do with serious things and when politicians are using words like “civil war?”Play is actually an important quality for awakening, for living in divisiveness—for it is an invitation to bring curiosity to righteousness, shame spirals, fear loops and the other players in polarized thinking.Play as LiberationThe play I want to invite is the play of liberation. The play that is invoked in the Mahayana Sutra of Vimalakirti. A sutra that emerged in an in-between-time in Buddhist history. Where there were forces in power who believed they had the “right” teachings, the correct practices to transcend this painful world of suffering and enter nirvana.Yet another view was emerging right in the midst of the dominant one. A view that seemed to turn the whole tradition on its head. A view, a practice, a teaching that pointed to the profound path of liberation that could be recognized by seeing through all views—awakening to the empty-yet-apparent nature of all form and concept. This view pointed to a liberation that was based in the direct experience of interdependence, where no one is separate from anyone else—where this world and this body are the place and vehicle for living an awakened life. This was the emergence of the way of the bodhisattva.An Extraordinary ImprobabilityThe teaching came through a sick man living the life of a householder in India. His name was Vimalakirti and was considered a great bodhisattva and teacher of the non-dual way. When asked why he was sick Vimalakirti replied: “I am sick, because the world is sick.”Joan Sutherland in her book Vimalakirti and The Awakened Heart says this about the Bodhisattva. “Vimalakirti embodies a number of provocative dualities in addition to being a sick bodhisattva: he’s a rich man who gives all of his money to the poor, someone who lives among family, but remains solitary, has children and frequents brothels but remains celibate, goes to bars, but doesn’t get drunk…The koans speak of him as an extraordinary improbability.”The sutra in its in-between-ness is considered a precursor to both the koan tradition of Chan and the tantric tradition of the Vajrayana. The sutra has well-known characters from the Buddhist pantheon such as the elder monk Shariputra and the Bodhisattva Manjushri engaging in discourse with this layman Vimalakirti and the goddess who happens to live in his room completely unseen until the middle of the story.The Goddess’s TransformationsAt some point in the story the goddess makes her appearance, and we are told that she had always been there (another nod to the incipient koan tradition: how can someone who has always been here, appear?)As she appears flowers rain down, falling to the feet of the Bodhisattvas but sticking to the robes of the elder monks. Shariputra is quite disturbed by this flower affixing itself to his robe—he has made a vow not to adorn himself with the fragrance and flamboyance of a flower.The goddess engages him here, asking him to show her the nature of flowerness.Their conversation spans topics such as the nature of self-obsession and liberation, before Shariputra asks the goddess why she continues to be a woman, when surely being male would be preferable for she would have a chance at liberation.This opens up a dialogue captured in Case 58 of the Hidden Lamp“I have looked for the innate characteristics of the female form to no avail. How can I change them? If a magician created the illusion of a woman, would you ask her, “Why don’t you transform yourself out of your female state?”Shariputra replied, “No. Such a woman would not really exist, so what would there be to transform?”She said, “Just so. All things do not really exist, so how can you ask something that doesn’t exist to change its form?”Then the goddess, by supernatural power, changed Shariputra into a likeness of herself and changed herself into a likeness of Shariputra and asked, “Why don’t you transform yourself out of your female state?”Shariputra cried, “I no longer appear in the form of a male! My body has changed into a woman’s body! I don’t know what to transform!”She replied, “Just as you are not really a woman but appear to be female in form, all women appear to be female in form but are not really women. Therefore, Buddha said that all beings are not really women or men.”Then she changed Shariputra back into his own form and asked, “And where is your female form now?”My teacher Chozen Roshi writes the commentary to this case and opens saying: “Once someone asked me, “In India it is said that you cannot be enlightened it you are a woman. What does Zen say about this?” I answered, “In Zen practice we say that in order to be enlightened, you must become completely a woman, completely a man, both, and neither.”The Four Positions of PolarizationChozen’s response is an articulation of Rinzai’s four positions. It’s an expression of the flexibility of heart that we train in, in koan practice. It’s a practice for recognizing the empty-yet-apparent nature of all concepts and forms and unsticking from our habitual ways of seeing the world.What is it to be completely A, completely B, both and neither?This is something we can explore anytime we have a set of opposites or polarized parts of us. This could be explored in a conflict with another person, an inner conflict, as koan exploration or as dream/soul work.To use the koan above as an example, here is a step-by-step way you might explore the polarity of Shariputra and the Goddess. Feel free to journal, draw or move between these positions in a more embodied way. Or listen to the audio above for verbal guidance on these steps.* Let yourself inhabit the position of Shariputra and shift your position slightly to the right. This could be the part of us that wants to do it right, is disciplined, has a sense of the rules, feels self-righteous. Let yourself feel your inner Shariputra. What does it feel like in the body to want to do it right or to feel self-righteous? What feelings are you aware of? What fears or wants? If you could speak as Shariputra what would you say? Now let go of Shariputra and come back to center.* Now move to the left and let yourself inhabit the position of the Goddess. The Goddess is a more sensual part of us, she embodies prajna wisdom, playfulness, a certain kind of faith that all is OK. Let yourself feel your inner goddess. What does it feel like in your body to embody faith, sensuality, playfulness, prajna wisdom? What feelings are you aware of? Are there fears or wants? If you could speak as the goddess, what would you say? Now let go of the goddess and come back to center.* Now reconnect with both Shariputra and the goddess. Let yourself feel both of these parts in your body at once. Notice what it is like to have them both present—not needing to choose a side or be one or the other, just allowing both energies. What do you notice?* Now let them both go. You might energetically step back, or imagine emptying out. Be a hollow bamboo tube or empty space. Nothing you need to do, just rest in the after glow of the journey. Notice what you see from this perspective of being no one in particular.Take a moment to notice your breath, move your body, shake out or stretch and come back to the felt sense of your body right here and now. Ground in your senses. Thanks for trying on this practice! You might take a moment to journal about anything you noticed or simply feel what it feels like in your body now.In koan work as well as working with personal material, there are always layers to the exploration. We meet or become aware of what perspectives feel more familiar and which ones we are more averse to, afraid of or resistant to feeling. This is a training in holding views lightly and seeing into the nature of perspective/part. Sometimes in describing koan work teachers talk about “the third thing”, not either A or B, but C.This movement between being fully A, fully B, both and neither allows new perspectives to emerge. It allows us to move more freely though the spectrum of being and to appreciate the flexibility of our open hearts. When I do IFS with clients, we often discover that the parts of us that seem polarized, often want the same thing for us—they just have really different strategies or beliefs about how to get it. To see this, often awakens openness + compassion—a third thing—which allows for transformation and healing.This practice is practical and mysterious—its an invitation to play in the mystery of being and to stay open to the possibility that exists within apparent polarities.I’m Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha.I currently have a few openings in my Spiritual Counseling practice for the Fall. I offer a four-session intro package for $250.Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. This is where the Summer Read is happening if you want to join the discussion and practice live. Schedule here.Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

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• Heart Mirror Gazing

  Greetings Friends,I have a deep love and appreciation for the wonderment and creativity of this life. It’s un-pin-down-able, slippery, un-define-able—like a water color painting that continuously repaints itself.One story from the Zen tradition that has always helped me stay awake to amazement and in courtship with the great mystery is the Zen Mirror of Tokeiji.A partial-telling of which can be found in Case 34 of the Hidden Lamp.The convent of Tokeiji had a great mirror. The founding abbess, Kakuzan Shido, would meditate before it in order to “see into her own nature.” Later generations of nuns would practice zazen in front of the mirror, concentrating on the question: “Where is a single feeling, a single thought, in the mirror image at which I gaze?” Each abbess of Tokeiji wrote a verse in response to the mirror practice. The following verse was composed by the fifth abbess Princess Yodo:Heart unclouded, heart clouded;standing or falling, it is still the same body.When I was first introduced to this story it was during a silent meditation retreat, and we were invited to sit as this great mirror in the mirror hall. The invitation to be a mirror was a powerful pointing out instruction for me.In the invitation to be a mirror, I glimpsed the mirror-like-nature of Mind.The aspect of Being that is clear, open and all-inclusive.The reflections of mind, body and heart danced inside this mirror together with the reflections of other bodies, the floorboards and the sound of the birds. The Heart-Mirror didn’t have preference for any of it, allowing pain to co-mingle with ecstasy, judgment to merge with the electrical hum and blowing wind. I was all of it— nothing left out.In a strange unfolding of circumstances I inherited an old mirror from one of the deceased residents at the assisted-living facility I was working at while still in training at Great Vow. I started practicing mirror-gazing in my small dorm room, the old mirror propped up against my cubicle-board wall. Since inheriting that old mirror the practice of mirror gazing has continued to evolve in my life, practice and teaching. In 2020 Jogen Sensei and I led a sesshin where we took up the Mirror practice of Tokeiji—encouraging participants to gaze at their own face in the round mirrors we taped to the backs of chairs. The practice of mirror-gazing is much like the practice of zazen, in that it opens as we stay with it. Although often non-linear many people find in both seated meditation and in mirror-gazing that they move through various stages in the practice.Below is a sampling of some of the phases of practice people often move through in both mirror-gazing and seated meditation. In both practices we endeavor to stay in present moment experience, in mirror-gazing we take the mirror as our support for meditation, in zazen the support may be breath, sound, the felt sense of the body or some other aspect of the present moment.* Meeting mind’s reactivity—we start to see all the ways the mind doesn’t want to stay, it flits here and there, gets caught in circles of judgment, resistance, planning. In mirror gazing we may meet the harsh critics who want to pick apart our faces.* Settling—if we stay with the practice, continuing to come back to just seeing. We may start to experience our bodies and faces more like the mirror does— without reactivity or judgment simply seeing the color, textures, shapes of what is in front of it. We may even experience compassion, love, tenderness or simply equanimity for this face that looks back at us. This also happens in zazen, where peace and acceptance opens up for whatever experience we are having.* Inquiry—As the thinking mind settles and space opens up curiosity can be engaged with. The women of Tokeiji practiced with the breakthrough koan: Where is there a single feeling, a single thought in this mirror image which I gaze? Is this reflection thinking? Does this reflection have feelings? Where are the thoughts that you are aware of? The feelings? Are they too reflections in this great mirror of awareness?* Mirror Awareness—whether mirror gazing or practicing zazen sometimes we wake-up to the mirror-like quality of awareness itself. In mirror-gazing it can happen when we notice the clarity and spaciousness of the mirror itself. Our Mind’s are like this clear and open mirror.Every woman who came to train at Tokeiji practiced mirror gazing, and would write a poem expressing the insights that came through from engaging with this practice. The poems of the women who became abbess became part of an emerging koan curriculum unique to this temple.Below are three poems from the Abbesses. The nuns living at Tokeiji would meditate on their poems and then would be asked to demonstrate their understanding without using words, but through their bodies.The poem of the sixth teacher, Ninbo:Even without any mirror to reflect the things,Every time one looks, there is a mirror reflecting them in theHeart.The poem of the third teacher, ShotakuAs night falls, no more reflections in the mirror,Yet in this heart they are clearly seen.Poem of the seventh teacher RyodoIf one asks where the reflections in the pure mirror go whenthey vanish,Do you declare their hiding-place?Listen to the Dharma Talk for a more in-depth exploration of this story. I share some reflections from the commentary in the Hidden Lamp, by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel and also some from Ruth Ozeki’s book The Face: A Time-Code.If you take up the practice of mirror-gazing or sitting as a mirror, I would love to hear your reflections or feel free to share your own mirror-poem.I’m Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha.Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. This is where the Summer Read is happening if you want to join the discussion and practice live. Schedule here.This coming week we will be exploring case 25 & case 33 (Nyozen’s Pale Moon of Dawn and Bodhidharma’s flesh)Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

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• Transmissions from the Crescent Moon

  Hello Good Friends,It’s late summer and I can feel the seasonal shift. Here in the northern states the Earth is darkening earlier and staying dark later, its cooler too. The humidity has dropped and the insects have grown quieter in my central ohio village. The tomatoes, peaches, corn, and zucchini are in abundance, the pawpaws are ripening and chicken-of-the-woods are blazing orange on fallen logs. We even found some huitlacoche! What seasonal shifts are happening where you are?What are you harvesting?Part of what I appreciate about the hellenistic and modern astrological systems is that they are tuned into these subtle seasonal shifts that happen monthly. As they track the apparent movement of the Sun as seen from Earth.As earth-dwellers our lives are dependent on the Sun, and as the Sun appears to move through the sky—changing its range throughout the year (at least for those of us who live at a distance from the equator). We feel it, the plants and animals feel it. Even as our modern lives tick-on—we experience the seasons in quite significant ways.The change from summer to late summer is one I have always felt the strongest. The long days, hot sun, increased opportunities for connection, travel and creative expression which in the heart of summer feel like they will never end (oh the magical thinking, generosity and wonders of fixed fire, leo). Finally give way to the grace of the setting sun, lingering shadows, ripening fruits and dryer days of late summer, with its back-to-school reminders (that I feel even though its been almost twenty years since I personally followed the academic rhythms).I find my inner hermit tugging at the heart—inviting me to conserve, prioritize, remember what is essential. Though the light of the sun is falling lower on the horizon, the light of the heart is awake. This is the time of year assigned to virgo, mutable earth, the virgin, the hermit, the cultivator, the servant, the healer, the practical witch.A body exposed to the golden wind! —Zen Teacher Yunmen.Do you feel the seasons shift in your body too?My local sangha, Mud Lotus, invited virgo season in with a vocal toning practice this past Friday on the new moon. Vocal toning is a practice of letting voice, body, breath and awareness join together with the soundscape of other voices, bodies and breath. Folks who participated shared about the seeming magic of releasing their bodies and minds to sound and were surprised at the soundscapes that emerged with rich and layered emotional textures, as our bodies released, opened, shuttered and at times felt stuck. Others noted how their thoughts asked: how does my voice fit here? before releasing into the collective breath where each tone, each voice, each body, each block has a place.The practice of toning has always been a part of my spiritual practice, and it feels good to be continuing that practice with local community here.Our Monday night online sangha is continuing with the Summer Read of The Hidden Lamp, as we move into this late summer time.This week as the dark moon started to reveal her growing crescent light. We read Nyozen’s Pale Moon of Dawn.The nun Nyozen of Tokeiji used to meditate on the enlightenment poem of Chiyono as her theme for realization:With this and that I tried to keep the bucket together,And then the bottom fell out.Where water does not collectThe moon does not dwell.Later, Nyozen grasped the essence of Zen, and she presented this poem to her teacher:The bottom fell out of the bucketOf that woman of humble birthThe pale moon of dawnIs caught in the rain puddles.While the full moon in Zen is an image of our true nature. We asked, what about the dark moon? Which often represents—endings and new beginnings—the unknown, the mystery of death and birth.How do we stay connected to the moon when we can not see them?How do we stay connected to the path of awakening when it seems to be happening in the dark of our unconscious, when it seems like we aren’t making any progress, when we don’t know what is going on?The poems are written by two women who have never met. Nyozen meditated on Chiyono’s poem as a koan. This is part of the mystery of transmission in the Zen tradition. We hear the words and stories of our ancestors, and at times we feel invited, called to spend time with a line, a story, a poem—and as we do—the line, story or poem begins working on us.We internalize it. We start to embody it as a living question, a living teaching. Much of this work happens in the dark. We seem to forget about it. We lose some of the words. But slowly over time or sometimes all at once—something is revealed. We know something about who we are, what is reliable, what is present even as the seasons pass and we get older.Crescent Moon TransmissionCrescent Moon hanging lowOn the horizonAn ancient hornPlaying through our bodiesFor a momentJoin your voice withThe moon’s songAnd hear each being sing you awake!Listen to the dharma talk recording for a more in-depth exploration of Nyozen’s Pale Moon of Dawn. And join us on Monday Night for the next case in the Hidden Lamp, Case 34: The Zen Mirror of Tokeiji with commentary from Zenju Earthlyn Manuel. I invite you to spend some time with the moon or one of these poems. Feel free to share your own Moon Transmissions or reflections here.I’m Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions using IFS and Hakomi (somatic mindfulness). I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha.Interested in an astrology reading for eclipse season? or for the rest of the year? I have openings for Sept and into the Fall.Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. This is where the Summer Read is happening if you want to join the discussion and practice live. Schedule here.This coming week we will be exploring case 25 & case 33 (Nyozen’s Pale Moon of Dawn and Bodhidharma’s flesh)Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaWeekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayRetreats, Meditation instruction and other events can be found on our website. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe

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