The Baker Roshi Audio Archive

You are currently logged-out. You can log-in or create an account to save favorites and more. more info

Showing 162 talks

Title	Speaker	Date
Zen Silence: Embracing the Present Serial: RB-02871 Practice-Period_Talks This talk explores the concept of a "practice period," focusing on the benefits of creating an environment insulated from distractions to deepen monastic and Zen practices. It discusses the koan of Sun-Faced Buddha, Moon-Faced... *Buddha, Practice, Silence*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Jan 27 2010 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Field of Mind: Zen Interconnectedness Serial: RB-02870 Practice-Period_Talks The talk addresses the concept of a "field" as a central component of Zen practice, emphasizing its role in the experiential actualization of interdependence, often referred to as the field of mind. The discussion highlights the... *Practice, Interdependence, Breath*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Jan 25 2010 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Embracing Divergence in Spiritual Practice Serial: RB-02869 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the contrasting concepts of divergence and convergence from a Buddhist perspective, emphasizing the importance of embracing divergence and incompletion as fundamental to life and spiritual practice. It discusses... *Stillness, Practice, Buddha*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Jan 22 2010 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Zen Concepts in Practice Transformation Serial: RB-02868 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the intersection of Zen practice with concepts, examining their foundational role in shaping perception and practice. Concepts like vows and the koan structure underpin Zen practice, emphasizing shifts in... *Practice, Culture, Lay*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Jan 20 2010 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Zen Beyond Monastery Walls Serial: RB-02867 Practice-Period_Talks The talk discusses the interplay between monastic and lay practice in Zen Buddhism, focusing on how practitioners can integrate serious practice into their everyday lives without the traditional monastic commitment. The discourse... *Practice, Practice Period, Time*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Jan 17 2010 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Sesshin: Journey into Present Awareness Serial: RB-01678A Sesshin The talk explores the conceptual framework of Sesshin as an exploration of the unknown, contrasting it with the familiar idea of a destination. It emphasizes the importance of attention as a location, a concept whereby the mind... *Breath, Posture, Pain*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Oct 2009 Johanneshof
Cultivating Presence Through Monastic Practice Serial: RB-02777 Practice-Period_Talks The talk discusses the importance of practice and teaching in maintaining continuity in Buddhist monastic institutions, emphasizing the satisfaction derived from practice and the teachings that facilitate a deeper understanding... *Practice, Sangha, Consciousness*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Apr 10 2009 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Becoming the Person the World Needs Serial: RB-02776 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the profound questions central to Buddhist practice: "What kind of person do you want to be?" and "What kind of person does the world need you to be?" in the context of the six paramitas, identifying them as a... *Samadhi, Generosity, Wisdom*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Mar 27 2009 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Spiritual Migration: Pathways of Enfoldment Serial: RB-02775 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the concept of "enfoldment" in Zen practice, using the metaphor of migration to describe how spiritual teachings are internalized and integrated into everyday life. It discusses the six paramitas (perfections... *Practice, Bodhisattva, Zazen*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Mar 25 2009 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Evolving Zen: Embracing Impermanence Serial: RB-02774 Practice-Period_Talks The main thesis of the talk centers on the medium of Zen practice, exploring the intersections of yogic and Western practices, and how the medium of practice evolves through personal and cultural contexts. The speaker reflects on... *Practice, Culture, Buddhism*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Mar 17 2009 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Breath's Wisdom: Zen Reality Unveiled Serial: RB-02773 Practice-Period_Talks The talk centers on the exploration of concepts from "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind," particularly the epilogue where the inability of the thinking and feeling mind to grasp reality is addressed. It emphasizes mindful attention to... *Breath, Buddha Nature, Practice*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Mar 08 2009 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Embodying Interconnectedness through Zen Practice Serial: RB-02772 Practice-Period_Talks This talk explores the concept of "mutual space" between mind and phenomena, emphasizing the notion of inherent interconnectedness and immediacy in Zen practice. It argues for an enlightenment or kensho shift that occurs when one... *Buddha, Practice, Breath*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Feb 15 2009 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Zen Meditation and Consciousness Unbound Serial: RB-02771 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the transformative potential of Zen meditation, specifically through Zazen, in understanding consciousness and self in contrast to cultural and philosophical frameworks exemplified by figures like Wittgenstein... *Consciousness, Time, Study*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Feb 11 2009 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Boundless Awareness: Zen Beyond Limits Serial: RB-02770 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the nature of Zen practice, contrasting it with Western perceptions of consciousness. It emphasizes the ideal of 'Zen mind,' a transmitted, boundless awareness that transcends traditional views of consciousness... *Consciousness, Lay, Practice*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Feb 10 2009 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Dreaming Mind, Consciousness, and Zazen Serial: RB-02769 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the concept of a "noticing mind," emphasizing the distinction between waking mind and consciousness, and investigates the interplay between waking, dreaming, and non-dreaming minds. It discusses how zazen... *Consciousness, Practice, Zazen*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Feb 07 2009 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Transcendent Harmony Through Zazen Mind Serial: RB-02768 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the practice and significance of "zazen," emphasizing the concept of "zazen mind" as an enduring presence throughout daily life, beyond mere meditation sessions. It also delves into the interplay between... *Zazen, Stillness, Wisdom*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Feb 05 2009 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Exploring the Edge of Zen Experience Serial: RB-02766 Practice-Period_Talks The talk discusses the use of language and concepts in Zen practice, emphasizing the importance of finding and exploring the 'edge' in language and experience. The concept of 'somatic mind' is introduced as a tool to understand... *Consciousness, Practice, Zazen*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Jan 22 2009 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Cave in Emptiness Practice Serial: RB-02765 Practice-Period_Talks The talk centers on the concept of "appearance-only" as a form of practice within a 90-day Zen practice period. It explores how sensorial experience, devoid of associative and comparative thoughts, leads to understanding true... *Practice, Practice Period, Emptiness*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Jan 20 2009 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Listening the World into Compassion Serial: RB-01667D Seminar_Bodhisattva-Practice The talk explores compassion and the Bodhisattva path, particularly focusing on its integration into modern culture and how it diverges from Western conceptions of humanity and human interaction. Central to the discussion is the... *Compassion, Avalokitesvara, Practice*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Aug 2008 Hannover
Depth in the Present Moment Serial: RB-03174 Practice-Period_Talks The talk centers on the concept of "pausing for the particular," which is explored as a contemplative practice aiming to deepen mindfulness by concentrating on specific moments or elements in the present. This practice is... *Consciousness, Practice, Culture*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Mar 11 2008 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Sensory Awakening in Zen Practice Serial: RB-03173 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the concept of an "autodidactic apprenticeship" within Zen practice, emphasizing the existential context of one's life as essential to the process. It highlights the Bodhidharma koans, particularly focusing on... *Consciousness, Practice, Koan*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Mar 07 2008 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Aligning Awareness: Authority in Texts Serial: RB-03175 Practice-Period_Talks The talk focuses on the concept of authority in spiritual and literary texts, emphasizing the role of perceptual instrumentality and inferential awareness in establishing credibility, drawing analogies with both historical... *Practice, Practice Period, Buddha*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Jan 15 2008 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Awakening Through Spatial Time Experience Serial: RB-02904 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the concept of 'spatial time' experienced during zazen, where the mind allows simultaneous events to surface distinctly, fostering a state of emergent non-dual awareness. It also discusses 'Jinjin Wakko' (... *Practice, Time, Zazen*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Apr 12 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Zen Discontinuity: Just This Moment Serial: RB-02903 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the Zen practice of focusing on the phrase "just this" to cultivate mindfulness and presence. It highlights how such simplicity serves both as a reductive tool and a transformative practice, encouraging... *Practice, Practice Period, Intention*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Mar 30 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Awakening Through Zen Insight Serial: RB-02902 Practice-Period_Talks The talk delves into the practice of Zen and its impact on consciousness by examining Dogen's ideas about the non-substantiality of objects and the nature of no abiding self. It discusses the transformative potential of... *Practice, Consciousness, Buddha*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Mar 27 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Interwoven Paths: Rhythm and Enlightenment Serial: RB-02901 Practice-Period_Talks The talk primarily focuses on the interplay between human experience, rhythm, and Buddhist teachings, emphasizing the Abhidharma and its role in understanding our experienced world as a path. It discusses the four elements—earth... *Abhidharma, Faith, Desire*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Mar 25 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Living in Timeless Awareness Serial: RB-02900 Practice-Period_Talks This talk explores the concept of "aliveness" in relation to time and consciousness, using metaphors like "Little Miss Muffet" to illustrate the practice of zazen and the non-linguistic mind. The discussion emphasizes perceiving... *Time, Consciousness, Practice*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Feb 22 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Beyond Consciousness: Discovering the Fourth State Serial: RB-02899 Practice-Period_Talks The talk delves into the nuanced distinctions between awareness and consciousness, proposing the exploration of a potential fourth state of mind alongside waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. Through practice such as Zazen, the... *Consciousness, Breath, Practice*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Feb 20 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Unitary Experience: The Zen Path Serial: RB-02898 Practice-Period_Talks The talk centers on exploring the concept of "unitary experience" within the context of Zen practice. It examines how formal practices, such as chanting and rituals, provide structure and meaning, contrasting these with informal... *Continuous Practice, Practice, Breath*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Feb 17 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Metaphors in Motion and Stillness Serial: RB-02897 Practice-Period_Talks The talk focuses on the exploration of metaphor in Zen practice and its role in shaping understanding and perception in Zazen. Discusses the use of rest and napping as preparatory practices for lectures, emphasizing how these... *Zazen, Posture, Practice*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Feb 15 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Mountains, Rivers, Mindful Transformation Serial: RB-02896 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the concept of a "non-container world" through the interwoven experiences of self and environment, using mountains and rivers as symbols of this interconnected reality. It expands on Dogen's idea of "the knowing... *Japan, Practice, Time*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Feb 12 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Tasting Truth: Awakened Practice Journey Serial: RB-02894 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the concept of "tasting the truth of the Tathagata's words" and how this notion connects to personal practice and Buddhist lineage. Key themes include the distinction between awareness and consciousness, the... *Consciousness, Buddha, Practice*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Feb 07 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Zen Posture: Embodying Mindful Presence Serial: RB-02893 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the concept of "posture" as a metaphor for an ideal state of mind in Zen practice, contrasting it with "position," which is externally defined, to highlight the experiential nature of Zen. It emphasizes using... *Posture, Buddha, Time*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Feb 05 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Embodying Stillness: The Zen Mind Serial: RB-02892 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the complex nature of "thinking non-thinking" within Zen philosophy, referencing Dogen's phrase and the practice of zazen (sitting meditation) to highlight how meditation affects perception and decision-making.... *Intention, Posture, Zazen*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Feb 02 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Zen Clarity Through Present Awareness Serial: RB-02895 Practice-Period_Talks The talk examines the concept of "factic unitary experience" in the context of Zen Buddhism, exploring how attentiveness to the present moment can lead to transformative insights. It discusses the "four revocations," which... *Offering, Intention, Practice*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Feb 01 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Embracing Emptiness: Mind's True Perception Serial: RB-02891 Practice-Period_Talks The talk delves into the concept of the mind's engagement with objects and the practice of cultivating what is termed the "initial mind of acceptance." It emphasizes the understanding of non-conceptual, non-discursive, and... *Consciousness, Practice, Time*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Jan 25 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Liberating Mindfulness through Non-Attachment Serial: RB-02890 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores how mindfulness practice and non-conceptual awareness can liberate individuals by breaking habitual attachment to objects and narratives embedded within one's consciousness. The discussion emphasizes the... *Practice, Buddhism, Karma*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Jan 22 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Embracing Aloneness in Zen Practice Serial: RB-02889 Practice-Period_Talks The talk explores the notion of aloneness during a practice period and its relationship with Zen philosophy, emphasizing the practice of generosity without attachment and transcending concepts of self, person, living being, and... *Practice, Posture, Stillness*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Jan 20 2007 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Sesshin: Beyond Comparative Thinking Serial: RB-01650B Sesshin The talk revolves around the concept of "Sesshin" as a practice of gathering the mind and explores the relationship between comparative thinking and Zen practice. The discussion examines the role of "sticks" or guiding principles... *Samadhi, Sixth Patriarch, Concentration*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	May 2006 Johanneshof
Mindfulness Beyond Mind's Surface Serial: RB-01585 Sesshin The talk examines the interconnectedness of consciousness, unconsciousness, and the mind, emphasizing the concept of being present in one's practice and the environment. It addresses themes such as the practice of mindfulness,... *Practice, Buddha, Posture*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Apr 2002 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Zen Mind: Rituals and Awareness Serial: RB-01587A Sesshin The talk explores Zen practice by focusing on the interplay between rituals and awareness, emphasizing how structured and unstructured forms of practice contribute to spiritual understanding. The discourse examines the dynamics... *Practice, Meditation, Posture*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Apr 2002 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Perception as Zen's Pathway Serial: RB-01587B Sesshin The talk discusses the importance of perception in Zen practice, emphasizing the idea that sensory experiences are shaped by the limitations of our senses, akin to "hearing-hearing" and understanding "the world as a keyboard".... *Posture, Practice, Buddha*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Apr 2002 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Zen Practice: Questions as the Catalyst Serial: RB-01586A Sesshin The talk explores the centrality of questioning in Zen practice, emphasizing that questions are the driving force behind sustained engagement with practice. The discussion highlights the First Four Noble Truths as foundational... *Practice, Time, Dogen*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Mar 10 2002 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Dharma Surgery: Breaking Perception Chains Serial: RB-01586B Sesshin The talk primarily explores the nuanced differences in Dharma teaching styles across various contexts and emphasizes the underlying concept of "Dharma surgery," which involves interrupting habitual thinking and perceptions to... *Practice, Culture, Practice Period*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Mar 10 2002 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Atomic Zen: Unfolding Shared Awareness Serial: RB-01362A Sesshin The talk discusses the transformative power of sesshin in Zen practice, emphasizing its communal aspect and role in deepening understanding. The central thesis highlights the importance of shared practice to fully engage with the... *Practice, Bell, Culture*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Dec 2001 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Escaping Narratives for Pure Awareness Serial: RB-01362B Sesshin The talk explores the concept of detaching from one's personal narrative to enhance mindfulness during Zen practice, particularly in Sesshin. A central theme is the importance of recognizing and stepping outside one’s life story... *Consciousness, Time, Practice*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Dec 2001 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Embracing Non-Duality in Everyday Living Serial: RB-01363A Sesshin The talk explores the concept of "deconceptualized seeing" within the practice of Zen, particularly in a Sesshin, emphasizing the nuanced perception of small movements and gestures. This approach is linked to historical and... *Culture, Ceremony, Time*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Dec 2001 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Zen Spaces: Crafting Connected Communities Serial: RB-01363B Sesshin The talk addresses the practical and evolving nature of Sangha in the Zen tradition, with a focus on sustaining and integrating the practice in the Western world and its connection to European efforts. Emphasis is placed on the... *Practice, Sangha, Practice Period*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Dec 2001 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Emotion's Ripple in Zen's Web Serial: RB-01364A Sesshin The talk addresses the interconnectedness of global existence and the impact of individual emotions on the collective environment, particularly in a world more closely connected than ever before. It explores the concept of koans... *Practice, Consciousness, Time*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Dec 2001 Crestone Zen Mountain Center
Consciousness: Embracing Uncertainty for Compassion Serial: RB-01364B Sesshin The talk revolves around the nature and structure of consciousness and its transformation, the philosophical and ethical significance of "Sangha" and "Bodhisattva" in shaping a compassionate world, and the redefinition of how... *Sangha, Time, Practice*	Zentatsu Richard Baker	Dec 2001 Crestone Zen Mountain Center

The Baker Roshi Audio Archive

Pages