Hiya, hope you’re having a good summer. We’re a couple of weeks back from the Zen enlightenment trip to Japan, but I haven’t been able to post as the site’s been under maintenance. Nine people, mostly from London, spent two weeks at Gyokuryuji temple in the mountains of central Japan, studying Zen with the Zen Master, Shinzan Roshi. I want to let you know the trip was FANTASTIC!!! In the first week we did a sesshin, an intensive Zen retreat with the focus of experiencing first-hand, the enlightenment that the Zen masters have talked about down the centuries. Shinzan Roshi used his special “group sanzen” method which speeds up the process so that the student can quickly go deep. A number of students did very well and realised for themselves their true nature.

     In the second week we explored how the experience of zen enlightenment has given rise to a whole culture. We practised tea ceremony, Japanese cooking and martial arts, we visited Zen gardens and temples. In addition some students intensified their personal practice through solitary retreats in the mountains.

     “It was an amazing experience,” psychologist Hazel Dewert reported. I’ve never experienced such peace,” said business manager, Mila Clement-Horton. While potter, John Pollex said, “When I realised my true nature, I just couln’t stop laughing.”

      Good news is, the trip was such a success we’ve been invited back to Japan in May 2010. Gyokuryuji temple where we practice is small so early booking is highly recommended. Email zenways@london.com if you’d like to go through a life-changing Zen experience in Japan. Pictures to follow.

      Best wishes and hope to see you soon. Daizan

Hiya, some of our journeys are inner ones, some more external. Which is this?

One day master Tozan asked his student Ungo, “Where have you been?”

Ungo replied, “Walking in the mountains.”

“Which mountain is suitable to live on?”

“Which one is not?”

Tozan said, “If so, the whole country has been tried out by you.”

Ungo replied, “No.”

“Then you have found a road of entry?” Tozan asked.

Ungo said, “There’s no road.”

“How can you meet me if there’s no road?” The master asked.

“Were there a road, I’d be a life apart from you.”

Tozan said, “Hereafter even a thousand or ten thousand people, will be unable to hold this man back.”

      Here in London, I’m still working on things for our Zen pilgrimage to Japan. It’s going to be a unique experience for the students coming. The first week will be a sesshin, Zen retreat, with a focus on attaining kensho, realisation of your true nature. In the second week we’ll be studying some of the traditional arts that have been influenced by Zen - tea ceremony, calligraphy, aikido, traditional cooking, that sort of thing. We’ll be leaving the country on Monday 11th May.

      But beforehand, I’d like to invite you to a movie about a spiritual journey called, “Walking with Kukai.” It’s about the ancient Japanese pilgrimage on the Island of Shikoku. I’ve been asked to introduce the film at the International Buddhist film festival at the Barbican in London. The programme starts 6pm, sunday 10th May. There’s more information here: http://www.barbican.org.uk/film/event-detail.asp?ID=9144 Hope to see you there.

Hiya above is a taichi session we held on the southbank as part of the 2009 Slow Down London Festival, which continues until May 4th. We were filmed and the report is going out on over 200 tv stations worldwide. There are lots of interesting Slow Down London events throughout the city. Details here http://slowdownlondon.co.uk/

                                          Cheers Daizan