“Enlightenment is the ending in yourself of that hope for something other than life as it is” —Charlotte Joko Beck

We can understand the craft of meditation as the joining of a physical posture with a mental posture. In this talk by guest dharma teacher and Guiding Teacher of Boulder Zen Center, Zenki Christian Dillo, we examine, in detail, the four fundamental mental postures that are implied in most Sōtō Zen meditation instructions: Don’t move (stillness), Don’t scratch (nonreactivity), Don’t invite your thoughts to tea (nonthinking), and Don’t correct your mind (noninterference). Zenki explores how these mental postures are essential for the process of liberation.

ZENTALK NOTES

Christian Dillo is the Resident Teacher at the Boulder Zen Center. He started his practice at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1996. For 20 years, he practiced monastically at the Crestone Mountain Zen Center and received dharma transmission in 2013 from Zentatsu Baker Roshi. Since then, he has been Boulder Zen Center’s Guiding Teacher. In 2020, he moved to Boulder, Colorado full-time, where he now lives with his wife and son. Christian Dillo teaches Zen as a craft based on the understanding that, fundamentally, Buddhism is an embodied investigation of human experience with the intention of transforming it in the direction of liberation from suffering, wisdom, and compassion. He is the author of The Path of Aliveness: A Contemporary Zen Approach to Awakening Body and Mind (Shambhala 2022) and is currently developing a series of practice courses on Foundational Zen Teachings to actively support lay practitioners in their daily lives. His ongoing teachings are available on the podcast Zen Mind.

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UPCOMING PROGRAMS (as of November 4th, 2022)

—Untangled (Koshin Sensei’s New Book) Launch, Discussion, Q&A—Join us, in-person or online, for a free event on November 10th to celebrate the release of Koshin Paley Ellison’s new book, Untangled: Walking the Eightfold Path to Clarity, Courage, and Compassion (available for pre-order now!). The evening will feature a conversation with James Shaheen, Editor-in-Chief of Tricycle Magazine, and Koshin Sensei about Untangled. | Learn more »

—Commit to Sit Winter 2023 will start January 11th, 2022! Join 16 Zen teachers from across the United States and Japan for an in-depth, 90-day exploration of Zen practice and study guided by our study text, Ordinary Wonder: Zen Life & Practice, the latest collection of Charlotte Joko Beck’s clear and incisive teachings that cut to the core of our negative beliefs that prevent us from embracing every moment. Learn more >

—Beginner’s Mind Sesshin: A Winter Silent Retreat of Wholehearted Practice—A cornerstone of Zen practice, the Japanese word for “sesshin” means “touching the heart-mind.” This is a rare opportunity for deepening our practice with a community of supportive practitioners. January 11th – January 15th, 2023 at the Garrison Institute. | Learn More >

MUSIC

Heart Sutra by Kanho Yakushiji –  Buddhist priest and musician of the Rinzai sect and Imaji temple in Imabari, Japan. In 2003, he formed “KISSAQUO”, a songwriting duo based in Kyoto.

NYZC PUBLICATIONS

Preorder your copy of Untangled (Publishing Date: November 8th, 2022) here: https://bit.ly/untangled-book

Get your copy of Wholehearted: Slow Down, Help Out, Wake Up here: https://amzn.to/2JTKF1t

Get your copy of Awake At The Bedside here: https://amzn.to/3aijXdL

The post The Mental Postures of Meditation | Zenki Christian Dillo appeared first on New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.