A collection of dharma talks by Vanessa Zuisei Goddard.
Join Zuisei and the sangha in conversation with Lama Karma Yeshe Chödrön and Karma Zopa Jigme. Yeshe and Zopa are Western teachers in the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism who describe their mission as empowering practitoners to engage spiritual practice with integrity , creativity, and joy, by making available the authentic teachings of the Kagyu lineage to all who seek to eradicate suffering and cultivate happiness to its fullest potential, individually and collectively, whether Buddhist or not.
The weighty, sticky, hungry self—how do we let go of it? Look into how our sense of self gets in the way of our lives—the narrow view of perfectionism, for example; the fulfilling of habitual roles—and catch a glimpse of what remains once we let go. This talk draws on the poetry of Ellen Bass, Zen Master Dogen’s koans, the Vimalakirti Sutra, and more.
“There is a faith in loving fiercely the one who is rightfully yours…“ —David Whyte, “Truelove” What if the one who is rightfully yours is you? Explore what it takes to grow into this you. There is the need to be loved, to be held, and to hold ourselves; to acknowledge when we are lost; and time and time again, to…
“When I took my first breath, my world was born with me.” — Koso Uchiyama To face this world is to face ourselves. Discover what it means to create this world and how we might face it in spaciousness and love…
In this study session, Zuisei explores Koso Uchiyama’s Opening the Hand of Thought, a contemporary Zen text that speaks about the importance of zazen and letting go of thoughts in order to see the nature of the self. In the words of Uchiyama Roshi: You are within me. I'm just facing myself. In other words, you exist within myself, and it is to that you that I direct myself. That is what "vow" is.
In this talk Zuisei invites us to join a “zazen streak,” committing to sit in silent meditation at least ten minutes a day, every day, “no matter what,” pointing to the power of that kind of constancy and stability. Drawing on the heart of restorative justice, koan study, and specifically the koan “Dongshan’s No Cold or Heat” (Blue Cliff Record Case 43), Zuisei explores what it means to be fully present and open to all the circumstances of our lives, no matter how challenging, and certainly appreciating all their wonder.
December 8 was Bodhi Day, the celebration of Buddha’s Enlightenment. In this talk, which brings a weekend sesshin to a close, Zuisei speaks of the Buddha’s life of practice and realization, focusing specifically on the aspiration, courage and determination that supported his vow to awaken. Most importantly, she links his aspiration to our own, stressing the point that we have everything that the Buddha had, which means that we too can awaken; we too can reach “the Unbinding.” The Buddha may have had to walk the path on his own, but we have his inimitable example, which can always be a source of inspiration.
A continuation of the exploration of the Buddhist precepts focusing on taking refuge, highlighting the importance of understanding what it is that we take refuge in…
Where do you go to be seen and to be seen through? Facing reality, facing yourself, that is what’s needed here and now. From the spacious and bare zazen practice of the Zen Sōtō priest Kosho Uchiyama and the new movement of Secular Buddhism to Yuval Noah Harari’s 21st Lesson for the 21st Century, his book on pressing global issues like the consequences of rapid changes in pervasive technology, Zuisei takes up various paths that lead to the realization that to liberate ourselves and each other, we must understand our minds.
A reflection on what it means to know all of ourselves and each other as treasure—if we really knew this, how would it affect the way in which we live our lives?