Dear friendsI just listened to a wonderful recording by biologist, teacher and writer, David Haskell. It seemed to capture in 40 minutes what I feel I have been hinting at in teaching for all these many years. I urge you to take time to listen, preferably with a good head set or sound system, and … Continue reading The Symphony of Natural Awakening
Please click here to download or read a fully formatted PDF version. It's been raining all week. A weather system of blocking highs and small intense lows is funnelling hot humid equatorial air down to Aotearoa, and so we sit on our damp, misty deck, having breakfast, listening to a morning chorus of invisible birds, … Continue reading What To Do When It All Seems Too Much
Today, Jan. 22, 2022, Thich Nhat Hanh died in Vietnam and my heart is cracked thoroughly openmoist eyes of gratitudeand a big smilethankyou Thay, thankyou, thankyou, thankyousmiling, breathing, present, appreciating, offering. For a rich remembering published in "Lion's Roar." go to https://www.lionsroar.com/thich-nhat-hanh-zen-teacher-who-popularized-mindfulness-in-the-west-dead-at-95/?goal=0_1988ee44b2-9ee0296fd8-25587484&mc_cid=9ee0296fd8
I'm very happy to announce the posting of a recently completed book called "This Nectar of Naturalness" For those who would like to download it immediately, please click here. My hope is that readers will find "This Nectar of Naturalness" to be a treasury of hints and intimations. I suspect that most of you will … Continue reading This Nectar of Naturalness
My Dear FriendsSitting here at Orgyen, cancer and covid within and around me; a natural retreat – a blessing. I find myself contemplating life and death and dharma in an expansive field of memories; reviewing and reflecting. Some thoughts have emerged which I would like to share with you in the form of a poem. … Continue reading This Wild and Wonderful Truth
In all Buddhist traditions the practice of generosity (dana) is recognized as being the bedrock of dharma practice. Many texts describe the myriad forms and types of generosity. One category is referred to as "the gift of dharma" and in many traditions this became associated with sponsoring dharma teachings either in the form of actual … Continue reading The Gift of Dharma
Dear FriendsWhat a mystery;This life we are living.Immeasurable realms of becoming,Translucent dancing,Blossoming fields of knowing,Together weaving this seamless fabric of today,The only life we live. Here, at Orgyen, the gardens are beautiful in their late autumn finery. Kowhai cabin is still available for visiting retreatants, and a steady stream of individuals offering help and or … Continue reading The Unbroken Wholeness of Sublime Understanding and Love
We recently completed a wonderful retreat at Wangapeka. Over the two weeks we explored the possibility of awakening practice that is open and innovative, and immediately accessible. Each morning I would give a class and then people spent the rest of the day according to their needs and interests, exploring the morning's themes and experimenting … Continue reading New Booklet and Audio Recording
Recently we have had the opportunity to extend our thanks to many of the people who have supported us in various ways over the years. We thought to post this on GDT as a way of sharing the merit. Bouquet #1 Dear friends on the pathHere is a little news and a big bouquet of … Continue reading Bouquets of Gratitude
Abstract: We often regard our body as a skin encapsulated organism of flesh and blood and sensation. Ironically, we seem to be mostly interested in it when it is malfunctioning, when it is demanding attention. We want pain or discomfort to go away. We want the cut to heal or the embarrassing leakage to stop. … Continue reading Contemplating Beginner’s Body
Green Dharma Treasury 