South Mississippi Zen Sitting Group

05/31/2023

Sewanee Zen will hold our first sesshin (retreat) at our new location on the mountain, June 30-July 3. Sesshin will begin the evening of Friday June 30, followed by two full days on Saturday and Sunday, and concluding with an ordination ceremony and celebration on Sunday, July 3.

For details, please see the attached pdf.

Thanks,
Richard Collins
🙏🙏🙏

05/29/2023

In Buddhism, as in many other traditions, we often go into retreat. Being within the wheel of samsara and actively engaged in the suffering of others, We Bodhisattvas can take on aspects of the suffering of the people we practice with. It is then we must fall back, to enter a retreat. Retreats allows The Bodhisattva to remove themselves from the barrage of samsara that shows up on their door.
Retreats can take many forms like silent, inner rushen, outer rushen, secret rushen, and a variety of other forms. These retreats can seem alien to non-practitioners, and they are generally alien to the normal flow of modern human culture. But the essence of retreat is to allow The Bodhisattva to get centered and grounded. Much of our practice is to listen to the suffering of others and to help them bear their burden. Sometimes we must step out of the stream of things.
When you see a Bodhisattva in retreat, it’s just a normal flow. Just like anyone else going through mental trauma or fatigue, you just must give that person some space. Trying to engage in conversation is often counterproductive—it is enough to simply be present. People with a lot of things going on in their minds are generally not in a place where talking is helpful. The physical body must be engaged with these times, and simple menial tasks are the best kind of practice—chop wood, carry water.

Your Mileage May vary,
Hobbie Koban Regan

From all kinds of flowers,
Seek teachings everywhere,
Like a deer that finds
A quiet place to graze,
Seek Seclusion to digest
All you have gathered. . . (https://www.azquotes.com/quote/841463)

Namkhai Norbu (https://www.azquotes.com/author/23679-Namkhai_Norbu)

Discover Namkhai Norbu famous and rare quotes. Share Namkhai Norbu quotations about conflict, suffering and duality. "Realization is not knowledge about the universe, but..."

05/17/2023

What does it mean to be ordained in our lineage. http://zenbakersfield.blogspot.com/p/ordination.html

Dedicated to Zen teaching and practice. The ZFB meets for zazen - the Zen form of meditation - weekly and holds periodic retreats and introductions.

05/04/2023

Budo is the way of the Warrior, and it includes all the Japanese martial arts. Budo is directly responsible for depending the existing relationship between ethics, religion and philosophy; ancient texts pertaining to Budo concern mental culture and its reflection upon the nature of ego. IN this way, the martial arts differ from the other sports.

In Japanese, ‘do’ signifies the Way.
How can the Way be practiced? How can it be realized?

The Way is not just a technique, it is even less a competitive sport. Budo includes arts such as Kendo, Judo, Aikido and Kyudo. (archery)

The Kanji ‘Bu’ signifies to cease, to stop stuffing. Budo is not a question of competition. ‘Do’ is the Way. The tea ceremony is also called Chado, the flower arrangement of Ikebana is called Kado. Calligraphy is Shodo, perfumes burning and sandalwood is Kodo.

Do is the Way. This means the method of the teaching of the self, of the ego, which means, in effect, to understand profoundly one’s one mind. Buddhism in Japanese is Butsudo, to harmonize with heaven and earth, and to have the inner mind completely free.

Buddhism is not a system like other “isms” but the Way of the Buddha” Butsudo, the Way to truly understand our own original nature, to awaken from our ego’s slumber, and to attain our highest and most total personality.

In Asia, the Way has become the most elevated morality and the essence of all religion and philosophy. For example, the yin and yang of the I Ching; the ‘U’ and ‘Mu”’ Lao Tseu’s ‘existence and nonexistence’. This means to forget one’s body and one’s personal mind: which is the absolute mind, the world of the non-ego. This also means to harmonize, to fuse heaven and earth, to follow the cosmic system.

The inner mind, which lets thoughts and emotions pass unobstructed, is free from its surroundings. This can mean the abandonment of the ego.

This is the source of Asia’s religions and philosophies. Buddy and min, interior and exterior, substance and phenomena: these pairs are neither opposed nor in duality, but are undivided unity, thus differing from the dualistic philosophies and theologies of Europe. Any change whatsoever influences all actions, all relationships between all existences. One person's dissatisfaction influences all other people. Our personal actions and those of others are in a relationship of interdependence.

Your happiness is my happiness and if you cry, then I will cry with you. When you are sad, I am also sad, I am also sad and when you are happy, I, too and happy.

Introduction
Zen & Budo
The way of the Warrior.
Roshi Taisen Deshimaru
Reiryu Phillipe Coupey

04/24/2023

Join the Abbot of the American Zen Association Richard Collins this June in Arizona for a retreat.

04/22/2023

When I practiced in New Orleans, we often cut some flowers from the neighborhood park, the temple gardens or someone else gifted. Feel free to carry on the tradition and bring your offering any Sunday.

04/15/2023

Replace judgment with compassion.

04/03/2023

I was driving home after zazen and passed a homeless guy walking down Hardy Street in Hattiesburg. I recognized him and turned around, pulled over and got his attention. Matt and I grew up together. We used to skate as kids in midtown, we worked out and competed together at 4th Street Gym. I sat down and asked him for his story. Matt's trauma started early. Mental illness runs in his family. The tornado a few years ago destroyed his family home he had a workers comp injury and things have spiraled in a downward direction ever since.
This week marked the 1 year anniversary of my full monk ordination in the Taisen Deshimaru lineage. Part of me was wondering what exactly I am supposed to be doing as a new monk, and the universe, the great void, whatever you choose to call it, delivered it right on time.
I'll be working to help my friend Matt and the others. If you want to contribute or be a part please reach out.
Daniel Wise
PS Anyone who wants to help him let me know and I’ll add you to a group chat.

02/26/2023

So, today I want to talk about demons (or yokai , in Japanese).  You might have heard me refer to the threshold to the dojo as the demon-tripper. This is a traditional way of describing the purpose of the raised piece of wood that separates the dojo from the rest of the temple. 

09/14/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T-Z1WoFXkk

This is a video explaining, how and why Zazen is good for nothing. The original of the video can be found here: https://vimeo.com/224988039 and it has burned...

09/13/2022

Join us every Sunday for meditation https://www.wdam.com/2022/09/11/meditation-impacts-mental-health/

Meditation impacts mental health

08/29/2022

People only keep themselves busy to avoid boredom.

Everybody complains that they’re so busy they haven’t got any time. But why are they so busy? It’s only their illusions that keep them busy.

A person who practices zazen has time. When you practice zazen, you have more time than anyone else in the world.

- Kodo Sawaki, To You

07/11/2022

Mondo from last weekend's sesshin from Sensei Richard Collins

OF GATELESS GATES AND WALLS. New blog is up on the website here: https://www.neworleanszentemple.org/

06/20/2022

"What manifests in this life is temporary, form out of emptiness, emptiness into form. And because it is temporary it is more sacred than the eternal." Richard Collins Roshi
https://www.neworleanszentemple.org/new-blog

05/13/2022

New Orleans people. https://events.scenethink.com/introduction-to-zen-may-22-2022?fbclid=IwAR1DxEvyq_ju7kochx6uKOeaai-MZyJHwyGkaVHVoiSJjD4zJxrXbPmyO9U

Change your mind. This brief introduction to Zen practice can transform your life by simply practicing self-discipline and paying attention.

04/21/2022

The latest mondo and blog post from Sensei Richard Collins https://www.neworleanszentemple.org/new-blog/no-self-portraiture

In zazen we are all n**e models for ourselves. Concentrate! Stretch the backbone. Head presses the sky. When we say “concentrate,” this has nothing to do with thinking. It is not like studying for an exam. It is more like making a fist, except that it is effortless. It is more like a yawn or a s

04/04/2022

Are you an overachiever? Are you due for an existential crisis? Are you suspicious of feel-good offers of enlightenment? If so, you might be ready to start Zen practice. Our next Introduction to Zen is Sunday, April 10. Message us for a registration link.