And Back To One
Greetings from Spring Green!
This week, about 15 of us are in Wisconsin attending summer sesshin, seven days of intensive Zen training. We spend many hours doing zazen.
At the start of the week my mind sounds something like this: Check your posture. Breathe into hara. Count the breaths, onnnnnnnnnneeeee…twoooooooo. Sit up straighter. I wonder how my mom is doing? Relax the shoulders. Ouch, my right leg is falling asleep, if I just move it a t-i-n-y little bit, will the jiki yell, “Don’t move!”?
We’ve all been there – meditating while a thundering herd of thoughts runs through our minds.
Of all the guidelines I use during zazen, the one I use most regularly is counting my exhalations and, when I lose count, coming back to one.
It’s reassuring: I lose count, I catch myself, and I can always start again with sincere effort.
“Back to one” is especially resonant right now. As you may have heard, IZL’s sister organization the International Zen Dojo of Wisconsin has purchased an old mission church near downtown Madison. Our new Madison dojo needs a lot of TLC. Every time we start one project, we discover another. “And back to one,” I remind myself.
If you can, please add your sincere effort to help the Madison dojo reach its “$20K in 20 days” goal and check out the revamped website, thanks to Anita Taylor.
PS The Higgs boson, or “God particle,” is considered the building block of the universe and lasts only a millionth of a millionth of a millionth of a millionth of a second—taking tiny ferociously fast loops into and out of existence—so that the universe is continuously being reborn. Read more about “going back to one” in this context in this article from the winter solstice edition of Tricycle magazine: https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/winter-solstice-buddhism/
Zen Leader 3 – weekend workshop
Begins January 21, 1:00 pmEnds January 24, 12:00 pmOnline – US Central Time Zone
This final program in the Zen Leadership trilogy completes your journey through the “flips” of The Zen Leader, equipping you with skills and practices by which you can sense the whole picture, seize opportunities and transform visions into value.
HEAL 3 – weekend workshop
Begins January 21, 7:00 pmEnds January 24, 12:00 pmOnline – US Central Time Zone
The final course in the HEAL Series equips you with the physical condition to face challenging situations with resilience, joy and a sense of abundance. You’ll deepen your resourcefulness for realizing desired shifts in your practice, clinic, or system. We’ll guide you in taking on a transformation project of your choice, where you apply all the “flips” and practices you’ve learned with support from instructors and peer coaches.
HEAL 1 – weekend workshop
Begins March 4, 7:00 pmEnds March 7, 12:00 pmOnline – US Central Time Zone
Awaken the Zen Leader In You. Your leadership will never be the same.
Zen Leader 1 – weekend workshop
Begins March 4, 7:00 pmEnds March 7, 12:00 pmOnline – US Central Time Zone
Awaken the Zen Leader In You. Your leadership will never be the same.
Spring FEBI Certification
Begins March 9, 10:00 amEnds April 20, 11:30 amOnline – US Eastern Time Zone
Learn the FEBI inside and out.
HEAL 2 – weekend workshop
Begins April 22, 7:00 pmEnds April 25, 12:00 pmOnline – US Central Time Zone
HEAL 2 is where we work at removing fear, first in ourselves and then helping others. We’ll trace the roots of fear and share several ways to overcome it, along with skills to resolve conflict, empower others and deepen relationships.
Zen Leader 2
Begins April 22, 7:00 pmEnds April 25, 12:00 pmOnline – Central Time Zone
Take the next step towards unleashing your capacity to lead from your whole self.
Summer FEBI Certification
Begins May 18, 10:00 amEnds June 29, 11:30 amOnline – US Central Time Zone
Learn the FEBI inside and out.
Fall FEBI Certification
Begins September 14, 10:00 amEnds October 26, 11:30 amOnline – US Central Time Zone
Learn the FEBI inside and out.