This Wednesday,
Megan Rundel, Sensei on Bodhidharma
Bodhidharma is the First Ancestor of Zen, and a teacher who has always had a lot of power for me. Early in my practice I acquired a woodcut image of Bodhidharma in which he looks half-crazy, fierce, and rather unkempt. I loved that a revered teacher could look the way I felt inside, and that image has stayed on my altar for decades. The stories and koans about Bodhidharma have that bottom dropping out quality, and offer the possibility of finding the “vast emptiness” is always available to us.
It strikes me that the teachings of Bodhidharma are really useful to us in these difficult times, in that they weave together stories of particular human beings in our aspirations and neurotic minds with the larger view of the vastness that offers us spaciousness and ease.
Please join us on Wednesday evening as we kick off our Koan Ancestors series with stories and musings about Bodhidharma, along with the opportunity to sit and talk together as our Open Source community. I look forward to seeing you there!
Megan
Each Wednesday evening this fall, we will take a deep dive into the life, times, and teachings of our Buddhist ancestors. Participation is free of charge, donations gratefully accepted.
To make a donation, please go to https://www.desertrainzen.org/residential-retreats.html . You’ll see a way to donate for this series. Donations will go to all four teachers.