Zen is reticent to name what cannot be named. This is our family custom. So in the lead up to Kynan Sutherland’s Transmission Ceremony, we pause to reflect on the nature of Zen and what it seeks to promote and protect (25/9/23)
Upside Down Country #2 - Golden Wind
In this talk we explore deep listening with the help of Kuanyin, Doug Ralph and the great koan from Yunmen, “Golden Wind is manifesting herself.” This talk was given on the first day of the Castlemaine Zen Non-Residential Weekend Retreat (23/7/23).
Upside Down Country #1 - True Gold
In this talk we venture into the heart of the goldfields, what the Dja Dja Wurrung call Upside Down Country, in search of true gold. This talk was given on the first day of the Castlemaine Zen Non-Residential Weekend Retreat (22/7/23).
Shake the Tree
In the lead up to Kirk Fisher’s Transmission Ceremony Kynan Sutherland offered this talk on Zhaozhou’s koan, “Shake the Tree and the birds take to the air, startle the fish and the water becomes muddy.” In it we explore the nature of transmission, the role of a Zen teacher, and the urgency of Zen practice in a vulnerable and startling world (23/4/23)