Upaya Zen Center's Dharma Podcast

Natalie Goldberg & Sean Murphy: Zen and the Art of Art

Joshin Brian Byrnes: Four Foundations of Mindfulness III

Stephen Batchelor & Joan Halifax: The Fourth Noble Task: Acting — Final Q & A (Being Completely Human Part 11b, last part)

Stephen Batchelor & Joan Halifax: The Fourth Noble Task: Acting (Being Completely Human Part 11a)

Stephen Batchelor & Joan Halifax: Q & A (Being Completely Human Part 10)

Stephen Batchelor & Joan Halifax: The Third Great Vow (Being Completely Human Part 9)

Episode Description: In this talk Joshin explores the importance and history of spiritual friendship in Buddhism. Joshin also describes the qualities which constitute such a friendship as taught by a number of eminent ancestors. Although a solitary practice at times, Zen is really all about relationships. Notably those relationships where a deep trust is developed through intimate sharing. Relationships with people that see your treasures, but are willing to point out your faults. Relationships characterized by profound generosity and sharing of wisdom. Relationships such as that of the cypress and the pine tree. Bio: Joshin Brian Byrnes is a Dharma Holder and student of Roshi Joan Halifax, having received Hoshi from her in 2014. He is a Zen priest and currently serves as Upaya's President and point person for the Upaya's residency program. He is also the director of Upaya's Chaplaincy program and is a core faculty member with a focus on systems theory. Joshin has a long background working in social service nonprofits and community philanthropy. He worked in the AIDS epidemic throughout the 1990s and since 2003 has led a variety of community foundations focused on social change and community leadership. His academic background includes undergraduate and graduate work in philosophy at St. Meinrad College and Archabbey, theology at the Aquinas Institute at St. Louis University while he was a member of the Dominican Order, and then early music performance at New England Conservatory of Music, and doctoral work in medieval musicology at New York University. He is ever interested in finding ways of life that are both deeply contemplative and fully engaged with the world.

Episode Description: In this, his debut dharma talk as a Sensei, Shinzan addresses the questions: "what is the meaning of practice? What is the meaning of path?" He approaches answering these questions from the very personal perspective of his own life. Offering the story of how he happened upon Zen. How he came to practice with Samu Sunim in Toronto. How he first met Roshi Joan and subsequently decided to come to Upaya. This talk is full of many beautiful gems of insight and wisdom that he picked up along the way. While on one hand Shinzan's journey is "nothing special," on the other it is truly remarkable and definitely inspirational. Bio: Sensei Shinzan Yoko Palma was born in Veracruz, Mexico. He has been practicing Zen since 1996. He met his former teacher, Korean Master Samu Sunim, in Mexico City and trained under his guidance for 8 years. He did a residential training for 4 years at the Zen Buddhist Temple in Toronto, Canada and was ordained as a novice priest by Samu Sunim in 2004. After leaving Canada, he was invited by Roshi Joan Halifax to come to Upaya in 2006. Shinzan asked Roshi to be her student and he was re-ordained as a Priest in 2007. Since then, he has been at Upaya practicing with the community. He is now Head Priest and Temple Coordinator, giving guidance to the residents on Zen training. He received dharma transmission in January, 2015. He has a sincere and strong heart committed to the Dharma.

Episode Description: Sensei Irene and Shinzan continue their discussion of foundational Zen texts during the Winter Practice Period by turning their attention to Dogen's "Genjokoan." The title Genjokoan is commonly translated as "Actualizing the Fundamental Point," "Actualization of Reality," or "The Issue at Hand." Sensei Irene suggests that one can look at reality from three different perspectives: from the relative, from the absolute and from the buddha way. The buddha way is the perspective which transcends perspectives, transcends being and non-being. Shinzan believes that we must live this life from our buddha nature and that zazen is an expression of that nature. Dogen frequently talks about our basic goodness and that we need to understand that nothing is wrong with us. Nothing is lacking. Bio: Irène Kaigetsu Kyojo Bakker is a certified zen teacher from the Netherlands, a Zen priest and Dharma successor of Joan Jiko Halifax Roshi. She has been a student of Zen in the White Plum Sangha tradition since the mid-80s. Irène Sensei first met Roshi Joan Halifax in Auschwitz in 1996 and they had a strong connection. Irène Sensei then became involved in Upaya's Zen training and Being with Dying training. In 2004, Roshi Joan asked her to continue her training on death and dying in Europe. Every summer, Sensei assisted teaching at Upaya Zen Center. In Holland Sensei serves as teacher for Zen Spirit, which she founded in 2004. As family and systems therapist, she works with people with cancer, end of life care, in psychiatry, and private therapy practice. As a mindfulness trainer she teaches future MBSR trainers at the College / School for Social Work in Utrecht, Netherlands. Shinzan Palma was born in Veracruz, Mexico. He has been practicing Zen since 1996. He met his former teacher, Korean Master Samu Sunim, in Mexico City and trained under his guidance for 8 years. He did a residential training for 4 years at the Zen Buddhist Temple in Toronto, Canada and was ordained as a novice priest by Samu Sunim in 2004. After leaving Canada, he was invited by Roshi Joan Halifax to come to Upaya in 2006. Shinzan asked Roshi to be her student and he was re-ordained as a Priest in 2007 by Roshi Joan Halifax. Since then, he has been at Upaya practicing with the community. He is now Head Priest and Temple Coordinator, giving guidance to the residents on Zen training. He became Dharma holder in March, 2010. He has a sincere and strong heart committed to the Dharma.

Episode Description: Sensei Irène reflects on the history and meaning of dharma transmission in anticipation of Shinzan Palma's upcoming transmission. Sensei describes a number of the ritualistic endeavors involved and explains that transmission is comprised of two parts: Denkai and Denbo. Continuing on she discusses the life of Maezumi Roshi and the establishment of the White Plum Asanga. Sensei also touches upon one of Maezumi Roshi's most well known sayings: "appreciate your life" and what does it really mean to "appreciate." Bio: Irène Kaigetsu Kyojo Bakker is a certified zen teacher from the Netherlands, a Zen priest and Dharma successor of Joan Jiko Halifax Roshi. She has been a student of Zen in the White Plum Sangha tradition since the mid-80s. Irène Sensei first met Roshi Joan Halifax in Auschwitz in 1996 and they had a strong connection. Irène Sensei then became involved in Upaya's Zen training and Being with Dying training. In 2004, Roshi Joan asked her to continue her training on death and dying in Europe. Every summer, Sensei assisted teaching at Upaya Zen Center. In Holland Sensei serves as teacher for Zen Spirit, which she founded in 2004. As family and systems therapist, she works with people with cancer, end of life care, in psychiatry, and private therapy practice. As a mindfulness trainer she teaches future MBSR trainers at the College / School for Social Work in Utrecht, Netherlands.

Episode Description: Sensei Irène and (soon to be Sensei) Shinzan share their interpretation and thoughts on Hakuin Zenji's "Song of Zazen." Sensei Irène opens by offering a brief biography of Hakuin. Then she and Shinzan delve into Hakuin's well known, classic Zen poem. Noting the similarity between "Song of Zen" and Dogen's "Fukanzazengi", Shinzan believes that "they are the same teaching with different expression, getting into the core." One such similarity pointed out by both works is that intrinsically all beings, by nature, are buddha and are awakened. Hakuin says: "just as ice, by nature, is water." Sensei and Shinzan continue their exploration stressing Hakuin's assertion that "Nirvana is right here, right now, before our eyes. This very body the body of buddha." One should ask themselves: "What is there we lack?" Bio: Irène Kaigetsu Kyojo Bakker is a certified zen teacher from the Netherlands, a Zen priest and Dharma successor of Joan Jiko Halifax Roshi. She has been a student of Zen in the White Plum Sangha tradition since the mid-80s. Irène Sensei first met Roshi Joan Halifax in Auschwitz in 1996 and they had a strong connection. Irène Sensei then became involved in Upaya's Zen training and Being with Dying training. In 2004, Roshi Joan asked her to continue her training on death and dying in Europe. Every summer, Sensei assisted teaching at Upaya Zen Center. In Holland Sensei serves as teacher for Zen Spirit, which she founded in 2004. As family and systems therapist, she works with people with cancer, end of life care, in psychiatry, and private therapy practice. As a mindfulness trainer she teaches future MBSR trainers at the College / School for Social Work in Utrecht, Netherlands. Shinzan Palma was born in Veracruz, Mexico. He has been practicing Zen since 1996. He met his former teacher, Korean Master Samu Sunim, in Mexico City and trained under his guidance for 8 years. He did a residential training for 4 years at the Zen Buddhist Temple in Toronto, Canada and was ordained as a novice priest by Samu Sunim in 2004. After leaving Canada, he was invited by Roshi Joan Halifax to come to Upaya in 2006. Shinzan asked Roshi to be her student and he was re-ordained as a Priest in 2007 by Roshi Joan Halifax. Since then, he has been at Upaya practicing with the community. He is now Head Priest and Temple Coordinator, giving guidance to the residents on Zen training. He became Dharma holder in March, 2010. He has a sincere and strong heart committed to the Dharma.

Episode Description: Shinzan offers the first Dharma Talk of 2015 by sharing his and some of the buddha ancestors' wisdom about Ango. Ango means "peaceful dwelling" and describes an intensive period of practice having it's origins in the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. During practice period we create a container as has been created by numerous people throughout the history of Buddhism. Dogen Zenji calls it "to meet the ancestors." Ango is a time for us to sit, walk, work, eat and rest together. The only thing we must do is to follow the schedule and be in the moment with one's body, mind and breath. Bio: Shinzan Palma was born in Veracruz, Mexico. He has been practicing Zen since 1996. He met his former teacher, Korean Master Samu Sunim, in Mexico City and trained under his guidance for 8 years. He did a residential training for 4 years at the Zen Buddhist Temple in Toronto, Canada and was ordained as a novice priest by Samu Sunim in 2004. After leaving Canada, he was invited by Roshi Joan Halifax to come to Upaya in 2006. Shinzan asked Roshi to be her student and he was re-ordained as a Priest in 2007 by Roshi Joan Halifax. Since then, he has been at Upaya practicing with the community. He is now Head Priest and Temple Coordinator, giving guidance to the residents on Zen training. He became Dharma holder in March, 2010. He has a sincere and strong heart committed to the Dharma.

Episode Description: This Christmas Eve talk by Maia revolves around the question: "How do we let go of our attachment to outcome yet stay engaged?" Which can also be asked: "How do we stay engaged yet learn to let go?" Maia frames these questions as a koan to be worked with in our practice and lives. She explores a number of ways one might approach this koan. Her favorite of which is expressed by a line from the Song of the Jewel Mirror Samadhi. "Turning away and touching are both wrong, for it is like a massive fire." Bio: Maia was the director of Upaya's Buddhist Chaplaincy Training Program from its inception in 2008 until 2014. Maia is an anthropologist, writer, and editor. In 2012, she received lay ordination from Roshi Joan Halifax as a lay Buddhist chaplain. She is also a student in the Soto Zen lineage of Suzuki Roshi, and has lived and practiced at the San Francisco Zen Center, where she received jukai from Victoria Shosan Austin in 2008. From 2004-2008, Maia worked at the Buddhist Peace Fellowship where she served as executive director and editor of Turning Wheel magazine. From 2002-2004, Maia was the research director of the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society, in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she led a study on the use of meditation and other contemplative practices in secular settings. She is the author of a number of articles on this topic, including "The Contemplative Organization," published in the Journal of Organizational Change Management. Maia's writing can be found on her blog, The Liberated Life Project. She is also the author of a blog on socially engaged Buddhism called The Jizo Chronicles.

Episode Description: Fresh from working with Latin American immigrants in dire circumstances in Arizona, Upaya's Shinzan Palma speaks movingly (and movedly) about bringing our practice to the front lines -- bringing the front lines to our practice. The plain though subtle fact is, our acts and being echo "throughout space and time." The light left on, the Amazon click... let us not be fooled by the first impression that Mexicans in detention centers, or Guatemalans riding through Mexico on the roof of a train, are situations basically distant from such choices. Always we will find, if we ask, that we have a place in the mandala, form a link in the chain. By forgetting this intimacy, we have let prisons and detention centers become society's shadow: where we put things we don't want to look at. Bio: Shinzan Palma was born in Veracruz, Mexico. He has been practicing Zen since 1996. He met his former teacher, Korean Master Samu Sunim, in Mexico City and trained under his guidance for 8 years. He did a residential training for 4 years at the Zen Buddhist Temple in Toronto, Canada and was ordained as a novice priest by Samu Sunim in 2004. After leaving Canada, he was invited by Roshi Joan Halifax to come to Upaya in 2006. Shinzan asked Roshi to be her student and he was re-ordained as a Priest in 2007 by Roshi Joan Halifax. Since then, he has been at Upaya practicing with the community. He is now Head Priest and Temple Coordinator, giving guidance to the residents on Zen training. He became Dharma holder in March, 2010. He has a sincere and strong heart committed to the Dharma.

Episode Description: Sensei Kaz makes a quietly impassioned case that peacemaking is much more in our immediate power than we might imagine. He invoices some of the U.S.'s enlightened exports -- national park system, human rights treaties, civil rights and feminist movements -- as well as its problems and unenlightened exports -- the people's will overwhelmed by the power of money; the arms trade (the U.S. is the largest arms seller by far). He offers the enlightened developments (all within 70 years or so!) as evidence of the flexibility of our society: any situation can change. And lack of expertise is no bar to action: just find an expert, s/he's probably starved for someone with a will to learn and act. Keizan's "Transmission of the Lamp," with its direct, generous teaching, comes at the end of all the "steep" koans in certain koan curricula: a rest in its beautiful waters. In a kindred spirit of peaceful clarity, for her closing talk Enkyo Roshi watercolors Case 10 from "Transmission" (about the night Buddha awoke). She speaks of the limpid splendor when Gautama saw the morning star (or did it see him...?), saw the reality of himself, and could do anything -- could stop the violence in the world. She also speaks of the nearness of this nondual realm, most beautifully embodied in a long life of efforts and mistakes (e.g. Shakyamuni's). For Teacher BIOs, please visit Part 1. To access the entire series, please click on the link below: Rohatsu Sesshin Series: All 6 Parts