Wild Country Zen

Dharma Talks and Guided Meditations by Taizan Gendo and friends

Link to SoundCloud site with 50+ Dharma Talks

Monday June 29, 2020 A-Town Sangha

Tonight's dharma talk is from Dogen’s “Guidelines for Studying the Way” and commentary by Kazuaki Tanahashi on emancipation through the practice of non-attachment, called “todatsu” in Japanese, which means “a fish slipping out of the net.” As Dogen advises us: “let the myriad things rest.”

Monday June 22, 2020 A-Town Sangha

“The Great Way is not difficult for those with no preferences…” In this Dharma talk I explore teachings of Zen practice from the perspective of the Hsin Hsin Ming -- verses on Faith-Mind, by the third patriarch Jianzhi Sengcan, and the sixth patriarch's Sutra of Hui-Neng (Platform Sutra),

Monday June 8, 2020 A-Town Sangha

In this Dharma talk I share some techniques of the practice of "Insight Dialogue," gleaned from the book of that name by Gregory Kramer. When emotions run high and communication difficult, having worked (practiced) with these six instructions can be very helpful in keeping us centered and skillful.

RE-Posted from Oct. 2018

This accompanies the recording above...From the start of Denko-e sesshin, Oct. 16, 2018, Jikoji Zen Meditation Center; Based on the work of Gregory Kramer's book "Insight Dialog." Taizan Gendo (Mark Adams) and Jen Hohman share the 6 guidelines of the practice and lead guided meditation. ~50 min.

Monday, June 1, 2020 A-Town Sangha

In this dharma talk I play a poem by Palestinian-American Naomi Shihab Nye called “Kindness.” This trait of action and heart is one of three characteristics of well being, developed through our meditation and practice, most likely to lead to skillfulness in making changes that are truly wise.

Monday, May 25 @ 7pm A-Town Sangha

Tonight, a dharma talk I gave last year called "I Choose to be HERE." It addresses a very human tendency--wanting to be elsewhere: "Even in Kyoto--I LONG for Kyoto"...so slow down in movement, light a candle, incense...Listen and then let's do 30 minutes of Zen meditation (TWA), for the whole world.

Monday, May 18, 2020 A-town Sangha Recording

Tonight's "Monday night @ 7pm" Zen meditation recording is a practice BEFORE sitting practice--walk outside and "Look Up." The effect can be quite vivid and a relief from the self-centered view we mainly practice in our daily life. Meditating selflessly can be primed with this practice. Try it see!

Monday, May 11, 2020 A-Town sangha Recording

For tonight (Monday, May 11, 2020) I recorded the" Maha Prajna Paramita Hridaya Sutra" (Great Wisdom Beyond Wisdom Heart Sutra) and the "Metta Sutta" (Loving-Kindness Sutta), followed by a recommendation to sit a silent Zazen meditation for 20-30 minutes. Let the words wash over you, and join in!

Performing Purification Ritual Before 7pm Zazen

Ritual before Zazen on Monday nights at 7pm with the A-town sangha TWA (together while apart). Purifying hands in Tsukubai, lighting incense, ringing bells at my home temple—a combination of beautiful Shinto and Buddhist rituals before sitting for the whole world... and after viewing, tonight’s recorded meditation is next audio recording down: "A Guided Wheel of Awareness Meditation"... (Posted May 5, 2020)

This guided meditation is based on the "Wheel of Awareness" meditation visualization found in Dr. Dan Seigal's book "Aware: The Science and Practice of Presence." Re-Posted May 4, 2020

Working with Righteous Anger (April 27, 2020)

For this Monday's (4.27.20) A-town sangha posting, here is a "walk and talk" on a levee in the beautiful Pajaro Valley... and after listening to the dharma talk below, at 7pm let's do 20 minutes TWA (together while apart) of a silent Zen meditation (shikantaza)... Need more? Scroll down and re-do the "15 Minutes of Quiet Mind, Open Heart" meditation. And don't forget our advanced meditation practice: a welcoming smile...

12 Min. Dharma Talk (Monday, April 20)

Make a cup of tea, then light a candle, place a fresh flower in a vase, your laptop or phone next to your cushion, bench, or chair, and play the recording...

Audio Guided Meditation

Re-posted April 20, 2020 -- queue it up AFTER listening to "The Benefits of Practicing in a Storm"...

15 Min. Dharma Talk

Find a quiet place to sit with these anytime, day or night. Light a candle, place a fresh flower in a vase, your laptop or phone next to you, and play the recording...Also-- for 50+ more dharma talks click on our SoundCloud site [link above]

Audio Guided Meditation

From April 5, 2020

Favorites of A-Town Sangha Dharma Talks

About Wild Country Zen

Big, wide pic of sunset sky, full of clouds, with trees along the bottom edge and light streaming.

Meaning of the name "Wild Country Zen"

During these times of Quarantine and Shelter-in-place I invite everyone to sit TWA--together while apart--by setting up your laptop or phone to listen to the guided meditations I will continue to post above and the dharma talks on our Sound Cloud site (soundcloud.com/taizangendo). You can also personally message me at Taizangendo@gmail.com Let me know what you would like to hear from me, and if these offerings are "on the mark."

How did the name "Wild Country Zen" come about? I think of "Wild" as the true, boundless, wordless state of nature; "Country" is meant to signify an open, healing spaciousness, a joyful "allowing" of our true buddha-nature to emerge; "Zen" of course is my Buddhist lineage. I am a guiding teacher of meditation and dharma with the A-Town Sangha in Aromas, California, and sangha member of the Jikoji Zen Meditation Center in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I hope you enjoy the name "Wild Country Zen" as much as I do--it always makes me smile! Let's see how it manifests going forward. Come walk this path with us and see... -- Taizan Gendo

Taizan Gendo (Mark Adams)

My own path in Zen began in earnest in 1989 with the winter residential practice (Ango) period at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center and my first teacher, Zoketsu Norman Fischer, who set me on a 30 year path. In 2009, I received the Jukai precepts and lay ordination, and was given the name "Taizan Gendo" (meaning "peaceful mountain, subtle way") from Eiko Carolyn Atkinson, a dharma heir of Kobun Chino Otagowa Roshi. In 2018 I was ordained a Zen priest in Kobun's Phoenix Cloud lineage by Jikoji Zen Meditation Center's guiding teacher, Shoho Michael Newhall. I have come to love this practice. I hope to be a skillful vehicle in sharing it with all sentient beings...

Pic of the Aromas Water District conference room and a dozen meditators in a circle.

In-person MEDITATION MEETINGS CANCELLED

Please contact me at Taizangendo@gmail.com with your email to receive updates when talks and scheduled events will be resumed. For nearly 2 years, we had been meeting Monday's at 7pm in the Aromas Water District Conference room at 388 Blohm Ave Aromas. With the shelter-in-place order, that has ended for the time being...

CANCELLED: All IN-PERSON Meditation meetings are cancelled.

Due to coronavirus all IN-PERSON meditation meetings are cancelled indefinitely as of March 17, 2020

PH/Text: (503) 956-8760 (Taizan Gendo) EMAIL: Taizan@wildcountryzen.com or Taizangendo@gmail.com

Wild Country Zen

Monday June 29, 2020 A-Town Sangha

Monday June 22, 2020 A-Town Sangha

Monday June 8, 2020 A-Town Sangha

RE-Posted from Oct. 2018

Monday, June 1, 2020 A-Town Sangha

Monday, May 25 @ 7pm A-Town Sangha

Monday, May 18, 2020 A-town Sangha Recording

Monday, May 11, 2020 A-Town sangha Recording

Performing Purification Ritual Before 7pm Zazen

Working with Righteous Anger (April 27, 2020)

12 Min. Dharma Talk (Monday, April 20)

Audio Guided Meditation

15 Min. Dharma Talk

Audio Guided Meditation

Favorites of A-Town Sangha Dharma Talks

About Wild Country Zen

Meaning of the name "Wild Country Zen"

Taizan Gendo (Mark Adams)

In-person MEDITATION MEETINGS CANCELLED

CANCELLED: All IN-PERSON Meditation meetings are cancelled.

Due to coronavirus all IN-PERSON meditation meetings are cancelled indefinitely as of March 17, 2020

Drop us a line!