Winter Practice Period 2024: Sesshin Day 6 Dharma Talk With Noah Kodo Roen, Matthew Kozan Palevsky, Wendy Johnson, & Joan Halifax

This last talk of the winter practice period encapsulates the final reflections centered around themes of presence, gratitude, interconnectedness, and the transformative power of practice. Sensei Wendy underscores the importance of maintaining a posture of openness and awareness, inviting practitioners to remember the wider world and explore the “84,000 doorways”. Practitioners are reminded and encouraged to sit still and delve deeply into the teachings, exploring the boundlessness of existence and confronting the ultimate question, “Who is facing me?” This inquiry into self and motivation, amidst moral outrage and cognitive dissonance, serves as a call to commit to living by and in vow, aiming to bring about transformation both within oneself and in the world. The talk continues on the topic of birth and death, suggesting that understanding and facing birth and death directly is integral to the life of a Buddha. Zen Master Dogen Zenji’s teachings are mentioned, emphasizing that birth and death are not to be avoided or sought after but are to be faced and actualized, as they constitute the very life of a Buddha. This realization frees one from the dualities of existence and enables one to enter the Buddha’s mind, leading to liberation and enlightenment.