Excerpts from Dharma talk on Day 2 of Access to Zen's (A2Z) Kindness of the Ancestors Retreat. Rev. Liên draws the connection between Kind, or Loving, Speech and the avowal of "all my ancient karma" in Jukai, the Lay Precepts ceremony. In this talk, she give a brief overview of karma (or "habit tendencies" or "habit energies" are ways Rev. frames them) and how to work with sense desire and ill-will from the 5 Hindrances. Relatable, real-life examples on how to recognize and practice with sensual desire and ill-will when they impeded us from being present fully are shared.

REV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, immigrants, and those seeking a home in the midst of North American society’s reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder & Guiding Teacher of Access to Zen. You can learn more about her work and book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Pathat AccessToZen.org EVENTS

Excerpt from first talk of Access to Zen (A2Z) Kindness Retreat.

How ancestors have shared their kindness with us so that we may know our aliveness in this very moment! (& be kind to ourselves, spoons, & mosquitoes!)

REV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, immigrants, and those seeking a home in the midst of North American society’s reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder & Guiding Teacher of Access to Zen. You can learn more about her work and book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Pathat AccessToZen.org EVENTS

Rev's in retreat all of September so we're flipping our usual format: Enjoy this 30 minute meditation and come back for an excerpt from the Dharma Talk which goes with it: "Spoon Buddha."

Meditations in this series are from the last period each night. As such, they can range from guided meditations to readings (often, with comments) to inspired or dharmettes to round out that day's instructional or teaching points.

This begins Season 5 of Opening Dharma Access!

REV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, immigrants, and those seeking a home in the midst of North American society’s reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder & Guiding Teacher of Access to Zen. You can learn more about her work and book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Pathat AccessToZen.org EVENTS