what i do
I don't believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive.
-Joseph Campbell
What do I do?
I teach zazen.
What is zazen?
Zazen is simply defined as Zen meditation. It is often referred to as sitting meditation.
What is Zen?
Since I am not a Zen Master, I felt the best way to describe Zen would be by someone who is a Zen Master that I have had the privilege to learn from, Charles Tenshin Fletcher Roshi, Abbot Yokoji Zen Mountain Center.
Below are some experts from his book, Way of Zen:
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“A Zen characteristic, and one that separates it from other parts, is that it expresses the great matters of life and death, not in theological or metaphysical terms but in the here and now of everyday conversation and forms. Zen [has an] emphasis on the commonplace…we become more and more familiar with ourselves. Paradoxically, out of this intimacy dawns the realization of our own emptiness and impermanence. Therefore, it is the case that the essence of Zen cannot be understood or experienced through the intellect, or expounded by academic argument. To get to its heart, one needs personal experiential knowledge. Methods may vary in detail, but the foundation of traditional Zen training is based on zazen, koan practice,
dokusan (private interview with the teacher), and samu (a daily period of physical work, which brings the other training methods into accordance with daily life).”
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As you can see, there are many things that encompass Zen. What I teach is zazen, which is just one, but very important, component of Zen. I also share my passion for Zen and how it has made an impact on my life. I encourage you to study Zen for yourself if you find it of interest.
What will you get if you study with me?
You will receive all the basic tools to learn zazen (sitting meditation), a form of Zen meditation that has been around since the 6th century.
MY GOAL IS TO HELP YOU CREATE A PRACTICE, not just learn the tools of zazen to do once or a few times, but to create a sustainable, ongoing practice. This is very important to me as I feel the benefits of zazen really occur after one has created a practice. This is why my introduction package requires four lessons. I hope that by meeting with you four times, I will either be able to help you create a sustainable individual practice, or at least get you started on a road to create your own practice.
Lastly, I would like to say learning zazen for me personally was a gift. A gift not unlike learning to ride a bike. Through my personal journey, there were times I was not fully committed to zazen or abandoned it completely, yet, once learning this simple and beautiful technique, I was, and am, always able to revisit it at any moment. Once learned, you do not forget. Once embodied, you understand it's significance. Once learned, embodied and practiced over and over and over, your life can change, just like mine has.
Sincerely and from the heart,
Jill Brenek
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To learn more information about where I’ve studied Zen and zazen please check out the following resources:
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*Yokoji Zen Mountain Center
58900 Apple Canyon Rd.
Mountain Center, CA
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Books
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*Way of Zen written by Tenshin Fletcher & David Scott
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*Appreciate Your Life: The Essence of Zen Practice written by Taizan Maezumi Roshi