Greater Boston Zen Center Podcast

GBZC member Julie Nelson (sensei) speaks about Zen stories and koans, both classical and contemporary.

GBZC member James Lopata (Masters of Theological Studies) speaks about the history of Zen.

Julie Nelson speaks about bringing all off ourselves to our practice, even our anger. (June 9, 2023)

Julie Nelson comments on a case from the Book of Equanimity. (May 26, 2023)

Julie Nelson speaks about why we get distracted from doing things that are important to us. (May 19, 2023)

Julie Nelson speaks about what our Zen practice can say about a grumpy mood. (May 10, 2023)

Julie Nelson speaks about Raihai Tokuzui, written in the medieval times by the founder of Soto Zen. (May 7, 2023)

Julie Nelson reflects on the difference between using time and being time. (May 5, 2023)

Julie Nelson talks about the danger of holding to a romantic ideal of merger, whether in regard to a life partner or a spiritual teacher. (April 28, 2023)

Julie Nelson speaks about the story of Nanin pouring tea, at the April GBZC sesshin. (April 21, 2023) (No discussion)

Julie Nelson discusses whether it is possible to be grateful in any circumstances, in a way that is not just spiritual bypassing. (April 14, 2023)

Rebecca Moonspike leads a discussion about what things help us be present, and what things that feel like interruptions are actually our practice. (April 15, 2023)

Julie Nelson talks about not using our practice to hide our "gold," our beauty and uniqueness. (April 6, 2023)

Julie Nelson talks about not using our practice to try to bypass our anger. (March 31, 2023)

Susan Myoyu Andersen of the Great Plains Zen Center gives a guest talk at GBZC. (April 1, 2023)

Julie Nelson speaks about bliss states, why we need to come out of them, and why perfect wisdom can't do the job. (March 28, 2023)

Julie Nelson talks about not using our practice to try to bypass our trauma and grief. (March 24, 2023)

Julie Nelson speaks about becoming intimate with our failures. (March 17, 2023)

This is a short talk (with no discussion) in which Julie Nelson comments on how traveling in Alaska woke her up to things taken for granted.(March 8, 2023)

Julie Nelson comments on how traveling in Alaska woke her up to things taken for granted. (February 28, 2023)

Karen McCormack leads a discussion of the question "What inspires your practice?" (with an introduction to this format by Jill Gaulding). (February 18, 2023)

Julie Nelson speaks about the five skandhas: form, sensation, perception, mental reaction, and consiousness. (February 4, 2023)

Julie Nelson speaks about the Virya Paramita. The quotes are from Diane Rizzetto's book Deep Hope. (February 3, 2023)

Julie Nelson speaks about practicing with a heavy heart and with worry. The quote is from the work of Rainer Maria Rilke. (January 27, 2023)

Julie Nelson speaks briefly about the five skandas (or aggregates) in Buddhist psychology. (January 20, 2023)

Julie Nelson speaks about the story of "Chiyono's No Water, No Moon." (January 13, 2023)

Julie Nelson speaks about taking the phrase "Are you afraid of this happiness?" as a koan through the day. (January 6, 2023)

Julie Nelson speaks about how framing the Buddha's Enlightenment as a story of a "hero going forth" hides other elements. (December 16, 2020; Rohatsu Sesshin; Dharma Discussion not recorded.)

Julie Nelson talks about how our affection for certain kinds of stories may distort our understanding of the Buddha's (and our own) enlightenment. (December 9, 2022)

Julie Nelson reflects on Wumen's verse about "walking freely in the universe." (December 2, 2022)

Julie Nelson reads and comments on the story "Ziyong's Earth," from The Hidden Lamp. (November 25, 2022)

Julie Nelson reads two passsages from the Tao Te Ching. (November 25, 2022)

Julie Nelson speaks about some the fruits of our practice. The text (abridged) is from Richard Rohr's book The Naked Now. (November 8, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives an encouragement talk based on Robert Sharf's essay, "The Looping Structure of Buddhist Thought." (November 5, 2022)

Ed Oberholtzer speaks about dedications of merit. (October 29, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives an encouragement talk about being able to ride out our upswings and downswings. (October 28, 2022)

James Peregrino speaks about the history and practice of kinhin, or walking meditation. (October 25, 2022)

Ed Oberholtzer speaks about our true home. (October 22, 2022)

Ben Connelly of the Minnesota Zen Meditation Center gives a guest talk at the Greater Boston Zen Center. His topic is practicing Yogacara Buddhism with Vasubandhu's Three Natures. (October 18, 2022)

Julie Nelson speaks about the question of what is transmitted in Zen teaching transmission. (October 15, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives an encouragement talk, sharing poems about really seeing just one particular thing. (October 14, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives an encouragement talk, reflecting on the third Pure Precept. (September 30, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives a talk, looking into the question "What does it mean to 'save all beings' when life includes suffering, and then you die?" (September 27, 2022)

Ed Oberholtzer speaks about Ikkyu, Jesus, and Bodhisattvas. (September 24, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives an encouragement talk, speaking about the fundamental joy that is at the heart of zazen. (September 23, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives an encouragement talk, speaking about listening, which will be a theme in the A Thousand Hands book study group. (September 16, 2022)

Jill Gaulding speaks about Zen and morality, and the viewpoint of a child. (September 13, 2022)

Julie Nelson speaks about our zendo forms (our rituals concerning how we walk, sit, chant, etc.), why we do them, and why we also investigate them. (A demo that may be hard to follow on audio begins at 17:30. Lively discussion resumes at 36:30). (September 10, 2022)

Julie Nelson gives an encouragement talk, speaking about bowing (especially at zoom sits). August 26, 2022

Julie Nelson speaks about Bodhidharma (the first ancestor of Zen in China) and his teachings. (August 20, 2022)