11
May
Is it safe to wear glasses ["lentilles" in the original in French] during zazen?Thank you very much for all your teachings!
23
Nov
A similar state of mind in the north of France?
I noticed that very often the answer to a question via the Master brings us back to even make the sorting out in us. Especially when it comes to collect an opinion or to decide on an orientation... Besides, it is often with a shift compared to the question!! to make us think by ourselves? I am charmed to find this state of mind in your sangha on...
15
Sep
Practitioner
Is ishirio the essence of zen?
Can ishirio be practiced in another posture than zazen?
19
Nov
Why don't you carry the rakusu...?
Why don't you carry the rakusu or kesa (for those who have one) during the first zazen of each morning when in sesshin. Is it to avoid too much attachment to the kesa?
17
Nov
To release the thoughts = to hold the posture?
To release the thoughts = to hold the posture?
01
Apr
About reiki
Hello Stephane, My question is about reiki. It was done to me, then I discussed with the person who had applied it to me. She said to me, about the initiation into the first or second degree, that it was a setting in touch with my guardian angel, "the ascended Masters and beings of light". That made me perplexed; I was told that you had had an ...
01
Mar
Questions to Master Kosen
What's the point of this online Mondo, if Master Kosen never cares to answer?
07
Mar
London
Hi there, bonjour...
I practise my sitting twice/thrice a day.Love the sit. Best thing in my life. Go to a small group once a week too, part of white plum org. No probs with that. was wondering though if you guys were ever considering setting up a branch of your sangha in London?
23
Jul
The hands during zazen
Hello, i have a problem with my hands. They dont stay still, and fingers and thumbs move, plus i feel kind of pain (like when you hold your arm up in the air for some time), in both my hands and arms. these are my problems, they dont happen all at once but they happen in general, so all in all i cant remain still. It is not fidgeting, they move ...
09
Dec
Who is there beyond Zen?
Hello Master Kosen, Who is there beyond Zen?
21
May
maily magdalena madera rafo
Last night, for the first time, I've practiced zazen at home. I succeeded in relaxing and I felt rather calm. After a while, I went to bed and I had the worst nightmare in my whole life. I dreamt I was lost in a very white and beautiful place that I didn't know. Despite of the beauty of the place, I felt in danger. ...
23
Jul
Burned out
I started practicing Buddhism more than ten years ago, I did retreats, etc., but my life is just as miserable as before, or even more. I have lost my faith in chanting mantras or sitting because it had not made me any happier or wiser. I feel old and kind of burned out, I do not feel the slightest inspiration to sit zazen, chant mantras or ...
09
Sep
Tobacco addiction
I do not practice Zen, though in my way, I'm one of your disciples.I feed much on information gathered on the Internet and I've attended various indigenous spiritual practices (I live in Colombia). I've stopped smoking for two months, about one year ago. I then understood how important self-control was and realized its ...
19
Nov
About the name which the Master gives us.
Hello Master Kosen. Here still a question which you will answer, I hope. About the name which the Master gives us during the ordination of Bodhissatva. Perhaps, it is wrong of me to be attached to it but I like it and it acts like a koan to be meditated since you gave it to me. Does one have to be attaches to it? To make use of it? ...
01
Apr
Do you think that Zen makes man better ?
Do you think that Zen makes man better ?( without considering bad or evil).
13
Aug
Vehicle
The will to find my spirit has occured after an experience related to death.Master, though it may seem like looking for a product in a supermarket, which vehicle leads to the true mind? Alls schools of Buddhism are very precious to me. . . But I would like to follow one way only and at this point, I have doubts.I've read that from the ...
01
Apr
How do we abandon the ego?
How do we abandon the ego?Francis Lui
10
May
"Here and now."
In Zen, it is often heard to return to the "here and now". I perceive "now" like the timless interval between two seized thoughts. The thoughts which emerge we have to only let them pass. The is spirit stripped?I have more problems with the "HERE", although it must be rewarding to be concentrated in the body, with the buttocks on the zafu. It ...
01
Apr
Do you believe that using hallucinogens is a valid path to spiritual enlightenment?
Hello, and thank you for this great opportunity. My name is John Paul Gamiere, and I am an aspiring Anthropologist. My main intrests lie in Ethnobotany, Shamanism, Ethnomusicology, and Altered States of Consciousness. My question to you concerns the use of hallucinogenic drugs by Shamans. After researching shamanic journeys, I have found many ...
09
May
Death
I lost my father when I was two years old and a few years ago, I've been close to death and lost my elder brother in the event. This awakened in me a rampant fear, fear of being ill, of dying, of loneliness and of ceasing to exist. Since that day, all these fears disturb me and impact my life. The fact of losing brings me a great suffering and ...
01
Apr
I would like to know what is action for zen ?
Good morning! I am not especially interested by money or power on the other people; I have no political vocation - anyway, money is in process to win; I know that I will die one day - tomorrow or later, and I try to love the ones I love without succeeding in it the way I would like to (well, a bit like everybody I guess). If I tell you all that,...
01
Jul
About willpower
Greetings,
I'll be very greatful if you will find some time for my question. I understand that buddhism (or practice buddhist teaching) is the way to find answer for all my questions. But I have realy lack of willpower. I have read lot of books about buddhism and I also found our local zen sangha, where I can practicing. But everytime when I ...
24
Nov
The adjective formed with this noun is proud.
You are right the ego is a noun, on the other hand pride is not an adjective, it is a common noun.The adjective formed with this noun is proud. But if I understood the thread of your thought well, you wanted to say that pride is a direct consequence of the ego. However, I believe that you wrote that in all knowledge of cause in order to make us ...
26
Oct
Did it ever happen to you to have made a question to your Master?
Did it ever happen to you to have made a question to your Master, Master Deshimaru, which make him angry or to which he wanted to give you no ther answer but silence? If so, which one?Thank you
01
Apr
What importance does Zen give to the writings of Tipitaka ?
What importance does Zen give to the writings of Tipitaka ?
22
Nov
Difference between ego and pride.
Can tell me the difference between the ego and being pride and what is the ego and why is it so hard to get rid of it.Thank you.
23
Dec
Discuss together.
Dear Stephan,I’ve read the various confrontations between Roland and you, and it makes me really happy that you can discuss together, as you had answered it to me. You are very different, but I do not cease being persuaded that you received the same marrow, and that you both try to retransmit it as well as possible, each one his way. I do not ...
14
Jun
Enjoying zazen
Since a few months ago, I keep on practicing zazen almost in spite of me, but I do not feel any longer the stamina and the eagerness that fear of impermancence used to give me. On the other hand, I've quite understood that one should not expect anything from practising, except maybe the satisfaction of knowing that one doesn't have ...
14
Jul
Feelings
Dear Kosen, I'm from Brazil! That does not prevent me from loving you! Yes, this is strange! I'm male and I can asure you: heterosexual! This love has not to do with sex. . . just to make things clear!But when I watch your videos. . . see your smile and the beauty of your words. . . I can't avoid this feeling of love. . . maybe ...
01
May
Karma
We produce karma through our actions and thoughts and our life is influenced by previous karmas: this I can understand. But I feel it is a universal karma, I do not see the individual aspect of a karma which would be personally transmitted.Parents and ancestors of course transmit elements that determine our physical and psychological state, ...