Death and Dreaming
There is no God. That’s obvious. And yet, there probably is a God. That’s also obvious. It’s all about learning how to see it. Once you understand how to see them, certain things become undeniable. You probably think I’m talking about indoctrination into a belief system. That’s what people usually mean when they say things like […]
Zero Defex Has No Defects!
Zero Defex reconvened last night for the first time in eight months. The other three had a couple practices without me. But this is the first time the full band has been together since before Donald Trump got elected. Maybe even before he got the nomination! My God! A lifetime ago! We sounded great. I […]
Buddhism Without Buddhism
Buddhism is fucked. I apologize to Gudo Nishijima Roshi up in Tsushita Heaven or reincarnated as a random kid in Kentucky or wherever he is these days. He’d be pissed at me if he read that. But it’s my honest assessment. He told me once, “Never blame Buddhism.” The word “blame,” when used by Japanese […]
Thoughts of Ice Cream and Suicide
I got an email recently from a friend who just experienced a major disappointment in her life. The word “disappointment” is a massive understatement, but it’s the only way I can think of to describe it without giving away details that might identify her. Just imagine something so utterly disappointing that you’d seriously contemplate killing […]
What It Means To Be Human
Before I begin, I’ll remind you that on April 21-23, 2017 we’re having another Zen retreat at Mount Baldy. Zen retreats are a great way to deepen your practice and get beyond our usual ways of relating to ourselves and others. Some of what I’m going to say here might make more sense if you attend […]
