Hogen explores how awareness and direct experience form the foundation of spiritual practice, inviting us to look closely at our own minds rather than relying on secondhand beliefs. He emphasizes grounding in the body and present moment as a way to uncover what is truly real and alive. Through this lens, challenges and problems become opportunities to expand perspective, cultivate wisdom, and deepen compassion. Ultimately, the talk points to a practice of meeting life fully—with clarity, resilience, and an open heart.

In this talk on the paramita of patience (kshanti), impatience is explored as the tension between our desires and reality. Rather than something to resist, it becomes a doorway to awareness when we learn to let experiences arise and pass without reacting. This practice reveals a deeper sense of spaciousness and reduces our dependence on external conditions for fulfillment. Patience, in this way, becomes a flexible and grounded way of relating to both life and the spiritual path.

Jomon introduces the paramitas, core qualities in Buddhist practice that guide the path toward awakening, focusing on generosity and ethical conduct. She explores the meaning of paramita as both “perfection” and “the other shore,” emphasizing that these virtues are not goals to achieve but ways of being to continually embody. Through teachings, stories, and real-life examples, she highlights generosity as a natural expression of compassion and wisdom, extending beyond material giving to include presence, protection, and sharing the teachings. Ethical practice is presented as a stabilizing and “cooling” force in an inflamed world, grounded in non-harming and mindful action. The talk weaves together the bodhisattva vows, the practice of not knowing, and the importance of reflecting on one’s actions, encouraging a life of ongoing care, awareness, and service to others.

Hogen explores the central role of direct experience in practice, emphasizing that true understanding arises from living and sensing life, not just intellectual knowledge. He reflects on how retreats and meditation provide opportunities to experience clarity, presence, and insight, and why these experiences can fade when we return to habitual patterns. Hogen discusses the balance between respecting the miracle of life and the evolutionary growth of our practice, stressing that faith, practice, and engagement with others turn insight into living wisdom. He reminds us that every listener is extraordinary and that the foundation of practice is both appreciation for life and the continual cultivation of mindfulness, generosity, and awareness. This talk was given on Feb 22 2026 at Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple.

In this talk, Jomon continues the February exploration of parinirvana and the teachings of death, weaving together reflections from Frank Ostaseski’s The Five Invitations with the story and symbolism of Jizo Bodhisattva. Known as a protector of travelers, children, and those navigating difficult realms, Jizo represents compassionate presence amid life’s uncertainty. Through stories, Buddhist cosmology, and the metaphor of spiritual pilgrimage, the talk invites listeners to meet difficulty directly, cultivate “don’t know mind,” and embody the bodhisattva qualities of benevolence, determination, fearlessness, optimism, and vow.

In this talk, Jogen explores why it has become so difficult to show up for one another in a culture of endless options and easy canceling. Through the lens of Zen practice, he examines social anxiety, the tendency to overextend ourselves, and the role of the critical mind in undermining commitment. By clarifying our obligations and affinities, learning to sit with discomfort, and ultimately living by vow rather than momentary feelings, the talk points toward a more grounded and reliable way of relating—one rooted in presence, honesty, and spiritual maturity.

n this talk, Hogen continues the series “Turning Problems into Wisdom,” exploring how challenges in everyday life can become opportunities for clarity and insight. Through a vivid story about a major septic system failure at the retreat center, he reflects on how calm attention, community cooperation, and practical action reveal the wisdom hidden within crisis. At the heart of the teaching is the Zen practice of “not knowing”—approaching life with curiosity, openness, and humility rather than fixed assumptions—allowing us to meet problems with creativity, equanimity, and a sense of wonder.

In this talk, Jomon reflects on the first of Frank Ostaseski’s Five Invitations—“Don’t Wait”—and explores what death can teach us about living fully. Drawing on the Zen teaching Identity of Relative and Absolute (Sandokai), a traditional koan, and a meditation on the elements, the talk invites listeners to consider the constantly changing nature of body, mind, and world. Through contemplation of earth, water, fire, air, and space, we are reminded that we are not separate, solid selves but expressions of a larger unfolding reality—at once here and disappearing.