Self-effacement

Often one comes across lines of poetry and thought that express self-effacement. Self-effacement is simply the process of making oneself less conspicuous to the...

Ten practices

The Zen master Soyan Shaku (mentioned a few entries ago), recommended ten practices applicable to everyone. Upon awakening, quit your bed at once, like discardi...

Living water

The universality of religion is not in the various theologies but in the archetypes. To cling to a theology and not go beyond the human dogmas and representatio...

Heart and eyes

Soyen Shaku (1859-1919) was an influencial Zen teacher who ended his career supporting Japanese imperialism as an extention of his unfortunate nationalist belie...