“Our willingness to be compassionate and generous in our speech changes relationships both inside of our selves, in our sangha, and in our world.”
What happens when we don’t hold ourselves and each other accountable? Koshin Sensei explores the meaning and implications of practicing “Kind Speech,” one of Dogen’s ‘Four Methods of Guidance’. We are challenged to ask: How do we hold ourselves accountable to our own standards for how to live? How do we use kind speech to encourage each other to be clear? Dogen writes: “Ponder the fact that kind speech is not just praising the merit of others. It has the power to turn the destiny of the nation.”
ZENTALK NOTES
Koshin Paley Ellison Sensei, MFA, LMSW, DMIN, is an author, Zen teacher, Jungian psychotherapist, and Certified Chaplaincy Educator. Koshin co-founded the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care.
CONNECT WITH US
UPCOMING PROGRAMS (as of March 31st, 2023)
—Commit to Sit Summer 2023: Living Wide Awake is now open for registration! Led by Koshin Sensei and sixteen magnificent Zen teachers from across the United States and Japan, this 90-day online practice period will be guided by our study text, Opening the Hand of Thought, Kōshō Uchiyama’s clear and accessible introduction to the practice of Zen Buddhism. | Learn more »
—The Contemplative Medicine Fellowship is accepting applications for the 2023–2024 cohort! Now in its second year, the Contemplative Medicine Fellowship is a twelve-month training for physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants who want to lead change in the culture of care. The program is designed to immerse participants in the true experience of the alleviation of suffering in their personal and professional lives. Contemplative Medicine Conversations with esteemed visiting faculty are offered monthly, free of charge. | Learn more »
—Foundations in Contemplative Care is accepting applications: Since 2007, the Foundations in Contemplative Care training has transformed the lives of individuals from across the country and around the world by supporting the integration of spiritual practice and care. This program is open to anyone who feels called upon to respond to the suffering in the world. | Learn more »
—Join us on retreat: allow your contemplative practice to unfold!
MUSIC
Heart Sutra by Kanho Yakushiji – Buddhist priest and musician of the Rinzai sect and Imaji temple in Imabari, Japan. In 2003, he formed “KISSAQUO”, a songwriting duo based in Kyoto.
NYZC PUBLICATIONS
Get your copy of Untangled (Koshin’s new book) here: https://bit.ly/untangled-book
Get your copy of Wholehearted: Slow Down, Help Out, Wake Up here: https://amzn.to/2JTKF1t
Get your copy of Awake At The Bedside here: https://amzn.to/3aijXdL
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