Getting Everything Right
Summary
Myosin Kate McCandless explores the vital role of play in Zen practice, contrasting it with the cultural emphasis on work and productivity. She shares personal anecdotes, including a pivotal tea ceremony lesson that introduced her to Zen as a "space for play," and discusses how animal behavior demonstrates play as a method for learning to navigate impermanence. The talk weaves in stories of Suzuki Roshi’s playful interactions with students and examines Dogen Zenji’s teachings on "playing with the spirit" and "playing with a mudball." Ultimately, the episode argues that embracing playful, no…
Topics discussed
Introduction to Mountain Rain Zen Dharma Podcast
Labor Day weekend and the meaning of work
Shifting focus from work to play in practice
Recollections of women's retreats and expressive arts
Zen history of playfulness and the work-play duality
Personal story: The abbot and the character for play
Beginning Zen practice and the spirit of tea ceremony
Dharma transmission and the calligraphy of play
Cultural views on play and Suzuki Roshi's non-gaining mind
Suzuki Roshi's playful interaction with neighborhood kids
Suzuki Roshi's humorous story about eating a hamburger
The evolutionary purpose of play in animals
Summary of 'Kingdom of Play' and animal learning
Play as practice for risk, recovery, and impermanence
Applying play and improvisation to Zen practice
Dogen on enlightenment and using the 12 hours of the day
Playing with the spirit in everyday activities
Playing with an eyeball: Awakening through action
The metaphor of the mudball and shining mudballs
Conclusion: Living meaningfully and Wendell Berry's poem
Closing remarks and donation information
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