Recent Articles

Hard core zendo vacuuming

Zen and Work Practice

By Sensei Dhara Kowal

Work can be an active form of Zen, bringing our practice “off the mat” and into the world -- whether the traditional manual work (such as cooking, cleaning, and gardening) or, these days, at a desk reading, writing, computing, and so on.

Mumonkan: Case 48

Mumonkan, Case 48: “Kempo’s One Road”

By Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

A monk once asked Master Kempo, “A sutra says, ‘The Bhagavats in the Ten Directions, one straight road to Nirvana.’ I wonder, where is that road?” Kempo lifted up his stick, drew a line in the air, and said, “Here!” Later a monk asked Ummon about this. Ummon held up his fan and said ....

Interconnection and the Alchemy of Performance

By Rebecca Gilbert

An Interview with Rebecca Gilbert The discovery of interconnection, on the stage and in the zendo. Zen Bow: Were you raised in a religious or spiritual tradition? Rebecca Gilbert: My mother had more of an interest than my father in making sure we had a spiritual path, so we were enrolled in a Sunday School...

Capitol Hill

The Journey Towards Rıght Action

By Alan Leiserson

Lobbying for Climate Legislation How to Persuade Politicians to Do the Right Thing The first time I met with a member of Congress on climate issues was when I went to Washington, DC in November of 2019. I was struck by how different it was from my 20 years of meeting with members of the...

A Small Syllable of Great Power

By Roshi Kanja Odland

When we have made the decision to pick up Mu, calling out Mu and listening to Mu, there's no use getting entangled in questions "about" Mu.

Cancer Koans: A Frozen Tree Blossoms

By Mark Tursi

A new member reflects on his harrowing cancer treatments and the possibility of imminent death

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From the Archives

The Sweet Dew of Perfection Saturates All

By Sensei Amala Wrightson

2007, Vol. XXX, No. 1 & 2

An exploration of the three cardinal precepts related to Right Speech: not to lie, not to discuss the faults of others, and not to praise oneself.

Learning to Pay Attention

By John Pulleyn

2009–10, Vol. XXXII, No. 4

Attention is transformative. The thoughts and states of mind we experience now are the results of how we’ve used our minds in the past. By using the mind skillfully now, we make possible clearer and more responsive states of mind in the future.

Layman Pang’s Beautiful Snowflakes

By Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

Spring 1995, Vol. XVII, No. 2

An abridged transcription of a sesshin teisho on koan number forty two of the Hekiganroku or Blue Rock Record, given December 6, 1992.

Zen Bow Archives

Spanning the 1960s, 1970s, and Recent Years