Arising to the Interconnectedness of Life? A Buddhist Perspective on the Occupy Movement

Indra’s Net and the Internet: Arising to the Interconnectedness of Life Buddha means the “awakened one.” Awakened to what? The definition of Enlightenment in Buddhism is awakening to the interconnectedness of life. This is illustrated through the story of Indra’s Net from the Avatamsaka Sutra. A long time ago, in a far away place, there […]

Jeff Bridges Launches Head for Peace Initiative with Bernie Glassman

November 23, 2011. Yonkers, N.Y. – Jeff Bridges, actor/activist and Academy Award winner, toured the Greyston Foundation last week with world-renowned Zen Buddhist teacher, Bernie Glassman to launch the Head for Peace Campaign together. Jeff Bridges has been a friend of Bernie Glassman for over 10 years, is an active supporter of Zen Peacemakers, founded […]

Interview: Roshi Joan Halifax

Originally posted by Jizo   This is the third in our series of interviews with inspiring and interesting socially engaged Buddhists of our time. The first one back in September was with Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, and last month we interviewed Arun, author of the blog Angry Asian Buddhist. This month you’re in for a real treat — the guest […]

Streets of Cologne

We passed through Cologne, Germany. We met Sensei Frank DeWalle. He told us that the Cathedral of Cologne is a cathedral of lovers.  People pray there to find romance.  He visited, and so did his girlfriend, before they met.     After the cathedral, I walked around town.   I didn’t find a lover. [author] […]

Uniting the 100%: The Consciousness Comittee of Occupy Wall Street

Saturday, October 8 After leading a noon Meditation Flash Mob at “Liberty Plaza,” the center of Occupy Wall Street, a group ranging from 22 to 27 people skipped a giant Washington Square Park rally to come together in a quiet, grassy spot in Battery Park to continue developing a committee committed to maintaining “conscious”, “sacred” […]

Going to India!

I just heard that we’re taking two trips to India.  1st, we’ll be working with the Venerable Pannavati  assisting (untouchables) Dalits in Tamil Nadu, Southern India in November.  In January, we’ll go on a Socially Engaged Pilgrimage, visiting locations connected to the life of the Buddha and meeting people involved in social issues.  I’m so […]

Occupy Wall Street: Arising or Uprising? What do you think

  “Every airport we pass through today, at Hartford, CT, Washington D.C. and Frankfurt, Germany” I told Bernie on our way to Europe “has an Occupy event happening.” When we arrived in Heidelberg, Bernie asked our host whether they had one.  They didn’t but 30 locations in Germany did.  She mentioned this when introducing him, […]

I decided to help out the Formerly Tough Zen Guy

I was brought into being by Jeff Bridges in order to help his friend Bernie to wage peace around the world.  Word on the street is that Bernie was a tough Zen monk who yelled at his students and beat them with sticks to provoke their enlightenment. However, as I joined my first workshop with […]

This is only the beginning

October. My first global journey. I joined Bernie Glassman to travel the world waging peace. On this trip, Bernie will be discussing how to practice social action as a spiritual practice  in various places throughout Germany near: Heidelberg, Cologne, Berlin and Frankfurt.  We’ll also attend the Auschwitz Bearing Witness Retreat. They tell me that this […]

Reflections on the Beginnings of the Zen Peacemaker Order

In the beginning, when all we have in front of us are just a few rags, we can’t imagine what this robe will eventually look like. Some of us complain that we’re not sewing it correctly, that the panels will come out crooked and the robe all wrong. Mostly we put aside our mental chatter and just sew the robe together, one piece at a time, one panel at a time…