Norman Fischer is a well-known Zen teacher, lecturer, poet, and former abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center. In his latest book Sailing Home, he draws on Buddhist, Judaic, and Christian thought to reinterpret Odyssey’s familiar wanderings as lessons everyone can use. In this excerpt, he addresses ”leaving home” as a necessary part of returning home.
“Leaving home means [...]
leaving home
“zen teaches nothing”
In 2006 I travelled back and forth between Galiano Island and San Francisco, to learn about end-of-life care at the Metta Institute. From Day One we were told that the program—aimed at practitioners in hospice and palliative medicine—was not acquiring skills and techniques, but to undergo a transformative experience. ”Fine with me,” I thought, and then “How did I get [...]
what heart ache?
A new day, a new week, every moment a new breath–each ’a word from God.’ And each exhale a reminder of impermanence, of continuous change, of what Zorba (the Greek) calls the “whole catastrophe” of living a human life. Reminders also of suffering and woundedness, of pain near the surface and deep in the soul. And yet, and [...]
pssst, you there ~~~
The wind, one brilliant day, called
to my soul with an odor of jasmine.
“In return for the odor of my jasmine,
I’d like all the odor of your roses.”
“I have no roses; all the flowers
in my garden are dead.”
“Well then, I’ll take the withered petals
and the yellow leaves and the waters of the fountain.”
The wind left. And [...]
taking care of self and others … pretty much in that order
The following was written for the caregivers at the hospice where I work. You might find some of it applicable in your life. As always, feel free to send it to anyone you think might find it of benefit.
Caring for others is like passing around food at a harmonious gathering … spontaneously and generously. No-one thinks twice about giving [...]
onions older than g-d
Just back from leading a meditation retreat on a neighbouring island; such an honour to accompany others on their spiritual path. Half-way through the day we listened to a recorded dharma talk* by my teacher Chozen Bays Roshi. She mentioned Buddha Nature, that innate essence of our being which is pure and fully awake, which becomes obstructed [...]
a day without rumi …
the time has come
to break all my promises
tear apart all chains
and cast away all advice
disassemble the heavens
link by link
and break at once
all lovers’ ties
with the sword of death
put cotton inside
both my ears
and close them to
all words of wisdom
crash the door and
enter the chamber
where all sweet
things are hidden
how long can i
beg and bargain
for the things of [...]
love made visible
This morning, on my way to Rounds (where the medical-psycho-social-spiritual team reviews each patient’s chart each morning), someone pointed to the lounge area and asked whether I knew Paul. Well, I knew of him—his wife has been with us for a week and is very close to dying—but hadn’t spent time with him. What happened next turned into the most precious encounter two men [...]
this moment
Galiano Island: Spent most of the morning cleaning the small pond that sits between the house and the ocean view. It had become muddy and filled with algae. Water plants needed trimming and the overhanging California lilac had grown too thick for the light to come through. Now, with stored rainwater filling the basin and rays beaming past mogul pine and sage bushes, [...]
step by step
The Eightfold Path describes the way to the end of suffering, as it was laid out by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha). It is a practical guideline to ethical and mental development with the goal of freeing the individual from attachments and delusions; and it finally leads to understanding the truth about all things. Together with [...]
good old (stale) memories
What is it about grieving that it doesn’t seem to end? How come I remain stuck, continuing to feel—deep in my body—the ache of separation? How come I can’t let go—16 months to the day after the loss? How is it that, against all knowing-better, I continue to dream of being reunited with what’s no [...]
doing no harm
Non-violence is at the heart of Buddhist thinking and behaviour. The first of the five precepts that all Buddhists vow to follow is “Avoid harming any living thing.” Buddhism is essentially a peaceful tradition. Nothing in Buddhist scripture gives any support to the use of violence as a way to resolve conflict.
One of Buddha’s sermons [...]
speaking of listening …
Half-way through this morning’s shift, I felt restless and the Inner Critic wanted to know how I was being of service. In this I recognized two queries: the ego wanting to have its worth affirmed and another directing me to attend to the needs of others above my own.
“In any kind of care-giving, we discover—actually, are forced to [...]
live everything
Rainer Maria Rilke: “Have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. [...]
spiritual end-of-life care: a professional training program
Rigpa’s Spiritual Care Education Program, in partnership with Naropa University Center for Contemplative End of Life Care, presents a professional certificate program for healthcare professionals providing in-depth training in spiritually-grounded and compassionate approaches to the full spectrum of end of life care practice, and offering the opportunity to fully integrate spirituality and caregiving.
The program is [...]
