Fall Practice Period 2023: Sesshin Day 5 Dharma Talk With Monshin Nannette Overley & Shinzan Palma

Summary: In this dharma talk, Sensei Monshin and Sensei Shinzan explore the theme of trust. Monshin reflects on the nature of trust, comparing it to the unhesitant movement of fish swimming in schools. Monshin reads a poem by zen master Dogen, “Given to a Zen person,” emphasizing the clarity and ease that arise from practicing zazen. Monshin shares personal insights on trust, highlighting the importance of letting go and embracing the present moment. The discussion touches on faith, doubt, and the stages of trust in the path of practice. Sensei Shinzan shares his first experience with the famous lines by Dogen “To study the way is to study the self…” and expresses how that quote, before he knew who wrote it, gave him a lot of faith in the dharma. Shinzan concludes with reflections on the impermanence of life and the timeless nature of the present moment, encapsulated in the phrase “from birth till death just this.”<br> Day 4 dharma talk by Kathie Fischer was published on October 30, 2023 as <a href="https://www.upaya.org/2023/10/fischer-fish-enters-flowing-stream-everything-provided/">episode #2147 titled: When a fish enters the flowing stream, everything is provided</a>.<br> <br>